Indian-Chinese Fusion

[Paul H]

The January/February 2008 issue of Saveur Magazine sings the praises of Indian-Chinese Fusion restaurants, printing a recipe for "Gobi-Manchurian," deep-fried cauliflower, stir fried with ginger and green chilies.

I've never seen an Indian-Chinese Fusion restaurant. Are there any here in the Bay Area? This would seem to be the perfect subject for Chowhound exploration: ethnic, inexpensive, and delicious. Any sightings?

[Robert Lauriston]

India Chaat Cuisine in Sunnyvale (same parking lot as HanKook) has an Indian-Chinese menu with 15-20 items. Unfortunately it's not on their Web site or the takeout menu I grabbed. I had chana masala and a paratha, they were fine but given all the competition nearby I wouldn't go back for those.

http://indiachaatcuisine.com

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India Chaat Cuisine
1082 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94086

[sonomasal]

You might want to try Chinois in Windsor (sonoma county). It an Asia fusion restaurant that specializes in Southwest Asian, Shanghai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur cusines. Not Indian, but very interesting - a lot of Asian street food. I had an excellent meal there on Sunday. Their Satay is outstanding.

[SteveG]

You might consider trying Singaporean and Malaysian food, which each have various dishes with influences from both China and India due to their geographic location and trade influences. Many chinese restaurants serve "Singapore Style Noodles" or "Star Country Noodles" which are thin rice noodles wokked with curry powder, with Chinese toppings like prawns, bbq pork, chives, etc.

Any hounds have a favorite place for Singapore Style Noodles? We do OK at Ocean restaurant on Clement if we ask for extra curry powder, but it's not one of their standards so it can be pretty variable.

[Dave MP]

The Singapore Style Noodles at Mandarin Villa near Civic Center are very good - I used to eat here a lot when I worked in that neighborhood - not a very special place, but nice curry flavor in the noodles. When you eat lunch in the restaurant, you also get complimentary egg rolls which also have a unique curry flavor....so the influence is definitely there in multiple items.

[Dave MP]

Link for Mandarin Villa

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Mandarin Villa Restaurant
101 Oak St, San Francisco, CA 94102

[Melanie Wong]

As a and w says, keep an eye out for certain dishes such as salt and pepper paneer, hakka noodles, or chicken 65 on menus. A friend from India says that chili chicken has become ubiquitous and quality/interpretation varies widely, much like sweet and sour pork here.

A few more old threads on the search for Desi-Chinese,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/33229
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/32745
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/44884
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/35798

[osho]

Thanks Melanie, just one correction - Chicken 65 is a decidedly Andhra style dish, not Indo- chinese ...

[Melanie Wong]

Thank you, I have heard both for Chicken 65, South Indian that is though maybe not Andrhan, also that it is Anglo-Indian of recent invention (i.e., 1965).
http://mydhaba.blogspot.com/2005/12/chicken-65.html

Some past threads on this,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/40440
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/28239
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/28085

Edited to add: here are several more tales of its origin,
http://bbcb.co.uk/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=58
http://www.indiamike.com/india/indian...

[osho]

Thanks Melanie. Very interesting tales around the origin of Chicken 65....

I have had excellent renditions of Chicken 65 at different places in Bangalore, India on business trips there : At the Taj Residency, RR chain of Andhra restaurants, as well as Amravathi (IIRC).

IMHO, once upon a time, the best Chinese restaurants in Bombay were Golden Dragon (Taj), Kam Ling and Flora, and I can assure you they did not serve Chicken 65.

[Melanie Wong]

Thank you, and you're welcome. But really, I was hoping we'd turn up more local spots to enjoy these dishes!

Ideas, folks?

[a_and_w]

I don't have any specific recs but I love this style of food. Some Indian places will have a few Chinese-Indian classics on the menu like gobi manchurian, chili chicken (order it "dry" if possible) and lollipop chicken. You just have to keep your eyes peeled...

[Maple]

Flavors of India in Rockridge has Chili Chicken on the menu I believe.

I did make the recipe using chicken. While the flavor is as I remembered it, it is fried and the sauce is a tad on the sticky sweet side - I was a bit disappointed.

[proletarian]

I do not recommend the one in Mountain View on Castro St. Not too tasty...

[ceekskat]

The only Indian Chinese I've had was at Masala Grill in Fremont a few years ago. A non descript, casual cafe in a huge strip mall. I wasn't impressed; problem is that Indo-Chinese tends to be deep fried & greasy dishes. I suppose if well made, they shouldn't be greasy:-) I have not tried Temptations but not having heard any rave reviews, haven't felt the urge to visit.

[Dave MP]

I had an Indian-Chinese dish at the lunch buffet at Sultan on one of my visits...I wasn't too impressed though. But they might be another place to try.

[Joel]

The last time I was at Priya, on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, they had a very tasty Chicken Manchurian. It is in the "appetizers" section of the menu.

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Priya Indian Cuisine
2072 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702

[osho]

Check this topic ...

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/372813

Also I have since realized that Passage to India has a few Indo-chinese items on the menu. Not wildly great, but pretty reminiscent of that unique style ...

[theSauce]

I believe Spice Hut in Newark serves Indian-Chinese food. The reviews are mixed.