I admit that my knowledge of Indo-Chinese cuisine has always been limited to very few dishes like Mandchurian cauliflower that is one of my favorites. So I was curious to see what Szechaun Mirchi in Jersey City was proposing. According to Wikipedia:

“Indian Chinese cuisine, Indo-Chinese cuisine, Sino-Indian cuisine, Chindian cuisine, Hakka Chinese, Desi-Chinese cuisine or Desi-Chindi cuisine is a distinct fusion culinary style which combines aspects of both Indian and Chinese foods and flavours. Though the cuisines have mixed throughout history through the Silk Road via Tibet, the most popular origin story of the fusion food resides with the Chinese of Calcutta, who immigrated to colonial India looking for better prospects and better lives around 250 years ago. Opening restaurant businesses in the area, these early Chinese immigrants adapted their culinary styles to suit the tastes of their Indian patrons.

Chinese Indian food is generally characterised by its ingredients: Indian vegetables and spices are used, along with a heavy amount of pungent Chinese sauces, thickening agents, and oil. Stir-fried in a wok, Indo-Chinese food takes Chinese culinary styles and adds spices and flavours familiar to the Indian palate. This idea of flavourful, saucy Chinese food cooked with Indian spices and vegetables has become integral to the mainstream culinary scenes of both India and Bangladesh, and its diffusion to nations like America, Great Britain, and Canada has shaped and altered the global view of Chinese, Indian, and Asian cuisine.”

We went few times and I got to try quite a few dishes, in a welcoming atmosphere. Their menu is quite large and I admit overwhelming. Here is what I tried:

For beverages, there is quite a wide choice, from the Indian mango lassi, to Thai iced tea, and of course, green tea.

If you like soups, they have so many! Some sweet and spicy, with lots of vegetarian choices. And these soups come, they are really hot, perfect for a cold day. My favorite was the chicken and sweet corn, and then the crab soup. For vegetarian their vegetable wonton soup is delicious, as is their miso soup.

For appetizers, we tried two vegetarian ones: the vegetarian Momo that are steamed dumpling that I thought were quite good, the shell not being too thick and the filling tasty, not the usual filling overpowered by spinach, and the vegetable wonton with a sweet chili sauce that was delightfully crispy.

Entrees are so diverse, that I was not sure what to try and settled with their General Too chicken that was not the classic I knew as the chicken was not deep fried and so not crispy. But the sauce, a bit sweet, was delicious. A spicy dish was the garlic shrimp that is made with a spicy chili garlic sauce (lots of sauce). They also have noodles and I admit that I love the vegetable noodles as much as the chicken pan fried noodles: it has something very comforting about it. And of course, vegetable fried rice.

Each time we went to Szechaun Mirti, we had a nice and comforting meal. The menu is a bit overwhelming and there are so many mouth watering dishes that it is very difficult to decide what to order. Still, I love this place!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Szechaun Mirchi - 850 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306

Szechaun Mirchi (Indo-Chinese Cuisine) in Jersey City

I Just Want To Eat!