This Chinese takeout finishes on top

Image by neilfein via Flickr

The best Chinese takeout in Teaneck isn't on Cedar Lane, above.

Every North Jersey town, big and small, seems to have a storefront that churns out Chinese takeout food from one of those huge menus, the ones that are bigger than place mats.

But only Teaneck's West Englewood section has Zen Kitchen, where the quality of ingredients and the preparation clearly are a cut above the rest. It delivers to Teaneck and 11 other towns.

Besides Chinese food, Zen offers Japanese and Thai items; sushi, and seafood and vegetable rolls, but I've been disappointed occasionally when I've strayed from the Chinese items.

On Friday night, I ordered a small, barbecued spare ribs for my wife and son ($7.75), Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce ($11.95), House Special Fried Rice ($8.50), Dry Sauteed String Beans ($7.95) and Bean Curd with Vegetables, Country Style ($7.95).

All the vegetables retained their crunch. Triangles of tofu were fried, and the ubiquitous brown sauce was kept to a minimum. The shrimp were plump and delicious, and, again, there was just enough black bean sauce.

In the more than five years we've been ordering from Zen Kitchen, I've tried whole fish, steamed or fried; and I've enjoyed its soy chicken and beef dishes, which are especially tasty to a non-meat eater.

For breakfast this morning, I heated leftover vegetables in the microwave, topped them with an egg-white omelet and went to town.

Zen Kitchen charges $1.50 for delivery to Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford, Englewood, Tenafly, Loenia, Hackensack, Paramus, Bogota, Ridgefield Park, Maywood and Cresskill.

The front of the current menu carries coupons, including 15% off orders over $30. 

Zen Kitchen, 1443 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck; 201-837-7322. 

Open seven days to 10:30 or 11:30 p.m. 

Credit card minimum is $8.