When Chinese and Indian Cuisines Meet

The NYPL celebrates the history of NYC lunches with their exhibit Lunch Hour NYC. In front of the building, we're offering up some modern lunch history by bringing exciting lunch options to the Fifth Avenue Terrace. Isabelle has graciously agreed to eat her way through the Food Trucks on Fifth. Over the next month, she'll give you a full picture of the array of cuisines in store at the rotating truck schedule.

The restaurant Chinese Mirch, as a friend once told me, is so amazing because it combines the best that both Chinese and Indian cuisine have to offer. Since this past summer, the restaurant chain also has its own food truck, that is located in front of the NYPL every Thursday from 11 am to 3 pm. A good reason for me to go down there and verify my friends statement…

The both exotic and creative aspect of the food offered at Chinese Mirch is that it combines Indian flavors and spices (that’s also what Mirch translates to) with Chinese staple foods. The main attractions at the truck are the Momos. Momos are little moon or ball shaped dumplings that originally come from Tibet and Nepal. The little fried or steamed pockets of happiness are filled with meat, cheese or veggies and usually they come with a dipping sauce on the side.

The Momos at Chinese Mirch food truck are absolutely delicious; you can taste that they are made from scratch with the freshest ingredients. They offer a healthy and yummy lunch option for less than $10. The lightly fried dough adds a little crisp and together with the spicy dipping sauce it perfects the explosion of flavors that takes place in your mouth after taking a bite.

We tried all 4 varieties (chicken, lamb, veggies and cheese), but we were the most surprised by the flavorful vegetarian options. The cheese Momo was absolutely fantastic with its creamy heart of spinach, while the vegan choice is a grass green Momo filled with different seasonal veggies and spiced up with Indian flavors. We also tried the daily special slider, which consists of a traditional Chinese ‘bao’ (a bread like bun) filled with a slice of chicken meat and topped with an Indian Tikka sauce. A real firework for your taste buds!

This food truck is an original manifestation of cultural mix and after your first bite, you will crave more of those Asian flavors. It will satisfy both carnivores as well as our vegetarian friends. If you desire a more substantial meal, just get the Momos on rice or in a hot noodle stew. To finish your meal, order a sweet and tasty Mango Lassi (traditional Indian smoothie made out of fresh fruit and goats milk) and you will be energized to attack the rest of your day.

Food Trucks on Fifth Schedule
Weekdays, 11am-3pm

Monday: Mexicue
   
Tuesday: Milk Truck

Wednesday: Nuchas

Thursday: Chinese Mirch

Friday: Souvlaki GR

By Isabelle Steichen