Since the departure of Komegashi last summer after their long 27-year run, there’s been a void at 103 Montgomery Street in Jersey City’s Paulus Hook neighborhood. But construction-papered windows at the corner storefront will soon be replaced with a new modern Asian fusion restaurant, as renovation work is underway at the property.
NaanChing Bistro & Bar describes their cuisine as a mix of Indian, Chinese, and Thai palates. The executive chef at the upcoming restaurant will be Richard Liao, who boasts over 20 years of experience in Mumbai and Kolkata in star hotels and fine dining restaurants, in addition to over a decade preparing delicacies in the New York area.
The eatery’s menu is truly expansive, clocking in at a whopping 21 pages. The diversity of options looks to be the appeal here; few restaurants can boast of having Hakka Chili Chicken, Szechwan Chicken, and Thai Chicken Curry on the same page of their menu, but NaanChing looks to pull it off. Lunch specials will be a big portion of the business, hoping to take advantage of nearby Exchange Place and office buildings just blocks away.
The restaurant’s namesake, the NaanChing Chicken, is an example of their fusion goals as the diced chicken is served with bamboo shoots, bok choy, shallots, corn prepared with soy, and a cooking wine sauce. Curries are made with proteins ranging from chicken, lamb, seafood, and goat, while vegetable is an option as well, as are tons of appetizers, salads, and soups. There will be a plethora of vegetarian dishes at the restaurant, which will also feature a catering business.
NaanChing Bistro and Bar will be taking up residence on the first and second floors of the property in a set-up similar to what Komegashi had before closing. The restaurant will also have a full liquor license, although a cocktail and drink menu has not been made available yet on their newly-launched website. However, a few “mocktails” are listed on their main menu.
No opening date has been set for NaanChing Bistro, but their hours of operation have already been posted. They will be open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and will close at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
