The Green Papaya - River Edge NJ

[alanz]

This restaurant opened a couple of weeks ago, and I finally got a chance to have lunch there today there with one of my sons.

It is located on the site of a restaurant that we used to frequent years ago "China Tea House". I've missed China Tea House, and the people that owned it.

The restaurant is billed as Asian fusion cuisine, drawing from Thailand, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore.

For this first visit (and there will be MANY more visits as we work through their menu) we ate light. Scott and I each had the Tom Yum soup, a zesty tomato lemongrass broth with shrimp, okra and pineapple... lovely.

Then we split a lunch platter of shrimp with mango in a citrus sauce. The shrimp and fruit was served in skins of the two mango halves, along with a bit of salad and some jasmine rice. At first I thought the shrimp was a bit oversauced, but I was wrong, it was the perfect amount of sauce when eaten with the rice. The fruit was tender, and the sauce/shrimp combination was great.

Then we had a real treat... for dessert, we had their pineapple spring roll. It's a deep fried roll with pineapple (and we think raisins) inside. It was sort of like a fruit blintz, the filling was soft (bananna-like texture) and quite delicious, a perfect way to end the meal.

I was delighted on a couple of levels. First the food... very fresh ingredients, prepared with care. The service was very attentive.

Only as we were preparing to leave did I talk to one of the owners, and said that she looked familiar. It turns out that Mary (and her sister) were the owners of China Tea House, and own the building. I'm VERY happy to have this place so close to home, and very happy that they decided to come out of retirement.

So now the decision... do I bring Lauren there tonight, or wait until the weekend?< s >

Here are the details

110 Kinderkamack Road (corner of Main St, across from Total Wine)

River Edge, NJ 07661

201-678-1888

http://greenpapaya.weebly.com

[PicnicChef]

thanks for the info! I'll definately check it out!

[alanz]

thanks for the info! I'll definately check it out!

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Christine, let me know if you want some company. I live about half way between your shop and the restaurant, and it looks like I'll take about any excuse to go back to Green Papaya.

My wife and other son were there on Friday night... I'll let Lauren write a review of the lovely meal we had there.

Of course, now Dumpling and I should go... she's not been there yet.

Hmm, maybe she and I should go today for a late lunch.

[PicnicChef]

Let me know when your going and I'm in....

[ELA]

Interesting comments and appreciated -- thank you. This place is around the corner from my office. A group of went there once and I am sorry to say it wasn't memorable. That's not meant as an insult however.

Anyway, when it re-opened as Cross Roads it started to attrach a nice lunch crowd from the office buildings nearby. It was a scaled down diner type place, more than a luncheonette, just a nice basic restaurant (a lunch place that also tried getting a dinner crowd). It was doing well and had some followers. We used to wonder what happened to the tea house that was there.

After a while, the place changed though. The hot open turkey I used to get was not as good, some of the other sandwiches as well. The quality of the food slipped and then the place closed. I was glad to see something new there and will have to make sure I get there for lunch soon. Thanks again.

Eric

[eyedoc]

With Wondee's so close, is there any reason to go here? Seriously.

[menton1]

With Wondee's so close, is there any reason to go here?  Seriously.

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Sure. The food, if you check the menu, is rather different from Wondee's. This is Thai-accented, but contains alot more crossover dishes from other countries. And unlike Wild Ginger, this is not a slick place, and the dishes are more "authentic" rather than original.

The only drawback to this place is that the environment is like Rutt's Hut or a Blimpie. Not a place you want to linger in. But the food is good, and take out is easy.

[whitetrufflechick]

FWIW, The Record did a small piece in their 'Starters' column a few weeks back (December 20th, to be exact). Tried to find a link, but it appears The Record is revamping their website and articles aren't appearing where they're meant to appear.

From what I remember, the gist of it was that the current owner of Green Papaya is the former owner of the previous incarnation of restaurant at that location.

I'm sure if you search for Green Papaya in a day or two, once The Record's new incarnation is up and running, you'll be able to access the article.

WTC

[ELA]

I am sorry to say that I do not know Wondee's. So, I can't speak to that aspect. What's the deal on Wondee's?

Also, are we talking about Wild Ginger in Englewood?

Eric

Edited January 8, 2008 by ELA (log)