One of the latest restaurants to open up in Jersey City is the Clove Garden of India. However, within just a few days of opening in March, they had to close their dining room. Like most other eateries trying to survive the COVID-19 crisis, switching to takeout and delivery helps keep them afloat.
You’ll find Clove Garden of India in the space where Third and Vine used to be. The team behind Clove Garden spent a few months renovating the spot in order to give it its own identity. The spot seats 49 people inside and 20 outside on the restaurant’s front walkway, according to co-owner Caleb Benjamin; who has more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
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A Menu As Big As Your Appetite
As you may suspect from the name, Clove Garden offers Indian cuisine. But, as they are quick to point out on their website, flavors and traditions wary widely across India. As a result, their large menu offers an array of options. For instance, vegetarian starters include mixed vegetable pakora, which are gently seasoned mixed vegetable fritters; meanwhile, non-vegetarian starters include Clove Garden Wings (chicken wings made with Indian spices and cooked in a tandoor oven).
“Who doesn’t love Indian food?” says Benjamin. “We have a mixture of spices and subtle flavors. The spices are so sensuous.”
For your main meal, they offer Tandoor sizzlers with options for chicken, shrimp, salmon, or lamb. Benjamin recommends the tandoori chicken, a flavorful dish featuring a whole deskinned chicken they marinate overnight in a chef’s marinade; after that, they cook the meat on skewers in a charcoal clay oven.
Signature Dishes at Clove Garden of India
Other menu staples range from seafood, lamb, and goat, to vegetarian and vegan offerings. The lamb roghan josh, for instance, is a lamb delicacy from Kashmir Valley. Benjamin says that rogan means oil and josh means intense heat; in this case, they cook the lamb in oil at intense heat with spices like cloves, cumin, bay leaves, and fennel.
Another Clove Garden signature dish is the goan fish curry. “India has lots of coastline, so it’s no surprise that fish and seafood are common ingredients in Indian curries. It’s a perfect Indian seafood curry recipe to warm up with,” he says of the tangy dish.
Finally, don’t forget to save room for desserts like their kheer (rice pudding with nuts and raisins); they also serve firni, made with rice powder, milk, and saffron.
You can find Clove Garden of India at 353 3rd Street in Jersey City. They’re open six days a week, and are currently BYOB (their liquor license is pending approval). To learn more, click here to visit their website or click here to give them a call.
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Top (Hero) Photo: © Clove Garden of India / Facebook
Other Photos (In Order):
Clove Garden of India / Facebook
