Restaurant Review • North America • United States • New Jersey • Jersey City
Pre-Partition Flavors and Opulent Design Meet at Jersey City’s Punjab Meet House
Step inside Punjab Meet House in Jersey City for elevated Punjabi cuisine, inventive cocktails, and opulent haveli-inspired design by Jimmy Rizvi.
Courtesy of Punjab Meet House
BY MAHIR VORA
Why it deserves a table
Set the Scene
The vast and varied cuisines of India have long deserved better focused regional treatment than afforded at the local curry house. Now that’s changing: New York has seen a number of recent openings focusing on aspects of South India. Jimmy Rizvi brings attention to the rich culinary traditions of pre-partition Punjab with Punjab Meet House in Jersey City. And Rizvi, who knows a thing or two about running a successful spot as owner of the upscale GupShup and Bungalow, and the comfort food spots Chote Mia and Ammi, brings a magic touch to both the food and space.
Rizvi wanted the experience to be one of returning to your grandmother’s ancestral home, and as designed by his sister-in-law Shaila Rizvi, the space shows off an opulent haveli with high ceilings, ornate woodwork, paintings, photographs, and gilded mirrors that evoke pre-partition Punjab. The music, a mix of Bollywood oldies and modern ballads, keeps the energy upbeat all night long.
Courtesy of Punjab Meet House
What’s the Food Like?
Punjabi cuisine at heart is farmland cooking, rich in dairy (butter, ghee, cottage cheese), breads made from wheat and cereals, and farm-raised meats and vegetables. Executive chef Zahir Khan (of GupShup) sources recipes from regions across pre-partition Punjab. His menu pairs lesser-known dishes with better versions of the ones we all know and love.
Gol Guppa comes sitting atop five shots of pani, one traditionally mint-flavored and the other four each flavored with seasonal fruit, adding sweetness and tang. Makki de kebab, topped with gochujang aioli, arrives on sticks planted in a field of faux green grass, a playful take meant to evoke a Punjabi farm. They are crisp on the outside and perfectly spiced within. Amritsari Bhatti Murgh is tandoor-cooked thigh morsels, dark-hued from being steeped in tea and black pepper, with a bold flavor to tickle your nose.
Chicken Changezi is a variant of the traditional butter chicken developed in Delhi, where many Punjabis migrated post-partition. Kunna Gosht features bone-in goat braised for hours in a sealed earthen clay pot that is cracked open tableside, the gravy rich from fat drippings and mustard oil and worth sopping up with a selection of the kitchen’s rotis and parathas.
Desserts include gulab jamun, shaped as a doughnut, dripping in cardamom syrup and topped with a mango cream.
Courtesy of Punjab Meet House
Let’s Talk About the Drinks
Punjabi flavors make their way onto the cocktail menu, too. Drinks include a Green Mango Daiquiri, Green Chilli Margarita, and Melon Cardamom Espresso Martini. They’re creative, they’re delicious, and, like the restaurant, are very much rooted in Punjab.
Final Thoughts
The New York area needed a smart, buzzy spot to give the dishes, flavors, and culinary traditions of Punjab a contemporary spin, and with Punjab Meet House, Rizvi and Chef Zahir bring the vibe and cooking to make it well worth your time to cross the river.
Courtesy of Punjab Meet House
Fast Facts
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Address: 101 Montgomery St., Jersey City, NJ 07302
Cuisine: Punjabi
Price Point: $$–$$$
Takes Reservations: Yes, via Resy
Our Favorite Thing on the Menu: Makki de kebab
The Vibe: Upscale, lively, and contemporary
The Attire: Smart casual
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 5 p.m.–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 5 p.m.–11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.–10 p.m.; closed Monday
Phone: 201-544-1786
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