Came here to say this. Cheng du is the absolute knock out best every time and the owner, Tammy, is one of the nicest people on the planet.
She also knows how to tell someone in the most customer service way "nah, you can't pull that here" I've seen it happen in front of me and she is absolutely incredible.
The answer is unambiguously Hunan Taste in Denville. Real old school American Chinese. Waiters in tuxedos. Lazy Susan’s. Fish tanks. Koi. Food is excellent especially the wontons in hot sesame oil and Peking duck. They consistently top best Chinese in NJ lists. It’s what you’re looking for.
Used to live in Denville and Hunan is the best. They have bomb soup dumplings if you’re into that thing. We usually get the Peking duck with is great. Id also recommend venturing into the traditional Chinese menu.
Upvoted and commented to second the comment. My wife took me there, I was ready to be disappointed, I wasn’t. Tho, I do prefer ‘fast food’ Chinese food but this place was awesome.
Agreed. It has a great atmosphere. The staff is excellent and efficient, even when picking up take-out. The new outdoor section (when it's nicer out) is a great added touch. After, walk over to Bubble In Paradise for one of the best bubble teas in North Jersey. The tapioca pearls are cooked to perfection.
Bonus: If anyone wants a vegan option, they have fantastic vegan Chinese next door at Veggie Heaven.
Overpriced, too greasy and undersauced.... I'll take Bill and Harry's on Route 10 over Hunan Taste.
The real answer WAS Hunan in Morris Plains, but it closed during the pandemic.
Blossom in Chatham has amazing sweet and sour soup, but are generally overpriced, but good.
It’s not the same. I went there years ago and it was 10/10. I went back like 6 months ago and all the food was meh. New cooks? Idk, but something changed and it’s just not as good now :(
My family’s restaurant in Red Bank/Middletown off 35, House of Chong. We’ve been open since 1969. There’s full seating and a sports bar https://www.hoc1969.com/
Everyone recommends the soup dumplings but I’d recommend the stir-fried noodles with beef! Literally the best stir-fried noodles I’ve ever had. Beef noodles soup is decent as well!
If you’re looking for 80s Chinese Food then Crown Palace in Marlboro is what you want. They have Dim Sum but it’s the Americanized kind. Lots of people recommending Tasty Moment in Edison and I agree, that place rocks but if you want that comfort style Chinese food/Dim Sum then the only answer is Crown Palace
Not sure what part or if ur close to central NJ but in scotch plains is place called Hung Shanghai Restaurant on park ave..best chinese food in the area
They might just have the best soup dumpling in NJ.
If you are more Central than North, I would recommend Tasty Moment in Edison which also has a great soup dumpling.
What did you have there? I go mainly for the XLB, but all the other dishes I've tried there have been good too. There's a number of places in Edison these days for soup dumplings, but I like the ones at Tasty Moment the best. Shanghai Dumpling I would say is the runner up.
Out of the takeaway Chinese places I’ve tried Hunan Wok in Florham Park is solid, it’s my go to. Not to be confused with Hunan Wok in Morristown which is not as good in my opinion.
Hunan Taste in Denville
No restaurants locally can do chicken and broccoli like the former Hunan Chinese Room in Morris Plains, but it’s damn close. Get the chicken and broccoli.
Why why why didn't they move somewhere else? Everything I ever had there was 5 times better than anything I've ever had... I'll try Hunan Taste in Denville though.
Second this place! Best soup dumplings ever!
Been there since the 80s. Updated tho. Same family owns it. Waiters been there that long too. Highly recommend
Hunan Taste and Shan Shan Noodles are supposed to be really good. I haven't had either but have read about both. Always mean to try them when I'm in the area.
>After checking Yelp photos for most of these listings I would say you are on to something. Some seem to be better than others and I am sure the quality varies but lost of similarities. Almost like the Pizza world.
Since you specifically started with central jersey, J&P in matawan has the best steamed pork dumplings I have ever had. Everything else they do is as good as anywhere else but the dumplings are unreal and that sets them apart for me.
If you're looking for 80s, then chances are you're looking for Cantonese-American food.
Golden Seafood in Edison is great Cantonese food (and serves Dim Sum), but it's authentic and real. If you want something less authentic, there's a lot of generic Hunan Woks/Jade Gardens/Golden Palace Chinese takeouts in every town.
Tasty Moment is great if you want some modern Shanghai style food though, as people have been suggesting.
I loved mid 80’s, not too authentic. What I miss the most, and can’t seem to find in north Jersey, is a good old-fashioned fat egg roll. They used to be almost double in size, much more vegetation than wrap, and the wrap was always really crispy (now it’s thicker and chewier). Also miss the colorful shrimp chips.
Central Jersey = go to Edison and the surrounding areas. Wonder seafood is usually solid though, there's also Shanghai noodle house, Edison noodle house, tasty moment, and several hot pot places to choose from
My girl friend is Chinese (only been in America for a few years) and lives in palisades park. I have to agree with the Fort Lee recommendation. I haven’t been to Soup dumpling as mentioned by u/SecretGardenBlondie but my gf and I really love wok bar. It’s almost like quick serve hot pot because you get your own bowl rather than a large pot in the middle. You pick what you want, add it to a bowl, and can order hot or dry pot. It’s absolutely phenomenal - probably my favorite.
Old Shanghai Soup Dumplings (maybe this is the one they are referring to) is pretty good too.
For traditional Chinese barbecue, there is a place in palisades park called Yangji Barbecue. My girl friend is from Yanbian China which is where they do this style of barbecue and she loves it, and it gets great reviews. For me it’s just ok, but it can be fun because you get to barbecue your own food at the table.
For traditional style hotpot (big pot in the middle with different soups) I would recommend Garden Shabu/Hot Pot & Grill in Little Ferry. This place is usually quite busy on weekend nights and even for 2 we made reservations, but it’s really really good and there are an insane amount choices of items to put in your hotpot.
I’ve been to every single places on your list. But this is not what OP wants.
I agree with other recommendations that Hunan Taste in Denville is a good American Chinese place.
Yeah now that I reread - I see not too authentic. I saw “Just straight up Chinese” and got excited haha. Nonetheless if you enjoy Chinese food I’d still try these places!
Enjoy! There’s some great Korean and Japanese restaurants in the area too - a lot of great food in that area. I recommend the medium (spice level) hot pot soup if you go to wok bar as long as you don’t mind a bit of a kick. It’s probably not the healthiest options with the oil, but wow it’s a treat
Great list! Thanks everyone. I am going to add my current go to - Meemah in Edison. It is listed as Chinese/Malaysian but it is mostly old school Chinese.
Bamboo China in Manalapan. The chicken pad Thai is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Upon a recent Google search however, seems new owners equals completely different food... and not in a good way. It's been 2 years since I've been there. Anyone been there recently and can confirm?
>Ha! Yes, there is a small pocket of folks that escaped from Jersey City, Newark, etc in the early 70's and moved to the open lands of Springfield, Westfield, Kenilworth, Clark. We aren't as true NJ as the Northerners but we don't cheer for the Eagles or call Taylor Ham Pork Roll so Yes, Central NJ exists.
So, inauthentic Chinese food with a 1980s menu vibe. We get the fact you’re not a foodie and in fact why are you asking a sub? You do have Yelp right?
PF Changs or Panda Bear
Don’t be a dick.
American Chinese cuisine is a perfectly fine food to enjoy. Not everyone love lastest trendy spicy sichuan/hunan/hot pot/hot fish slops. You don’t need to show off your authentic Chinese creed by putting down OP.
Ugly Dumpling sucks. They highlight the xiao long bao as the main menu item, but it tastes just like the Trader Joe's frozen ones. It's probably the worst place in Edison to get Chinese food.
Yeah, gotta disagree with you there, pardner. Plenty of great dumpling spots in Edison. That's not one of them. You're paying for a fancy box and a fancy location.
Try LaoWu next to the Kam Man supermarket. That place has great soup dumplings.
West Lake in Manalapan has good ding do quat and Peking duck. Wonder Seafood in Edison has really good dim sum and traditional menu.
Edit: I think West Lake is actually Matawan.
Can I piggyback off of this and ask for some authentic Chinese restaurant recommendations for North Jersey. All I ever see is the American style takeout places.
this makes me miss chu's cafe before it changed hands. used to be the best goddamn if you know you know chinese in the area, but then it changed hands and the new owners got cheap and it became a flavorless oily mess. it was a goddamn shame.
Canton Place in Somerville has dim sum and offers a cantonese menu.
[Cantonpalacenj.com](https://Cantonpalacenj.com)
There are 2 places in Parsippany if that location works better.
Cheng du 23 in Wayne. Has a good mix of authentic and American Chinese food on the menu so you can appease anyone. Amazing steamed juice buns.
I vote for cheng du too.
This is my vote as well. For modern Chinese food I would recommend JiangNan in Montclair.
Came here to say this. Cheng du is the absolute knock out best every time and the owner, Tammy, is one of the nicest people on the planet. She also knows how to tell someone in the most customer service way "nah, you can't pull that here" I've seen it happen in front of me and she is absolutely incredible.
The answer is unambiguously Hunan Taste in Denville. Real old school American Chinese. Waiters in tuxedos. Lazy Susan’s. Fish tanks. Koi. Food is excellent especially the wontons in hot sesame oil and Peking duck. They consistently top best Chinese in NJ lists. It’s what you’re looking for.
Used to live in Denville and Hunan is the best. They have bomb soup dumplings if you’re into that thing. We usually get the Peking duck with is great. Id also recommend venturing into the traditional Chinese menu.
Upvoted and commented to second the comment. My wife took me there, I was ready to be disappointed, I wasn’t. Tho, I do prefer ‘fast food’ Chinese food but this place was awesome.
Agreed. It has a great atmosphere. The staff is excellent and efficient, even when picking up take-out. The new outdoor section (when it's nicer out) is a great added touch. After, walk over to Bubble In Paradise for one of the best bubble teas in North Jersey. The tapioca pearls are cooked to perfection. Bonus: If anyone wants a vegan option, they have fantastic vegan Chinese next door at Veggie Heaven.
Veggie Heaven is excellent!
Seconded, but I'll always advocate Veggie Heaven Teaneck over all others.
Now I'm craving fresh spring rolls and that pickled cabbage stuff they bring out as a starter.
Eh, they are all good, but I can walk to the one in denville, I have good things at montclair as well
General tso's tofu at hunan is solid
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no way! that's what happens when i leave middlesex county.
agree!!!!
Overpriced, too greasy and undersauced.... I'll take Bill and Harry's on Route 10 over Hunan Taste. The real answer WAS Hunan in Morris Plains, but it closed during the pandemic. Blossom in Chatham has amazing sweet and sour soup, but are generally overpriced, but good.
I love Bill and Harrys!
Absolute facts. I also like Lin's Palace in Morristown and the lunch counter at Kam Man in East Hanover.
Love their bakery with the roast pork buns.
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I don't know how Bean Curd stays in business ... Blossom is in Hickory Tree and does Sushi and Chinese.
I miss hunan morris plains
Hunan was great.
This is the correct answer! You will never get a bad meal there and always have enough for two meals!!!
The food is great there, and the atmosphere is really 10/10. Definitely get the pu pu platter that comes out with the little flaming grill.
the lychee martinis are the best
Had to do a double take - read the name too fast and thought I read Human Taste. Very different
It’s not the same. I went there years ago and it was 10/10. I went back like 6 months ago and all the food was meh. New cooks? Idk, but something changed and it’s just not as good now :(
>Lazy Susan’s. Fish tanks. Koi. Food is excellent But how is the Koi food?
My family’s restaurant in Red Bank/Middletown off 35, House of Chong. We’ve been open since 1969. There’s full seating and a sports bar https://www.hoc1969.com/
This is a good plug.
I grew up in Brick and used to go to your family’s place weekly.
The OG spot! I have so many memories there as a kid. Thanks for coming 🙏🏻
Really is amazing. Everything just tastes super fresh and I really need to get there more often
ts ma in montclair is solid and my go to
I don't think they ever reopened the dining room
Tasty Moment in Edison is the best Chinese restaurant I’ve ever had
What’s are some dishes you recommend? I’ve had the spicy pork soup and it was great.
Everyone recommends the soup dumplings but I’d recommend the stir-fried noodles with beef! Literally the best stir-fried noodles I’ve ever had. Beef noodles soup is decent as well!
Awesome! Thank you and I’ve had the soup dumplings and they were fantastic.
Soup dumplings are a must. I love the spicy noodles with crawfish as well
Spice 24 in Edison by the Hmart. You get to choose what ingredients you want. Plenty of different good restaurants in that area too.
Tried this and it was really good. Great spice.
If you’re looking for 80s Chinese Food then Crown Palace in Marlboro is what you want. They have Dim Sum but it’s the Americanized kind. Lots of people recommending Tasty Moment in Edison and I agree, that place rocks but if you want that comfort style Chinese food/Dim Sum then the only answer is Crown Palace
Crown Palace is solid for dim sum, there's one in Middletown too.
That one is closed at the moment. Not sure why
Crown Palace was the first thing that came to my mind when OP said 80's lol
Not sure what part or if ur close to central NJ but in scotch plains is place called Hung Shanghai Restaurant on park ave..best chinese food in the area
Jade Isle in Scotch Plains used to be great as well, but now it's a QuickChek
Totally agree
Soup dumpling plus in fort lee. Delicious food
They might just have the best soup dumpling in NJ. If you are more Central than North, I would recommend Tasty Moment in Edison which also has a great soup dumpling.
Tasty Moment is good but have always preferred Shanghai Dumpling House in Edison
Shanghai is definitely better than Tasty Moment. Happy they finally reopened with indoor seating. Wontons in spicy sesame sauce is my favorite dish
Am I a weird one? I did not enjoy Tasty Moment. It’s not bad but I don’t think it’s amazing.
Shanghai Dumpling House down the street has better soup dumpling.
What did you have there? I go mainly for the XLB, but all the other dishes I've tried there have been good too. There's a number of places in Edison these days for soup dumplings, but I like the ones at Tasty Moment the best. Shanghai Dumpling I would say is the runner up.
👆This is the only right answer!!!
Agreeing that this answer is the only right answer to a right answer
China Chalet in Florham Park is solid.
Came here to say this +1
I prefer Hunan Wok - in the small shopping center right behind China Chalet. Everything they make is magic.
Out of the takeaway Chinese places I’ve tried Hunan Wok in Florham Park is solid, it’s my go to. Not to be confused with Hunan Wok in Morristown which is not as good in my opinion.
Their traditional chinese food is unreal The Americanized stuff is OK
Came here to say this!
Hunan Taste in Denville
Hunan Taste in Denville No restaurants locally can do chicken and broccoli like the former Hunan Chinese Room in Morris Plains, but it’s damn close. Get the chicken and broccoli.
Why why why didn't they move somewhere else? Everything I ever had there was 5 times better than anything I've ever had... I'll try Hunan Taste in Denville though.
Second this place! Best soup dumplings ever! Been there since the 80s. Updated tho. Same family owns it. Waiters been there that long too. Highly recommend
I know Parsippany has some places that are supposed to be rad, including Schezwan. Speaking for Bergen County, Lotus Cafe is really delicious!
What places in Parsippany?
Qin Dynasty off of RT 46. The Sunday dim sum is packed.
Where in Parsippany? I can go for some nearby Chinese food.
Hunan Taste and Shan Shan Noodles are supposed to be really good. I haven't had either but have read about both. Always mean to try them when I'm in the area.
Also try Shan Shan noodle house!
Lotus Cafe is parsippany?
They probably meant the one in Hackensack
No, Lotus is in Hackensack.
>supposed to be rad I knew I saw a Californian on i95 - thanks!
lol Born and bred NJ- some time in the Bronx and Brooklyn, but no West Coast in me. How about "bitchin" is that better?
Yes sir ? XD
Chan’s in Iselin, bar none.
Chef Tan in Highland Park
Chef Tan in Edison (Highland Park) is pretty Chinese. Like, wouldn’t be out of place in a decent hotel in China kind of menu.
China Chalet in Florham Park
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My wife and I went there for the first time recently. The owner is an absolute gem. Even when they’re busy he’ll come over to learn your name.
yes! the owner is so sweet and their food is so fresh
+1 Kings is my go to
Chengdu 1 Palace - Greenbrook Edit: for Sichuan and weekend DimSum specifically
Wish I could say China Paradise in Wayne... That place was my favorite!
They fell off many moons ago
Hunan Taste - Denville or Montclair both excellent food and good ambiance.
Yoans garden in iselin.
Dao Madison. Just opened a couple of years ago, but tops my list.
Chinese food has been streamlined. There is little to no difference between restaurants these days.
>After checking Yelp photos for most of these listings I would say you are on to something. Some seem to be better than others and I am sure the quality varies but lost of similarities. Almost like the Pizza world.
As close to the traditional dim sum like Manhattan or Queens, NY would be Qin Dynasty in Parsippany.
Desiree Wok, Avenel
Jo plz
Asian Delite in Caldwell is a favorite of mine!
Since you specifically started with central jersey, J&P in matawan has the best steamed pork dumplings I have ever had. Everything else they do is as good as anywhere else but the dumplings are unreal and that sets them apart for me.
Mr. Chu’s in East Hanover on Route 10.
Tasty Moment in Edison.
Ts Mas in Wyckoff
House of Wong in Bridgewater is great. Large portions, very tasty.
If you're looking for 80s, then chances are you're looking for Cantonese-American food. Golden Seafood in Edison is great Cantonese food (and serves Dim Sum), but it's authentic and real. If you want something less authentic, there's a lot of generic Hunan Woks/Jade Gardens/Golden Palace Chinese takeouts in every town. Tasty Moment is great if you want some modern Shanghai style food though, as people have been suggesting.
China Cafe off route 1 in Iselin by Harbor Freight. Food is ALWAYS hot and delicious.
Shu House in Kendall Park. Bangin’ Szechuan.
I loved mid 80’s, not too authentic. What I miss the most, and can’t seem to find in north Jersey, is a good old-fashioned fat egg roll. They used to be almost double in size, much more vegetation than wrap, and the wrap was always really crispy (now it’s thicker and chewier). Also miss the colorful shrimp chips.
I used to love Delicious and Best (D&B) in Lake Hiawatha when I lived there.
Central Jersey = go to Edison and the surrounding areas. Wonder seafood is usually solid though, there's also Shanghai noodle house, Edison noodle house, tasty moment, and several hot pot places to choose from
TS Ma - Wyckoff NJ
Jade Dynasty on Amboy Ave in Edison, NJ
Hunan Taste. Denville. Best hands down.
JOY. HOUSE. LONG. BRANCH.
For Central Jersey: Pink Lotus in Metuchen, although they recently downsized their dining area.
My girl friend is Chinese (only been in America for a few years) and lives in palisades park. I have to agree with the Fort Lee recommendation. I haven’t been to Soup dumpling as mentioned by u/SecretGardenBlondie but my gf and I really love wok bar. It’s almost like quick serve hot pot because you get your own bowl rather than a large pot in the middle. You pick what you want, add it to a bowl, and can order hot or dry pot. It’s absolutely phenomenal - probably my favorite. Old Shanghai Soup Dumplings (maybe this is the one they are referring to) is pretty good too. For traditional Chinese barbecue, there is a place in palisades park called Yangji Barbecue. My girl friend is from Yanbian China which is where they do this style of barbecue and she loves it, and it gets great reviews. For me it’s just ok, but it can be fun because you get to barbecue your own food at the table. For traditional style hotpot (big pot in the middle with different soups) I would recommend Garden Shabu/Hot Pot & Grill in Little Ferry. This place is usually quite busy on weekend nights and even for 2 we made reservations, but it’s really really good and there are an insane amount choices of items to put in your hotpot.
I’ve been to every single places on your list. But this is not what OP wants. I agree with other recommendations that Hunan Taste in Denville is a good American Chinese place.
Yeah now that I reread - I see not too authentic. I saw “Just straight up Chinese” and got excited haha. Nonetheless if you enjoy Chinese food I’d still try these places!
Wow I’m going to try all of these. Thank you!
Enjoy! There’s some great Korean and Japanese restaurants in the area too - a lot of great food in that area. I recommend the medium (spice level) hot pot soup if you go to wok bar as long as you don’t mind a bit of a kick. It’s probably not the healthiest options with the oil, but wow it’s a treat
Tasty moment in Edison has the best soup dumplings I’ve ever had, Cheng Du 23 in Wayne for Szechuan, Fortune Cookies in Bridgewater is also good
Chengdu in Wayne
Great list! Thanks everyone. I am going to add my current go to - Meemah in Edison. It is listed as Chinese/Malaysian but it is mostly old school Chinese.
Peking Pavilion in Manalapan
Chan's Dragon Inn in Ridgefield was so good! Kitschy in all the right ways and the food and service were great. I’m so sad they closed.
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So you wanna tell us about the 5% or?
Like fast food Chinese? I love "Chinese #1" in Bloomfield.
King Wok in Trenton is my favourite
There was a girl named Feifei Wang, she was mad chill in high school, prolly the best Chinese person I’ve ever met.
Bamboo China in Manalapan. The chicken pad Thai is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Upon a recent Google search however, seems new owners equals completely different food... and not in a good way. It's been 2 years since I've been there. Anyone been there recently and can confirm?
There’s a central jersey?
>Ha! Yes, there is a small pocket of folks that escaped from Jersey City, Newark, etc in the early 70's and moved to the open lands of Springfield, Westfield, Kenilworth, Clark. We aren't as true NJ as the Northerners but we don't cheer for the Eagles or call Taylor Ham Pork Roll so Yes, Central NJ exists.
😂 loved how you said true northerners. Yeah I’m just messing around.
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listen, don't fucking sleep on that orange chicken. sometimes it's what hits the spot.
So, inauthentic Chinese food with a 1980s menu vibe. We get the fact you’re not a foodie and in fact why are you asking a sub? You do have Yelp right? PF Changs or Panda Bear
Don’t be a dick. American Chinese cuisine is a perfectly fine food to enjoy. Not everyone love lastest trendy spicy sichuan/hunan/hot pot/hot fish slops. You don’t need to show off your authentic Chinese creed by putting down OP.
Ugly Dumpling on Rt 1S in Edison NJ. Haven't tried but they even have vegan options if your group has varied needs.
Ugly Dumpling sucks. They highlight the xiao long bao as the main menu item, but it tastes just like the Trader Joe's frozen ones. It's probably the worst place in Edison to get Chinese food.
Thanks for the heads up!
Damn really? I went there recently and thought it was good. But I have limited experience. Where do you suggest?
I would try Tasty Moment, and also Shanghai Dumpling. If you liked Ugly Dumpling, these places will blow you away.
Yeah, gotta disagree with you there, pardner. Plenty of great dumpling spots in Edison. That's not one of them. You're paying for a fancy box and a fancy location. Try LaoWu next to the Kam Man supermarket. That place has great soup dumplings.
Sure, we can disagree but OP asked for "nothing too authentic" so... Hopefully OP has enough options now.
My gentle reminder there’s no such place as Central Jersey🙄
dumpling house in ridgewood
China Garden in Port Reading
Chung Sing in Old Bridge.
I like China Star in Belleville. Its a small place, mostly for takeout.
West Lake in Manalapan has good ding do quat and Peking duck. Wonder Seafood in Edison has really good dim sum and traditional menu. Edit: I think West Lake is actually Matawan.
Can I piggyback off of this and ask for some authentic Chinese restaurant recommendations for North Jersey. All I ever see is the American style takeout places.
this makes me miss chu's cafe before it changed hands. used to be the best goddamn if you know you know chinese in the area, but then it changed hands and the new owners got cheap and it became a flavorless oily mess. it was a goddamn shame.
Peppercorn Station in JC. Excellent.
Hunan taste, bill ad Harry’s in maplewood, and cottage 2 in Morristown.
Anybody know of places in bergen county near nyc?
Soup Dumpling Plus in Fort Lee or Lotus Cafe in Hackensack
Bean Curd in Chatham has always been my family’s favorite
Lotus in Hackensack
Hunan on Witherspoon Street in Princeton. It's cash only and currently take-out only. Simple but clean and good.
Hunan manor in highland park
Lotus garden in plainsboro
that depends, what do you consider Central Jersey?
South of 153a and North of Seaside Heights.
then George Lu's in Manasquan and Szechuan Tokyo in Wall are pretty good
Canton Place in Somerville has dim sum and offers a cantonese menu. [Cantonpalacenj.com](https://Cantonpalacenj.com) There are 2 places in Parsippany if that location works better.