Jalsa Indian Kitchen is a brand new restaurant scheduled to open this July at the CooperTowne Center (Cinemark) in Summerdale, NJ. I visited the Jalsa team a few days ago to see the dining experience he is creating, one that perhaps no other Indian restaurant in Southern New Jersey can offer.
Jalsa Indian Kitchen aims to take traditional Indian recipes and décor elements and blend them into an innovative “New India” experience.
To kick off, Jalsa Indian Kitchen's team of chefs from Mumbai, Dubai and Delhi will offer a menu of modern Indian tapas adaptations of classic recipes.
And décor that draws on the rich history of Indian culture – vintage Indian silk curtains, imported wall carvings and murals by Indian artists – is further enhanced with modern technology to transport diners to India.
Obviously, the most talked about feature of the new Somerdale restaurant is the 25-foot-wide digital screen that the Jalsa team will use to show photos and videos from India.
Guests can choose to dine on the piazza with views of the Taj Mahal throughout their meal, or dine along the beautiful waterways with views of India's many riverside palaces.
This isn't some dim projector…Jalsa Indian Kitchen has installed a full digital screen like the ones you'd find in sports stadiums or casinos. It's absolutely amazing!
But this is just one aspect of what the Jalsa team has created – every aspect of the dining experience has been thought of and upgraded with beautiful Indian décor and innovative ideas.
We'll be sampling Jalsa's delicious menu at the opening, but for now here's a sneak peek at what you can expect…
- Tender lamb chops baked in a clay oven, marinated in red chilli, drizzled with a glaze of garam masala and special rogan josh seasoning and served with pickled sirka onions, slow roasted sesame baby potatoes and a mint & pomegranate dip.
- Tandoori Paneer Tikka is Indian paneer cheese marinated in a blend of seasonings and yogurt and cooked to perfection in the tandoor. Marinade ingredients include cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Serve warm, garnished with fresh coriander.
- Delhi Style Chicken Curry is a delight for the senses, with tender boneless chicken simmered in a tomato-based sauce and seasoned with aromatic curry powders, spices and flavours, and is delicious served with freshly baked naan bread and basmati rice.
Most customers won't be able to see the kitchen, but a 2,000-square-foot kitchen is likely larger than the full size of many restaurants.
I was truly “wowed” by what I saw at Jalsa and commented that while Epcot in Florida does not have a dedicated Indian “land”, Jalsa Indian Kitchen has created its own Indian equivalent in Somerdale to rival Disney's.
Jalsa Indian Kitchen – Summerdale, New Jersey
As mentioned above, Jalsa Indian kitchen will be opening in Somerdale's CooperTowne Shopping Center (711 Evesham Road, Suite #12, Somerdale, NJ 08083).
Most people know this shopping center for its Cinemark movie theater and the Walmart across the parking lot.
White Horse Pike is the main road in this location, but the shopping center is also located along Evesham Road, which makes Jalsa Indian Kitchen close and easily accessible from Voorhees, Cherry Hill (east), Marlton, and many other communities.
The space had never been rented before, allowing Jalsa Group to start with a clean slate and create the Indian restaurant of their dreams.
The large space is divided into three core areas, with the first half being the main dining room, which also houses digital screens.
The left rear quarter features a separate great room that can be used as additional dining space or for private events, while the right rear space includes a large 2,000 square foot kitchen.
All dining area lighting can be individually controlled by staff and all lighting colours can be changed.
If you're celebrating a birthday with friends and family, you can paint the space blue if blue is your favorite color, or you can change the lighting to a nice Kelly green if you're streaming Eagles football games on a 25-foot screen.
Main Dining Area
Upon entering Jalsa Indian Kitchen, you'll walk straight into the front dining room, where you'll find a large digital screen taking up most of the top of the farthest wall.
The screen is so big that it can be seen from outside the restaurant through the front window, and the owner says that even though they haven't opened yet, many people driving by have noticed it and stopped to ask about it.
The dining space is a large open room with a beautiful wooden table and tall, comfortable chairs, with a long bench-style seating lined up along the farthest wall.
The ceiling lamps suspended throughout the space are made in India and, as mentioned above, each individual bulb is fully controllable.
Indian-inspired décor and artwork can also be found throughout the dining area, including a large, hand-crafted circular mandala.
While the main purpose of the digital screen is to showcase the beautiful scenery of India, the dining space at the front may also be used for private parties and the screen could be incorporated into celebrations and meetings.
Rear dining area/event space
To the rear left of the Jalsa there is a separate great room with an additional dining table.
This space can be utilized for traditional dining when the restaurant is extremely busy, as well as function as a private space perfect for special events, celebrations, and even corporate outings.
The room also features a movable dividing wall that allows the space to be further divided into two smaller private segments depending on the event.
The sound system throughout Jalsa is also high-end and high-tech, with this private dining space having its own sound system and a PA system with microphones.
Kitchen area
The back right section of the restaurant is a large 2,000-square-foot kitchen.
Jalsa is a big restaurant, so naturally it needs a big kitchen, but it also expects significant business from its catering operations throughout Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.
The kitchen features unique and innovative equipment, including two large commercial tandoori ovens used to bake fresh naan bread throughout the day.
Another “why didn't I think of that” idea is a large walk-in refrigerator/freezer.
The 20+ foot long side of the walk-in refrigerator/freezer is outfitted with approximately 18 glass refrigerator doors, similar to those found at Wawa and supermarkets. The benefit is that chefs can access fresh ingredients from the refrigerator without having to enter a large refrigerated box. It traps the cold air, keeps employees warm, and ensures proper rotation of ingredients.
Jalsa Indian Kitchen – July
I am absolutely blown away by the thought and design that went into this new Summerdale restaurant… and think, I haven't even tried the food yet!
Of course, I will come back to try the delicious menu and see how the beautiful décor and innovation are combined… and share the experience with my readers.
Links and locations
Jalsa Indian Kitchen – Opening in July
711 Evesham Road, Suite #12
Summerdale, NJ 08083
Website and Social Media – Coming soon
For inquiries, please contact: contact@jalsaindiankitchen.com
