NYC — Spring 2012: Jaya

After having such a heavy lunch at Balthazar, we wanted something lighter for dinner. My mom was really craving noodle soup and I had vetoed pho because I eat so much of it in Toronto, so my brother took us to Jaya, which is a Malaysian, Chinese, and Thai restaurant. We decided on four dishes:

Steamed Chilean sea bass in soy sauce with green onions, ginger, and parsley

Ipoh Hor Fun Noodles: Broad rice noodles with shredded chicken, shrimp, fish balls, and chives in a clear broth

Laksa Noodle Soup: Broad rice noodles with chicken in spicy curry broth

Chinese vegetables sautéed with garlic

The food was really tasty, but my favourite dish of the night was by far the Chilean sea bass. Many Chinese restaurants steam fish in soy sauce, ginger, parsley, and green onions; in fact, it's probably one of the most basic, classic ways to cook fish in Chinese culture. But the Chilean sea bass was so fresh, so tender, so buttery — it would've been a waste to cook the fish in any other way than the most simple, and with the most simple ingredients. I find cooking fish this way really makes the flavour and texture of it stand out more, and I seriously can't remember the last time I loved cooked fish this much. The noodle soups were also really good, flavourful and full of goodies in a generous portion, and will definitely satisfy any noodle cravings. Jaya is worth checking out for cheap, tasty Asian dishes — and it's definitely one of the nicer restaurants that Chinatown has to offer.

Jaya

90 Baxter Street

New York, NY 10013

(212) 219-3331