Incredible 5G Cookie: Talde | Jersey City

Talde, a casual Asian-American restaurant that specializes in Dim Sum is brought to you by Chef Dale Talde who was a contestant on “Top Chef.”
Immediately upon walking in, the basket-like lanterns hanging above the bar area caught my eye.
The ambience here is modern and trendy, and has a warehouse sort of look and feel.
Talde gets packed, especially on the weekends, I strongly recommend making reservations before you arrive.

Cocktails:
Ginger Rose (left): prepared with bourbon, applejack, lemon, ginger-cinnamon grenadine. This drink was very strong for me, and this is mainly because I’m not a fan of whiskey, however if you do enjoy whiskey, try the Ginger Rose.
White Star (right): also strong, but much less than the Ginger Rose. Refreshing drink prepared with basil and has a slight liquorish flavor.
 

#6 Bao: spicy chicken with shredded lettuce and mayo in a steamed bao bun. The twice fried chicken is spicy, succulent and delectable. Lots of texture and lots of flavor. This right here was my most favorite item of the night. A must-do!


Noodles & Rice:
Crispy Oyster & Bacon Pad Thai: this is your typical Pad Thai dish, but topped off with big chunks of bacon and fried oysters. A very colorful dish loaded with lots of flavor. The Pad Thai was unexpectedly delicious since I’m not a fan of oysters, and I actually found Talde’s version of Pad Thai to be a lot tastier than the  more common versions. Another must-do!
Blue Crab Fried Rice: prepared with tobiko, jalapeno aioli, the Blue Crab Fried Rice was a letdown for me. Although this dish is one of the bestsellers at Talde, I found the Blue Crab Fried Rice to be very buttery and less intensely flavored. This dish required more flavor, it was just way too buttery and eggy for my liking.


Dessert:
5G Cookie: the base of the cookie is made with pretzel, potato chips, and caramel. The cookie base is then topped off with a thick layer of chocolate ganache and sea salt. The combination is incredible, out of this world delicious! The cookie is called the “5G Cookie” because Chef Talde won $5000 after winning the cookie contest on “Top Chef.” Note – Talde does not offer a dessert menu, however I inquired about dessert and they were generous enough to bring out the 5G Cookie!

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Talde
COST: $$
CUISINE: Asian-American, Fusion, Bars
FAVORITES: Yuzu Guacamole | #6 Bao | Crispy Oyster & Bacon Pad Thai | 5G Cookie
VERDICT: 4.25 / 5
I enjoyed most of the dishes at Talde, in particular, the Yuzu Guacamole, #6 Bao and Crispy Oyster & Bacon Pad Thai. You will find the dishes at Talde to be unique, creative, and flavorful. The drinks here are quite strong for me since many drinks appear to be prepared with whiskey. It would be nice to see a few non-whiskey drinks on the menu. Having said that, if whiskey is your cup of tea, you will enjoy the drinks served at Talde. The service is attentive and our waiter was very knowledgeable about the drinks. Additionally, it would also be great to see Talde introduce a dessert menu because that 5G Cookie was absolutely incredible. It may just make it to my year-end list as the Best Thing I Ate In 2016! Will definitely be back to try out the Kung Pao Wings, Edamame Dumplings and Roti Bread! Overall, great food and vibe.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Good | Décor: Trendy/Modern | Service: Attentive | Value: Good
LOCATION 
8 Erie Street, Jersey City, NJ
(historic downtown)

Have you been to Talde in Jersey City, Brooklyn or Miami? If so, what did you think? Favorite items?