J’s Contemporary Oriental, Noida

We visited J’s, a newly launched, swanky Pan-Asian Restaurant tucked inside Mosaic Hotel, a lovely boutique property on the bustling main road facing Atta Market in Noida. Located just a stone’s throw away from The Mall of India, this hotel fortunately offers plenty of parking!

The entrance was a large door with ornate Chinese etching on a metal circle. Surrounding the door were round Chinese lamps that glowed softly. Inside, there were roomy booths for large groups on the periphery and of course, tables and chairs for smaller numbers of people in the center. An inclusion of plants by the tables added more character to the lovely interiors. The head chef, Tenzin Losel (ex Taj Palace) came up and introduced himself to us, and a lavish lunch followed soon after.

The appetizers set the tone for what was to come. The plating was excellent and very impressive. We started with veg dimsums that were melt in the mouth with goodness of paper thin wrappers stuffed with microgreens and black bean. Then came up Chicken Suimai that we couldn’t have enough of. Delectable minced chicken that was lightly spiced and tasted amazing. Then there was Poh Pia Phak, everyone’s favorite Thai spring rolls that were tightly packed with lots of veggies and fried to a crisp. And finally, Wok tossed Prawns with spicy butter garlic. The prawns were huge and really fresh….. What we loved was the medley of sauces that were served with all the starters. Each one came with a distinct partner.. like a perfect marriage.

The Main course was excellent. There was the very fragrant Yang Zhou Fried Rice with a generous smattering of prawns, egg and barbecued chicken. A Korean special, Wok tossed shredded chicken with Gochujang sauce (that I loved), there were fresh green beans sautéed with a tasty Szechwan sauce. We were also served Crispy Okra which we really enjoyed. The Okra was coated with a tempura-like batter and fried crisp. It was delicious, and we couldn’t stop at one serving.

Our most favorite item was the Claypot Exotic – crunchy vegetables like snow peas, bok choy and several others. It’s sauce was scrumptious with a delightful smoky flavor, and the veggies were fresh with the right crunch! Possibly the best accompaniment to our fried rice. We also had the steamed fish with the Thai Coriander sauce. The fish was a fresh river Sole with a ginger garlic coating and it swam (pun not intended!) in a spicy coriander chilli sauce. A Thai preparation, it’s prepared with the fieriest chillies from Thailand and hence extremely high on the spice levels and it had us gulping down iced water. So although it was delicious, if you’re ordering this one, remember to inform them about the level of spice you prefer.

All good things come to an end, but this ending was sweet, and so very welcome! We were treated to a decadent, chocolate cake with a subtle hint of jasmine. It was topped with a rich ganache and a touch of chocolate buttercream with strawberries on the side. We also had the crispy date pancake with honey nuts and ice cream, but as a self-confessed chocolate lover, I lingered on with the cake till I had gobbled up the last bit of it from the plate. A must order when you’re eating there!

Verdict – Do go to this wonderful restaurant for its ambience, location (next to Mall of India), hospitable service and most importantly an excellent amalgamation of Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, all under one roof.

-Vaishali Sabherwal