Asian fusion restaurant Jade Eatery & Lounge opens in Hicksville

Five p.m. is early for such an epic dinner, but you're going to have to beat the crowds if you want a coveted seat by the majestic koi pond. By 6:30, the tables at Jade Eatery & Lounge in Hicksville are filling up with large parties and date night couples, so you may be pushed over toward the 20-foot-tall Buddha statue at the front of the room.

The golden effigy may give off relaxing vibes, but there's something magical about snacking on candied lotus roots next to the bubbling water and shiny fish moving toward your fingers in hopes you'll send them a nibble. Owner Arun Kumar has spared no expense in the décor for his second restaurant, which he worked on for a year and a half. The first location is in Forest Hills, Queens. 

Tucked into a nondescript strip mall in Hicksville with a too-small sign out front, the place looks like nothing from the street. But inside, Jade pulls off a glitzy Vegas experience with impressively on-point food from chef Sonam Sherpa. There's a full bar with boozy fruit cocktails, and yet, it's also certified halal. 

The next surprise of the evening happens when opening the menu to discover it's actually a case holding a mini tablet that pops up with spinning videos of dishes. There are so many categories — and categories within categories — that it takes a few minutes just to get through all the options … which span from tacos to Chinese, Indian and sushi. 

Initial impression: skip the sushi (it's inexpensive but mid-to-low average in quality) and go for the Chinese and Indo-Chinese fusion dishes. The honey krispy lotus ($11) appetizer is fantastic. Lotus root is known for its delicate texture that's slightly crispier than a potato, but when each ring is coated in a sticky sweet chili glaze, it becomes a powerhouse, tastier than Panda Express chicken.

The Hakka noodles ($13), a stalwart of Indian-Chinese fusion, are big, bouncy stir-fried noodles with a smattering of chicken and faintly cooked scallions. But the vegetarian cauliflower Manchurian ($19) steals the show. This iconic Indo-Chinese dish often features a brown, gloopy sauce with haphazard meatballs. But this is a pleasure of the wok, with a deeply complex soy-based sauce that clings to the doughy cauliflower florets. If this is Hicksville's version of heaven, get ready. 

Jade Eatery & Lounge, 758 S. Broadway, Hicksville, 516-900-5233, jadeeatery.com. Open noon to 11 p.m. daily. 

By Andi Berlin

andi.berlin@newsday.comAndiBerlin

Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.