A TOUCH OF PAN ASIAN RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE

If you're a lover of great food, a warm welcoming atmosphere and great value for money then look no further that ZEN Durham.

Situated near to the centre of Durham, ZEN offers Asian and Thai food in a way that would be hard to match.

The restaurant is situated in a quiet suburb of the city of Durham right next to the infamous prison walls. Parking is easy in nearby bays and thanks to Durham City Council, its free after 2pm Mon-Fri (Take note Newcastle)

On entering the restaurant you know you're in for a treat. The atmosphere is right on the money and you can choose from a family booth, secluded romantic table and there is even an outdoor covered area for those get together with pals moments.

Zen is a place where the Asian and Thai experience come together and the food is prepared by carefully selected chef's, many from the Asian area. The food is to die for, honestly, the menu is packed with favourites and new dishes alike so go explore. Whatever your taste, it is all here in a flavour filled menu.

The team at ZEN Durham have gotten it spot in with price and quality

Zen offers Thai food at affordable prices but don't let the price fool you into thinking that youre not getting top notch food. Believe me, food of this quality would cost twice as much in some of the overpriced swanky restaurants found in the south.

So what did I have, well to start we dived into a share bowl of crispy dried beef with a rather tangy chilli based sauce for dipping. The dish came out quickly and was hot, and ready to eat. The perfect way to start the evening over a cheeky glass of wine and an ice cold SINGA beer.

The dish was just enough to share and prep your pallet for what was to follow.

Mains consisted of Teriyaki beef served with Jasmin rice shown in the top image, and I opted for the Wonderfully and aptly named WEEPING TIGER shown in the bigger image above. Weeping by name and weeping by nature as the spices certainly got my eyes sweating.

But don't worry, all the dishes come with a guide on how spicy they can be and, if your faint hearted and worried about the dish being too spicy, the helpful staff are on hand to guide you around the packed menu so that you get a dish that you really will enjoy.

OVERALL; Zen Durham is a delight, well placed, easy to get to and park nearby. The food, which is the important part, is to die for. Well presented, full of the real taste of the east and all, in an atmosphere that you will enjoy. Oh and did I mention the price! You wont have to worry too much about the bill, for food this good, the bill will be a nice surprise at the end of your visit.