NYC hidden dining gems: Staten Island’s Jade Island will take you to paradise
In a land far, far away, rum in fresh pineapples awaits to be drunk, palm trees await to be dined under, dishes ladled in Bacardi 151 (only to be set ablaze by a server in a Hawaiian shirt) await to be eaten. No, I am not speaking of the far-off lands of Bora Bora or even Maui, but instead, of a place much closer to home: Staten Island.
In a standard suburban strip mall resides Jade Island, an American-Chinese restaurant with a Polynesian twist that remains a favorite hideaway for loyal locals.
I arrived to a nearly empty Jade Island, as to be expected at 4 p.m. on a weekday. Immediately upon sitting, wonton crisps with a horseradish-mustard sauce strong enough to clear one’s sinuses were placed on the table.
Maybe it was the sting of the horseradish, but a warm sense of nostalgia took over. There was no music on, only the sounds of clinking silverware matched with the melodies of the restaurant’s indoor fountain. With white tablecloths and carpeted floors, the old-school charm was profound. And with prices so low, it certainly felt like traveling back in time.
Labeled as both a restaurant and a cocktail lounge, Jade Island is known for its elaborate tiki drinks. Torn between the Zombie and the Scorpion, I ordered both. Nothing pairs better with sugary alcoholic beverages than a pu pu platter, so I ordered that, too.
Pu pu platters became menu staples in the 1950s during the tiki cocktail craze. Translating to “appetizer” from the Hawaiian, a pu pu platter typically consists of egg rolls, rumaki, battered shrimp and other bite-size snacks, always served on a flaming platter. While it might seem confusing for a Staten Island Chinese restaurant to offer a Polynesian-style dish, don’t get it twisted: Pu pu platters were once found on every American-Chinese menu in the country. Jade Island is one of the last known institutions in New York City to carry the flame.
The star of Jade Island’s pu pu platter is the spareribs. They’re best when grilled over the open flame — not only for the extra char, but for the joy of hearing that sizzle. Another addictive bite is the shrimp toast, every bite guaranteeing a splatter of grease.
Polynesian-inspired fare aside, Jade Island also offers classic American-Chinese dishes, like wonton soup, loaded with succulent shrimp and thick slabs of pork, and over-the-top dishes like mixed seafood piled high in a deep-fried taro bowl.
Like many of our favorite American-Chinese joints, a lunch special is offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with favorites like beef with broccoli, General Tso’s chicken, egg foo young, and shrimp in garlic sauce, all served with a heaping portion of roast pork fried rice, with prices ranging from $10.75 to $14.25.
However, what perhaps stands out the most, is the hospitality. While I might have walked into a nearly empty place, by 6 p.m., the dining room was filled with families calling waiters by their first names due to years of loyalty to this strip-mall haven.
Is Jade Island a Chinese restaurant? A Polynesian restaurant? A tiki bar? Well, it’s a little of all three, but above all, it’s an experience well worth a trek over the Verrazzano.
Address: 2845 Richmond Ave, Staten Island, N.Y. 10314
Hours: Tues-Thu 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Price range: Appetizers range from $3.15 to $35; entrees range from $8 to $38
Reservations by phone, takeout and third-party delivery available
Kaitlyn Rosati is a New York City-based food and travel journalist. She is constantly on the hunt to find the city’s best hidden gems, allowing New Yorkers to travel far without ever leaving the boroughs. Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to Kaitlyn with your recommendations at nomannomad.net@gmail.com.
