CHINESE
CARLSTADT
Tina Louise: Asian; Carlstadt; 403 Hackensack St @ Broad; 24/16/$30; 201-933-7133; Closed Mondays; Mixed bag of mostly Chinese dishes; Lots of seafood entrees; Noodle and soup dishes are extremely affordable; Large menu to choose from; Excellent bang for the buck. BYO. Excellent flavors and quality.
CLIFFSIDE PARK
Petite Soo Chow: Chinese; Cliffside Park; 607 Gorge Rd @ Lincoln; 24/15/$32; 201-313-1666; BYO; Shanghai style Chinese; Very popular in the area; Endless menu; Soup Dumplings are their signature dish, called Xiaolongbao; Dim Sum typical menu; Always packed. Similar to Joe’s Shanghai in Manhattan. One of the best (and only) Chinese restaurants in Bergen.
CLIFTON
Chengdu 46: Chinese; Clifton; 1105 Rt 46 @ Rock Hill Rd; 23/18/$41; 973-777-8855; Upscale Chinese that could use a facelift; Website a disaster- still references 2006 specials; But – solid reviews in Zagats and can Chinese food, both high end and regular take out, ever be that far apart? Worth dining out here overall. $14.95 Sunday Lunch special perfect time to go. Gets better every year.
HACKENSACK
Lotus Café: Chinese; Hackensack; 450 Hackensack Av @ Grand; 23/12/$27; 201-488-7070; One of the better Chinese restaurants in Chinese restaurant-starved (sit down places) Bergen county; Giant selection to pick from; BYO; Poor décor- in a strip mall; Tasty food with very few ‘misses’. Near Riverside Mall; Great effort made by the staff and cheap prices.
PF Chang: Chinese; Hackensack; 50 Riversource Sq @ Hackensack Av; 21/21/$34; 201-646-1565; Never disappoints – for a chain; Interesting menu featuring all sorts of different dishes from each region of China; Seafood, chicken, duck, beef, dumplings- all featured; Cool décor, ideal for an inexpensive date. Always popular as it is a fun place to eat. Actually has great drink deals. Mixed service. Ideal break from shopping.
MONTCLAIR
Chia Asian Bistro: Chinese; Montclair; 446 Bloomfield Av @ Glenridge; 22/19/$35; 973-509-0799; BYO. Hidden gem; Asian food accented by Chinese influence; Great, affordable lunch specials; Roast duck tacos; Original dishes as well as old time classics; Cozy and comfortable.
RIDGEWOOD
Dim Sum Dynasty: Chinese; Ridgewood; 75 Franklin Av @ Oak St; 20/15/$28; 201-652-0686; Cantonese BYO; Hong-Kong style Dim Sum on weekends; Push carts and all on weekends; While not Chinatown, great for area; Clean, pleasant setting; Strong service and always a quality meal. Ideal for lunch and obviously Dim Sum.