synaesthesia Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 My sister told me that a coworker had mentioned that there are some Indian-style Chinese restaurants in the area. Anyone know anything? * edit And just out of interest ... Carribean-Chinese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 Saravana Palace in Fairfax has Indian-style Chinese. Website with menu here, Donrockwell thread here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted December 26, 2006 Author Share Posted December 26, 2006 Ok, ok. It appears that I post a question on the board, and cheat instead of bothering to you know... do a Google search... apparently Minerva also has some dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcanuck Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 I think the style of cooking you're referring to is Hakka. While the Hakka Chinese are predominantly still living in China, a number of them immigrated to northern India and fused the local cooking style with their own. Most Hakka restaurants serve the Indo-Chinese style of food you're looking for. EDIT: OK - after checking out the book mention below, I realized that Hakka is only part of the cuisine. And, after looking at the recipes, doesn't really have that much of an Indian influence. However, the section on Marwari coooking is definitely more Indian influenced. But still, I think Hakka restaurants are what you want to look for. A quick Google search didn't yield any results in DC, though there appear to be plenty in NYC and Toronto (no surprise there). I actually have a Hakka cookbook that my wife bought me many years ago, if you're interested in checking it out. It's called Indian and Chinese Cooking from the Himalayan Rim" by Copeland Marks. You're welcome to borrow it if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted December 27, 2006 Author Share Posted December 27, 2006 More FYI from the NY Times... just because being Chinese I find this sort of natural fusion pretty fascinating: Sep 21, 2005 - "Craving Hyphenated Chinese" by Julia Moskin on nytimes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 I think fusian cuisine is interesting too. For more Chinese fusian in the area (sorry to digress from the original topic) -- Tyler Cowen's site describes Kam Po in Falls Church has having Peruvian Chinese cuisine. Menu here from menupages. I haven't tried it yet. Korean-Chinese restaurants are common in the Korean community. I went to a one in Annandale some years ago for cha chang mein - the noodles with black bean meat sauce. I don't remember the name of it, but it's in the same shopping center with Il Mee and Shilla bakery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Grinnell Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 It's technically a tibetan restaurant, but Mt. Everest on 18th St. (it's close to the Reef, if I remember correctly) does the Indian/Chinese mix. The strange thing was that most of the dishes there didn't combine the cuisine as much as there was a curry listed on the opposite page of fried rice. I recall being a little mad that they hadn't embraced the full glory of mixing the two styles together, but it was two years ago and perhaps I wasn't looking for the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 hexerei said: It's technically a tibetan restaurant, but Mt. Everest on 18th St. (it's close to the Reef, if I remember correctly) does the Indian/Chinese mix. The strange thing was that most of the dishes there didn't combine the cuisine as much as there was a curry listed on the opposite page of fried rice. I recall being a little mad that they hadn't embraced the full glory of mixing the two styles together, but it was two years ago and perhaps I wasn't looking for the right thing. Mt. Everest closed and Mandu opened in its place a few months ago on 18th just north of S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouze Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 cheezepowder said: Saravana Palace in Fairfax has Indian-style Chinese. Website with menu here, Donrockwell thread here. We went to Saravana Palace (Closer to 7100 then taking Hunters Mill down for those who are newer to the area like us. Anyhow, it was vegetarian indian more like northern indian. They had a tiny bit of unremarkable chaat, 2 desserts (rice & noodle types) grapes, tasteless watermelon (yeah well it's the winter right?!) salad, saag paneer, the stuff that has peas in it and is white and tasty but i forget the name... kulcha, papadum, idli, sambar, 3 types of rice 2 types of potato dishes one was a spicier and tasty one they had a pea/bean dish and 2 other dishes as well as masala dosais in limited quantities. It was a madhouse when we were there, it is DEFINITELY not handicapped/mobility friendly inside the tables are way too tightly placed. The salad bars/bars were about less than 20 inches from the wall... if you're skinny that's great! If you're larger or in a wheelchair it is not! I asked for a coke no ice very slowly, of course got a coke w/ice. No return service so I had to ask the nearest next guy for a soda refill two times! Hubby's Mango Lassi had Ice in it which is ok either way some places serve it with some without. I'm not sure about the temperature on the tray's - I'm sure the Board of Health could check that! I wasn't overjoyed with it and I know most of the indian restaurants average 5 to 10 critical's on their health reports so I know to avoid things like raw sliced tomatoes or stuff with raw items in it since they never are chilled to the right temps. Compared to Mayuri, Minerva, India Supper Club, (all Reston/Herndon locations) Haandi (Falls Church) and others... I'd pick them first (Haandi doesn't have a buffet for lunch.) before coming here again, however the edible food was good they need to improve service and heating of food though before they get someone ill. As for service they need to get better organized and attentive. Edited to add locations/information. Also there is a new indian restaurant opening soon in Herndon on Elden St about 1/2 mi before Anita's coming from Reston. I haven't been to Harvest yet but plan to try it. Any other Indian restaurants nearby you can suggest?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilrus Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 synaesthesia said: apparently Minerva also has some dishes. Mostly at their Fairfax location, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 I found out that the place that serves Indian-Chinese food is in Columbia. It's related to Mango Grove, the northern Indian place. It's called Mirchi Wok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftranfa Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 There is an Indian fusion (Indo-Chinese) place in Centreville called Masala Country....Never been, but I read an article about it the other day...here is the website. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Feb 11, 2010 - "The Short History of Indian Chinese Food and Where to Breathe Fire in Mumbai" by Sanjiv Khangaonkar on travel.cnn.com Jan 29, 2014 - "Indian Chinese Food" by Madhu Sanjana on youtube.com Feb 15, 2015 - "9 Chinese Favourites in India that are Unheard of in China" by Souvik Ray on indiatimes.com Sep 4, 2015 (Updated Jun 17, 2016) - "10 Indian-Chinese Dishes that are Only Found in India" by Aashna Ahuja on food.ndtv.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 The cultural appropriation! The microaggression of taking Chinese food and making it Indian. There are no safe spaces left! Just kidding. Good articles. Hasn't really picked up in the DC area like it has in Toronto and Chicago. Some appetizers here and there, but no really good places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Chef Seth does a few Indo-Chinese dishes at Spice Xing in Rockville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Masala Wok in Herndon when it opened up a few years ago was popular with the Desi community other there but the quality was lacking. I agree with Simul Parikh that it hasn't taken off in the area as strongly as other parts of the country or even as it has in India. Probably the best combination Chinese/Indian I had locally has been at weddings or other catered events. There is clearly a need, though. Going to Big Bowl for a family birthday luncheon over half of the dining room were Desi(s). I think if Sichuan cooking was more commercial accessible and well known it would be a very popular subsection of Chinese cuisine with Desi(s). VahRehVah is an Indian recipe website, check out their Indo-Chinese section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 does Big Bowl do indian chinese? Woodlands has a decent gobi manchurian (they offer it on their weekend buffet but the dinner version is better. ) i also feed my cravings by using the "ching's secret" (i know the name is iffy) packets of soup, spices, etc. i think the hakka noodle miracle masala makes a decent hakka noodle (if you add way more spice and veg than the recipe says to, along with some ginger). i remember jewel of india was marketed as having a big indo-chinese selection, but the one time i went i was dissapointed by the relatively small number of vegetarian options, and underwhelmed with the manchurian i ordered (though it was presented nicely). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Big Bowl doesn't do Indian Chinese. Instead it attracts a large number of Desi(s) simply because you can customize the level of spice fairly easy, and they have several strong vegetarian options. Also, I should clarify that while Big Bowl does Chinese and Thai food, it doesn't do Thai spicy levels. Desi(s) normally can't eat Thai level of extra spicy since most people are not use to the spices used regardless of coming from North or South India. Big Bowl is this pseudo Chinese/Thai restaurant for Desi(s), kind of like the American version of Chinese from twenty to thirty years ago for special occasions. Additionally, argulably the largest population of Desi(s) in the DC metro area is in Herndon/Oakton/Fair Oaks area at this time. Personally, I'm not a fan of Big Bowl but over the years probably have been there or eaten take out more than 50 times. If only HKP or Peter Chang were closer! I've been thinking of learning to cook some Indian/Chinese dishes but getting a wok setup would be a bit much at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 2 minutes ago, lion said: Additionally, argulably the largest population of Desi(s) in the DC metro area is in Herndon/Oakton/Fair Oaks area at this time. Would this explain the sheer size of Diya, which must surely be the largest Indian restaurant in the DC area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simul Parikh Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Herndon/Reston/Dulles/western part of Fairfax has a huge population of Indian IT and defense contractor folks. That's the DC area's Indiatown. Funny you say that about Big Bowl. Whenever I was in Chicago, that was the first place many of my Indian friends/relatives suggested to go. Never made it, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 57 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Would this explain the sheer size of Diya, which must surely be the largest Indian restaurant in the DC area? Is it called Diya now? Can't remember but thought it changed ownership. I think they probably got a good deal on a lease since it used to be a TGIF and were running their catering business out of the location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 51 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said: Herndon/Reston/Dulles/western part of Fairfax has a huge population of Indian IT and defense contractor folks. That's the DC area's Indiatown. Funny you say that about Big Bowl. Whenever I was in Chicago, that was the first place many of my Indian friends/relatives suggested to go. Never made it, though. Normally, I think Big Bowl is a place everyone in an Indian family can find something they like to eat which of course is a big deal. You're not missing anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 16 minutes ago, lion said: Is it called Diya now? Can't remember but thought it changed ownership. I think they probably got a good deal on a lease since it used to be a TGIF and were running their catering business out of the location. You're right - it's Greenhouse Bistro & Tea Lounge. I didn't think there was any way a restaurant of this size could possibly survive in this location. More importantly, what does it say that the single-largest Indian restaurant in DC closes, and there's no press about it? The news here isn't that Greenhouse opened; it's that Diya closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 31 minutes ago, DonRocks said: You're right - it's Greenhouse Bistro & Tea Lounge. I didn't think there was any way a restaurant of this size could possibly survive in this location. More importantly, what does it say that the single-largest Indian restaurant in DC closes, and there's no press about it? The news here isn't that Greenhouse opened; it's that Diya closed. Hmm...I think it was known in Indian circles that it had closed or changed ownership, but it's not like if Rasika closed with no press, this was no flagship restaurant. This was purely a lunchtime buffet style Indian restaurant pushing out the favorites. Most Indian events that I've been invited, too in Tysons Corner area had shifted to Bombay Tandoor a couple years ago. Greenhouse Bistro & Tea Lounge's menu looks like a Frankenstein version of trendy restaurants fit into the mold of a Founding Farmers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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