You can eat like a horse at Hackensack's Lotus Cafe

Two of the entrees on the price-fixed Chinese New Year Celebration menu at Lotus Cafe in Hackensack are Sizzling Jumbo Shrimp and Asparagus in Sweet White Sauce, above, and Filet Mignon Casserole with Cellophane Noodles and Enoki Sprouts, below.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

My son is a high school athlete who eats like a horse, consuming food often and even continually, so it only seemed appropriate to go to Lotus Cafe in Hackensack on Saturday night to enjoy its special Chinese New Year menu.

This year -- 4712 in the Chinese calendar -- is the Year of the Horse, whose "spirit is recognized to be the Chinese people's ethos [in] making unremitting efforts to improve themselves," according to one Web site.

Four of us couldn't finish our delicious, four-course meal -- appetizer, soup, entree and dessert -- and we brought home plenty of leftovers ($28 per person).

Another choice on the price-fixed menu is Fillet of Flounder in Ginger Sauce with Snow Pea Leaves.

Our waiter removed the bones of the Braised Half Tangerine Duck at the table, and the meat eaters in my family ate the duck in split buns, rear.

Huge shrimp 

With four people at the table, we were able to order all four entrees on the special menu, and share them, along with bowls of steamed white and brown rice.

The Sizzling Jumbo Shrimp were among the largest I have ever seen in a restaurant, and they tasted extraordinary.

Seafood is a strong suit at Lotus Cafe and I also enjoyed the Fillet of Flounder with a wonderful green, Snow Pea Leaves, especially the fresh garlic and ginger.

The appetizer is one 5-Spice Chicken Skewer, above, and one Lobster Spring Roll, below.

The choice of soup is Seafood Hot and Sour Soup, above, and Pork and Winter Melon Consomme, below.

Lotus Cafe is a BYO.

Opening the lid of your teapot is a signal to the waiter you want a hot refill.

The horsey set

We arrived a little after 5 on Saturday afternoon, and the restaurant's 75 seats filled up quickly, straining the usually fast service. 

We were seated opposite the kitchen doors, and could hear the slap of metal tools against woks as the cooks prepared dishes from the special, regular and banquet menus, including takeout.

The Chinese New Year Celebration menu will be served through Feb. 9.

We didn't have room to finish dessert, a choice of 8 Treasure Rice Puddding, above, or ice cream.

The special Chinese New Year menu.

Lotus Cafe, 450 Hackensack Ave., in the Home Depot Shopping Center, Hackensack; 201-488-7070. Reservations recommended on weekends. Open 7 days, BYO, large parking lot.

Lotus Cafe feast is my calm after the storm

Filet Mignon Casserole with Chestnuts and Cellophane Noodles at Lotus Cafe.

Sizzling Jumbo Shrimp with Asparagus in Sweet White Sauce.

Lotus Cafe in Hackensack is celebrating the Year of the Snake (4711) with a special prix-fixe menu -- a bountiful four-course dinner for $28 per person.

You won't find snake on the Chinese New Year's menu -- which is being served through Feb. 24 -- but the food is seductive, nonetheless.

Late Saturday afternoon, after we had cleared our driveway and sidewalks of more than a foot of snow from a nor'easter, we set out for the unassuming BYO, which is only a couple of miles away.

I brought a chilled bottle of sparkling Spanish white wine that I bought in late December, but didn't open on New Year's Eve.

Fillet of Flounder in Ginger Sauce with Snow Pea Leaves.

Braised Half Tangerine Duck on soft pancakces.

After I popped the cork, the four of us started our meal with an appetizer of Lobster Spring Roll and  5-Spice Chicken Skewer.

I don't eat chicken and asked for two spring rolls (a $2 supplement), but was rewarded with twice as many tender, fresh lobster bits among the vegetables.

The second course was soup, either Pork and Winter Melon Consomme or Seafood Hot and Sour Soup, both delicious.

The special menu offers four entrees, and we ordered one of each. The portions were generous enough to be shared:

Filet Mignon Casserole with Chestnut and Cellophane Noodles, Fillet of Flounder in Ginger Sauce with Snow Pea Leaves, Braised Half Tangerine Duck and Sizzling Jumbo Shrimp with Asparagus in Sweet White Sauce.
 

An appetizer of Lobster Spring Roll and 5-Spice Chicken Skewer.

Seafood Hot and Sour Soup.

Tender Snow Pea Leaves in a bowl of brown rice.

Owner Philip Su personally removed the duck meat from the bones, and plated it on top of thick, soft pancakes -- Peking duck style.
 
I gorged on the beautifully cooked flounder, tender snow-pea leaves and jumbo shrimp, and plucked chestnuts, caramelized tangerine skin, mushrooms, garlic and cellophane noodles from the other entrees.

This was another unsually good, belly busting meal from Lotus Cafe, a small, unassuming restaurant that has been pleasing customers for decades.

Ice Cream Filled Sweet Rice Mochi.

The front of the dining room at Lotus Cafe.

I have two small complaints: The spring roll was deep fried, but not drained properly, and tasted oily. 

I asked for fruit instead of ice cream for dessert, but the restaurant didn't receive its order of lichee and pineapple that day. 

Lotus Cafe, 450 Hackensack Ave., in the Home Depot Shopping Center, Hackensack; 
201-488-7070. 

BYO, large parking lot. Reservations recommended on weekends.

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