Newport Mall
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Jersey City, NJ 07310
I went shopping at the Newport Centre Mall in New Jersey with some friends and an Indian man was standing outside the entrance to the mall handing out fliers for the grand opening of Taste of India in the food court. We decided to try it out for lunch and were amazed at the long line of Indian men waiting to order. $7.95 for non vegetarian meal of 1 meat entree, 1 vegetable entree, rice, and nan bread or $6.95 for vegetarian meal of 2 vegetable entrees, rice, and nan bread were advertised on the flier.
As you approach the stand, you will see a small selection of food offerings in restaurant pans kept heated from below by hot water. There are signage to label the dishes but nothing to tell you what is in it. With the feel of a high school lunch line, you walk up to the glass and point to what you want. A manager was standing behind his staff excitedly trying to expedite things but it seems like he was doing too much and not very helpful in the end. EVERY dish has chili pepper in it and are from the Southern Regions of India from Dal (lentals in sauce), and curried potatoes with spinach, to chicken tikka masala (chicken pieces in a creamy tomato sauce) and some other chicken dish consisting of stewed chicken pieces in a red oily sauce. I asked if they offered korma and the manager said, "Korma no, not today." I settled for the chicken tikka masala which I've had before at Balucchis and thought it would be the same but no, it was dry and sauce less. I think in their excitement, they misheard which dish I ordered and gave me the chicken tikka instead. A bit flustered by the flurry of confused activity behind the counter I just accepted the dish and ordered a drink of rose water, melted icecream and some sort of exotic fruit similar with papaya like seeds in it. We all sat down at a table and after one bite of the chicken, I was so disappointed by the over cooked chicken which was more heat than taste and thank goodness that we were in a Food Court, went over to nearby Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits to order a 2 piece chicken lunch meal that was much cheaper.
Something could be said of the fact that Taste of India had more Indian men standing on line waiting to order lunch than women and non Indians who work in the nearby offices that gravitated to the other food chain stands instead. Perhaps these guys longed for a taste of their homeland and a spicy lunch that someone decided to open a Taste of India in the Mall's food court. What ever it is, my friends were showing the effects of the spicy lunches they ordered as their coughing, snifling and sweating can attest. A late arriving friend joined us and saw the results of the Indian food and quickly and wisely, went over to Taco Bell for a Mexican Pizza.
The only positive thing I can say about this Taste of India is that they use a 3 compartment Versatainer for their combo meals which comes in handy for take-a-way and reusable for your own meals (you guessed it, I asked my lunch companions if I could have their containers afterwards).
Sorry, but this is one taste of India that I will avoid.
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