My dad and I are Indian Chinese food fiends. We could literally eat it every day. Sort of. He might break and want something else every now and then – not me! The cuisine is Chinese food with an Indian twist, that was created when the Chinese community moved to Kolkata (then Calcutta) many an eon ago and started catering to the Indian palate with the addition of lots of spice, garlic, ginger and the like!
Indian Chinese food is fairly easily found in many of the older parts of Dubai. I’ve realised that I’ve become extremely picky about this cuisine ever since I moved back to Dubai. I think its mainly because I hadn’t found a place in the states that would serve this goodness. So that was 4 years of zero Indian Chinese food. Not a happy camper, this one!
And then one fateful day, I found a home delivery menu under my front door. I looked at it, found out it was a couple of blocks from my home and decided to drag my parents over there one evening. And then I went back again and again and I told my friends about it and took out-of-towners there and went back again and loved their new menu additions and went back again…you get how this goes, yes?
In short, The Monk is the answer to my Indo-Chinese dreams!
Starting with soup is always a good idea. If not soup, they have a rather long appetizer menu which includes some pretty, tasty dim sum.
I went for the classic “hot and sour” soup. It was the perfect amount of sour and spicy. I asked them to add freshly chopped cilantro on my soup – I think it gives it an extra kick of flavor. But that’s just me. I could put cilantro on anything.
Their fried rice is cooked ridiculously well and is so flavorful. I always go for the egg fried rice which is some of the best I’ve had.
The last time I was there, my awesome server suggested the Tshing-Hai Prawns – which is prawns stir-fried with chilli, ginger, garlic and celery. We were fighting for the last prawn. I may have won that fight!
The Chicken in Black Pepper sauce is one that never fails to impress – I have had it countless times – Given my spice tolerance level is quite high, the black pepper has the right amount of spice and may give you the sniffles. You’ve been warned!
Another dish which I will admit that I didn’t wait to take pictures of but just got right to eating, is the “Salt and Pepper Shrimp” but only I have asked them to make it tofu in place of shrimp. Either option is incredibly tasty – and hands down my favorite thing here.
Great portions, affordable prices and good service – this place is a winner!