A Taste of Asia
A Taste of Asia in Chatham offers fine Malaysian cuisine. If one of the defining characteristics of American culture is the melting pot of diverse ethnic backgrounds, then Malaysian food certainly fits the description - it too is a product of the melding of a variety of cultures across time.
Malaysia, a Southeastern Asian country the size of New Mexico, was formed in 1963. Its population comes from all over Asia, and its culture has been influenced by European settlers over the last 100 years.
"Malaysia has the biggest Chinese population outside of China," says Steven Chia, chef and owner of A Taste of Asia. "My grandparents came to Malaysia from China. They tried to cook Chinese food, but couldn't find the spices they were used to, so Chinese food from Malaysia isn't what you'd expect."
Malaysian food is a blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Thai cooking. The food is also influenced strongly by the British, who ruled there for years. Similarly, Vietnamese food is influenced by the French, and Thai by the Dutch.
According to Chia, Malaysian food is generally healthier than Chinese. It isn't cooked with oil, and the spices are less offensive. Fruit flavors like lemongrass and coconut are staples of Malaysian cuisine. A Taste of Asia does have fried, stir-fried, and grilled dishes, but with its own flavors. The Curry Chicken is simmered with lemongrass, coconut and potatoes for a hearty meal.
In Malaysian dishes, the coconut meat is chopped into fine pieces and squeezed to extract the milk. Lemongrass is the foundation of the fortunately named Tom Yum soup, a Malaysian staple served with a choice of chicken, shrimp and vegetables. Tom Yum soup has a characteristic lemony over-taste, making its spices more palatable. Chia opened the original Taste of Asia in the town of Montclair in the fall of 1995.
"There are only a handful of Malaysian restaurants around here," says Chia. "When we opened in Montclair, we were pioneers."
Five years later, Chia opened a branch restaurant in Chatham, a quaint town with a population of 8,500. Soon the Montclair branch was closed, and A Taste of Asia became more of a hidden gem. While Montclair is a community that attracts people from all over for its restaurants and cultural activities, Chatham is more of a residential community, luring a more local clientele. But people come back again and again.
"Lots of time, people are not familiar with the flavor, so they try to come back to try different things," says Chia. "It takes patience, and you have to educate people. People are skeptical about a restaurant when they don't know the cuisine."
A Taste of Asia is located at 245 Main St. in Chatham. Call (973) 701-8821.
Unlike the more homogenous community of Chatham, Village Thai-Chinese restaurant is located in Jersey City, a crossroads of commerce whose population is a tapestry of multi-ethnicity.
The family-owned Village has been in Jersey City for 10 years. Owner Alan Lau's family has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, operating similar restaurants in Manhattan, near Central Park. The restaurant is an example of the kinds of businesses that thrive when an urban area undergoes a rebirth, as Jersey City has. In fact, some believe that an existing community of unique, family-owned businesses like restaurants is what allows a neighborhood to thrive when development starts to take place.
"We opened 10 years ago, and the area is booming now," Lau says. "At lunch time, the Village fills with people who work in the area. It is just blocks from the financial center at Exchange Place. For dinner, people come from out of town."
According to Lau, although there are many restaurants that serve Thai food, few are managed by Thai people - the area by the Exchange Place PATH train is not a Thai neighborhood.
There are similarities between Chinese and Thai dishes, and Village serves both as distinct styles.
"Chinese food is more oily, while Thai is more spicy," Lau says. "They use different spices as well."
According to Lau, the people of Thailand learned to cook from the Chinese. Since Thailand is a hot country, the people drink large quantities of water. Spicy foods help absorb water - which explains why people from countries in warm climates eat spicy food.
"People in hot countries eat chili because they drink lots of water," Lau says.
Like with Malaysian food, lemongrass is a staple of Thai cooking - the country borders West Malaysia to the north. Another characteristic of Thai food is peanuts. The Hunan Dumplings have a peanut butter flavor, and the Thai Beef and Chicken skewers are served with a peanut sauce.
Village Thai-Chinese Restaurant is located at 62 Morris St. in Jersey City. Call (201) 451-4110.
When Tina and Mehernosh Daroowalda opened India on the Hudson in Hoboken 11 years ago, there were no Indian restaurants in town. As the town grew and became more cosmopolitan and affluent, and more people settled in from out of town, Tina and Mehernosh decided to open Karma Kafé further downtown. This is an Indian restaurant with a hip edge.
"We felt there was a need for a hip, young, fresh approach to Indian food," Tina says.
Indian food traditionally represents one of 27 states in India, each of which has its own dialect. Karma Kafé has something from each, representing a more modern Indian culture.
"Our emphasis is on eclectic Indian, which varies a lot from state to state," Tina says. "With the South Asian population growing and people becoming more aware, we wanted to represent global South Asia."
Karma Kafé also seamlessly melds an authentic Indian atmosphere with the American melting pot of Hoboken. Indian carvings adorn walls that are otherwise bare, in a minimalist style. Underneath the Indian melodies are American dance beats.
"We were one of the first places to create Tandori Wraps. It makes it easier for locals to accept Indian food without losing its authenticity," Tina says.
Tandori cooking takes place in cylindrical ovens called Tandoris, heated with a charcoal fire where the dough is attached to the walls of the oven. Mixed with the currently trendy style of food preparation, "wraps," Karma Kafé's atmosphere is inviting for people looking to get their first taste of what Indian food has to offer. Tandori foods are less spicy than other types of Indian food.
One way for a novice to get a taste is to come during lunch, when Karma Kafé has a buffet, offering a sampling of foods such as Bagare Baigan, Chicken Curry, and Peas Pulao.
In a town like Hoboken, a bar is always a familiar place, and Karma's bar has an extensive starter menu for people who want to nibble while enjoying a few drinks. Keeping to form, the bar is adorned with bells one might find in an Indian temple.
Karma Kafé is located at 505 Washington St. in Hoboken. Call (201) 610-0900.
Sidebar: A trek through Asia
Visit some of these other Asian restaurants in New Jersey to experience even more Asian cuisines.
21 Cortland St.
337 Broad Ave.
335 Washington St.
261 Main St.
67 Bloomfield Ave.
120 Cedar Grove Lane
Cedar Grove Shopping Centre
99 Pavonia Ave.
Newport Financial Center
595 River Rd.
The Noodle House
2313 Commerce Blvd.
1085 Rt. 22 E.
664 Bloomfield Ave.