Chinese, Thai, Indian in/near Maywood NJ

[foodaholic8]

Hi everyone-

I just moved to Maywood NJ and I'm looking for a really good chinese takeout joint. It is my favorite "fast food" and everywhere I have tried so far is a let down.

Are there any good Thai and Indian places around ... or even any must try eats of any cuisine?

Thanks!!!!

[foodaholic8]

Well it has been a while and I have tried wondee's three times. I still think it's passable at best. I keep driving to Pimaan in emerson when I need thai. As for the suggestion of panda on essex st thanks! It's decent take out.

My next goal is pizza and bagels :x

[tommy]

Out of curiosity, what have you been ordering at Wondee's?

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Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[foodaholic8]

Pad Thai, massuman Curry, thom yum soup, green curry. Pretty much basic thai that should be great all the time. I find it lacking in flavor and at times greasy. Just goes to show you everyone has their taste. I feel that they have really americanized their food.

[yogi70]

noticed 3 new restaurants in Maywood over the last 2 weeks. A new Indian place called Spice of India, is on the street that you turn off central ave that takes you to the rt. 17 north entrance (woodland ave i believe). then theres a new place called session bistro on Maywood ave, where the Italian deli used to be (next to the old locomotive museum / train station?) says it offers fusion / sushi on its website. Lastly i just passed another place today, also on Maywood ave, a new Thai place. I was driving and couldnt make out the name, but its on the other side of the strip where the new session bistro place is. Has anyone made it to any of these 3 yet? if so, how was it? im sure ill be trying one soon and will report back.

[yogi70]

websites for the above mentioned places:

www.theindospice.com

www.sessionbistro.com

www.phothailao.com

[zhelder]

Has anyone tried Pho Thai Lao in Maywood? It looks to be exactly what I've been looking for! A Thai restaurant in a nice, but unpretentious town in Bergen County with reasonable parking and food at reasonable prices! (In fact, the prices seem a bit too good!) I'm definitely hoping to try this place in the next few days! I hope they're good!

[foodaholic8]

I can say I am a fan of Pho Thai Lao in Maywood! I still prefer Pimaan a bit more but the food is great, very well priced, and the servers are super friendly. Now if they would get some massuman curry I would be in heaven.

Just mind the spice level! A three is pretty spicy!

[njmarshall55]

Yes, Maywood is about as unpretentious as it gets!

[foody1979]

went to session for a food/wine tasting on monday...liked the food a lot especially the dumplings in coconut curry

[menton1]

Session?

[foody1979]

session bistro...place next to the train station

[menton1]

Been to any other places in this category, foody 1979?

[foody1979]

had take out from the thai place on the corner twice...duck was great, but pork and basil was radically overcooked

[menton1]

Would love to hear some restaurant reviews from you foody1979, particularly about good restos in this area...

[foody1979]

Chakra on route 4 east (i think in paramus) has got superior food, but it is gonna cost a pretty penny... sort of a treat yourself out on the town type place...atmosphere is a little stuffy, but I forgive that because the chef that took over there about a year ago is amazing - a genius actually...I worked there as a line cook for a few months and honestly, the things he did in that kitchen were special...I think that the record gave it 3 1/2 stars. Expect to spend about 150 for dinner for 2, 250 if your drinking, but its worth it....If they still do things the way they used to, your best bet is to go on tuesday (because that is when most of the prep is done and the place is empty) or on fri and sat if you dont mind the crowds.

if you want a place for great fast food, try Bon Chon in fort lee on lemoine ave...best chicken wings you will ever eat

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Chakra
W 144 Rte 4 E, Paramus, NJ 07652

[FoodOwnsMe]

Wanted to jump in on this if you all are still around. The best Chinese food I have had in Bergen County is at Petite Soo Chow in Cliffside Park. The 3 Cups Chicken is excellent and the soup dumplings will kill your craving at the very least.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/petite-soo-ch...

There are so many good restaurants in Bergen County, sorry to hear you feel the county is blah. Try Bennies in Englewood for very good Lebanese food. For solid Thai/Pan-Asian food, head over to Green Papaya in Hackensack right off rt4 on Kinderkemack..fresh and made with a delicate hand. I have many more places if your interested.

[zhelder]

Speaking of Thai food near Maywood, does anyone know what is going to become of the seemingly cursed Siam Ruby location in the little strip mall next to the Shop Rite in Rochelle Park? Is it going to become another Thai place? I never understood why that place struggled. All of the owners put out good food at good prices, and the location was fairly convenient.

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Siam Ruby Cafe
184 W Passaic St, Rochelle Park, NJ 07662

[tommy]

I don't think the depressing diner motif and seemingly difficult parking helped them. Neither of the previous owners did much with the interior. The last folks who owned it were very nice and receptive to my requests of "please make me food like you'd have at home." Had they introduced authentic dishes, and people got the word out, it could have been a contender.

Probably good advice for any "ethnic" restaurant.

[menton1]

Most of Bergen County is a "blah food zone" Lol.

If you can do a 15 min drive, try Mediterraneo in Ridgewood. Very good. Heard good reviews of Picnic in Fair Lawn, I haven't been. Oceano's in Fair Lawn is very good. Bistro 55 in Maywood/Lodi has some good nightly Pub specials. I mentioned in a previous post about Lotus Cafe in the Home Depot shopping center. Not great, but acceptable Chinese food for takeout. Certainly better than the inedible takeout food at all the storefront chinese places.

For Thai, Pimaan in Emerson on Kinderkamack Road is decent. Nice digs too.

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Oceanos Restaurant
2-27 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

Mediterraneo
23 N Broad St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

[sixelagogo]

I can second Menton's recommendation of Pimaan...very fresh Thai, served beautifully (the whole fried fish rocks my world). If yer into Beer, Andy's Corner Bar in Bogota has a great selection on tap, and a lovely atmosphere (though no food- you can get a slice from Angelo's down the street (if the owner is working, it's a great slice, if he's not--move along). I'm also a fan of Bistro 55- very good burgers and nice beer selection.

As for fine dining- I give. IMHO Bergen County is a major letdown in this respect...Picnic was ok, but nothing mindblowingly great (in our car ride home, my dude and I both gave it a solid B).

As for indian, don't even get me started...I think i've gone to every Indian restaurant in the county and have left seriously or somewhat disappointed in each...Get on the GSP and head to Edison if yer really in the mood for it.

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Pimaan Thai Restaurant
79 Kinderkamack Rd, Emerson, NJ 07630

Angelo's Pizza
115 Queen Anne Rd, Bogota, NJ 07603

Andy's Corner Bar
257 Queen Anne Rd, Bogota, NJ 07603

Bistro 55
55 Route 17 South, Rochelle Park, NJ 07662

[foodaholic8]

I love Pimaan. It is my fave thai place. I was just hoping for a 10 min ride to a new joint. Have you guys tried Rocca in Glen Rock for a somewhat upscale dinner? It is pretty good (stay away from the typical chicken parm etc and you will be impressed).

[foodaholic8]

Guys I'm very sad about the Food in this area :(

I even tried Wondee's in Hackensack and it was nothing worth repeating.... I feel like I have moved into a blah food zone

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Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[sixelagogo]

Despite the positive reviews, i'm not a fan of Wondee's either....There's the Green Papaya in riveredge (on kinderkamack) that serves a kinda pan-southeast asian food...some of it is really good (homemade tofu), some not.

Otherplaces:
Pollo Mario's in hackensack for really good columbian roast chicken & sides

Heard good things about madras cafe in Hackensack, but still have not tried, though it's worth exploring

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Green Papaya
110 Kinderkamack Rd, River Edge, NJ 07661

Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[IbrahimSS]

I was prompted to join chow.com just to express my strong disagreement with the anti-Wondee comments. While not every dish is great there it's easily the best Thai I've had in Bergen County. I'm not even sure how the Bangkok Garden is even open with Wondee across from it. Decor at Wondee is horrendous no doubt and the restaurant layout can leaving you freezing cold or sweating from the draft coming through the door. That I agree with. I've hit some duds here and there and I've been disappointed in the fact that they don't have real "prik pon" and instead use crushed red pepper. However the food is *overall* excellent.

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Bangkok Garden Thai Rest
261 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[tommy]

Wondee's is liked by lots of people who eat a lot of Thai. It's certainly regarded by many as the best in the area.

While it might not float everyones boat, I know of no other Thai restaurant in north jersey with as many selections.

I just wish they wouldn't turn their pork belly into pork croutons.

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Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[IbrahimSS]

My experience with their pork belly is you must tell them how you want it. If you're not Thai, and I'm not, then you better explicitly tell them you want the traditional fatty pieces rather than the dry pieces they produce for the "Western palate".

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Wondee Cafe
296 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601

[tommy]

That's good to know. But they shouldn't produce inedible pork belly croutons for any palate. Americans are quite familiar with bacon and aren't too offended by pork belly with a bit of moisture left in it.

I certainly hope they don't take that position with all of their food (to any great extent, anyway). They'd be even more popular if they made more interesting dishes in more a Thai style. I'd certainly go there much more often if I felt I wasn't getting served baby food for my unsophisticated Western palate.

[tommy]

You actually live within 20 miles of some very good Chinese, bistro, and pizza places, not to mention taquerias, and a few decent steakhouses. And of course various middle eastern and Greek restaurants.

[menton1]

The ubiquitous Chinese takeout is pretty poisonous in Northern NJ. The only one that is even slightly edible that I've found is Lotus Cafe in the Home Depot shopping center just next to Riverside Square Mall. (It's also a sit down restaurant). Otherwise, stay away from Chinese takeout.

[borntodine]

Chinatown gourmet has the best chines its in lodi on main street right behind the lodi post office

[NJfoodLover]

Panda on Essex Street is the best chinese one in the area. The are also very nice and fast.

[foodaholic8]

Thanks I will give it a try