Jamillah Garden

*** Jamillah Garden in San Diego has closed. It is now CrawDaddy's

When we lived in Los Angeles we enjoyed more then a few Islamic Chinese meals at either VIP Chinese Restaurant, which was located just two blocks from our apartment, or Tung Lai Shun in the humongous San Gabriel Square(Focus Shopping Center). In fact it was at VIP Restaurant where I started learning that there was much, much more to Chinese Cuisine then the usual Cantonese fare. I distinctly remember a Chicago pizza size Da-Bing(sesame bread with Green onion) being delivered to our table, as I stared at it in amazement.

So we were obviously thrilled when Jamillah Garden opened up.

Unfortunately, our experiences at Jamillah Garden has been quite a "roller-coaster" experience. The flavors of dishes have fluctuated wildly, and the same dish would vary wildly from day to day. We've already given up on the Dao Ko Chicken(Home style roast chicken), one of my favorite dishes. At Jamillah Garden it's so mildly flavored, a mere shadow of what Dao Ko Shao Gi should be. We've pretty much settled on a few dishes that Jamillah Garden does well, and stick with those. So, on this rainy New Year, we decided to pay a visit to Jamillah Garden.

The interior of Jamillah Garden is clean and bright, and very "warming" on this cold rainy day.

And started with our "Green Onion Pies" (Scallion Pancake,$2.25), a very basic Northern Chinese "bread":

Today ,this was rolled very thin; almost like Naan, and in a large rectangular shape, not the pancake "oval" that we were used too. But it was fried to a perfect crisp. We tasted, but waited until this arrived; our Lamb Stew "Warm Pot"(Lamb Hot Pot, $15.95).

The Lamb Warm Pot is the dish we usually order at Jamillah Garden. Though we've had the quality vary, from very bland and watery, to superbly gamey and rich. Today, it was the latter, both with the earthy flavor of lamb, with a touch of anise flavor, cubes of tofu, thick sliced cellophane noodles, cilantro, nappa cabbage, and most of all, lot's of lamb! The Missus and I both love the gamey and somewhat "wild" flavor of lamb, and today's dish was no disappointment. If it's lamb, it should taste like lamb, one of my pet peeves is lamb that "tastes like chicken".

Today, it's rated as Delici-yoso!!! And oh, so comforting.

We also ordered the Homemade Noodles - Three Flavor Dough Slice Chow Mein(!!!) - $6.95. This is actually a classic Northern Chinese dish - Knife-Cut Noodles. In short, dough is prepared and rolled into a "ball", and the noodles are cut by hand right over a bowl of soup, or right before stir-frying.

Without sounding too strange, I'd just say, that this type of noodle has "body". The noodles are of varied width, and lengths; I've been told to represent the uneven, rough terrain and life in Northern China. The noodle is chewy and doughy, much different from the typical noodle. It can also be an acquired taste. Though the Missus grew up eating this type of noodle, I prefer it more then she. The dish itself is very simple, a stir fry with beef, eggs, shrimp, and green onions; with the flavor of sesame oil, soy sauce, and black pepper. The portion size was quite large, though those who are looking for alot of "meat" will be a bit unsatisfied with the dish; it's mostly about the noodles. I'll do the Niu Rou Mein from Jamillah in a future post!

To its' credit; Jamillah Garden serves "Halal Meat", prepared in accordance with Islamic requirements that I'm not really sure of. And in keeping with that, Jamillah Garden aims to provide appropriate Chinese food for the Islamic Community. This means that Jamillah Garden tries to cook all types of Chinese, from Beef with Broccoli to Kung Pao Chicken. Many times with limited success. And even though the "classic" Islamic Chinese dishes have been inconsistent, today they were excellent; and worth a try.  Just stay with Northern-Beijing Chinese, and you'll do fine.

Jamillah Garden Chinese Islamic Restaurant
4681 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Comments

[Rachel]

That sounds like a really interesting restuarant Kirk! Can't wait for you to try more dishes from there. The lamb hot pot sounds really tasty. We can get something qutie similar here, at regular cantonese restaurants but only in the winter months. As youprobably know the chinese regard lamb as a "heaty" meat.
I'm glad you had such an interesting find. That green onion pancake sure looks good. One things for sure though, you won't find any pork dishes at that restaurant!

[Barbara Fisher]

Oooh, that lamb hotpot looks great!

And yeah, lamb that tastes like chicken--ick! If I wanted lamb that tasted like chicken, I'd order chicken!

Lamb is very warming, along with goat, which I think, if it were not for the myriad bones, I would like even better than lamb.

[Kirk]

Hi Rachel - Jamillah Garden makes several dishes well, but if you're not familiar with this type of cuisine, it can be difficult to order. And the Missus keeps reminding me of the Ying-Yang, Hot-Cold dish "thing"......

Hi Barbara - I don't know what the deal is with trying to remove the "wildness" from Lamb. And you took the words right out of my mouth, I've uttered that very same line many times. We love goat as well, in many different forms - Filipino Caldereta, Mexican Birria, Jamaican Goat Curry, yummmm!

[Joan]

Kirk, your pic of the "green onion pancake" brought back memories of my best friend's mom making these for us- it was always one of my favorite foods! I may have to head to this place just for that :)

Hope you had a wonderful NY celebration!

[elmomonster]

Mmm...green onion pancake. There's a Chinese Islamic place here in Tustin...forget what it's called at the moment...I'd go just to have that pancake!

[RONW]

it still amazes me how you as well as other food bloggers manage to take all those pictures of the various dishes. Kirk....you get fat opu (stomach)??

[Jo]

Kirk, Mike would adore that lamb stew. I've only made lamb once and it was for him and another friend that enjoys lamb. I'm not so inclined yet I would have to agree that it's pretty dumb to try and make something taste less like itself. Sort of like me when I just can't understand why red chilies don't taste like tomatoes! ;o)

Ron, I'm still trying to figure out how they get all those pics period! When my time comes to chow, there isn't a chance I'm gonna stop for a photo op!

[Kirk]

Hi Joan - Happy New Year! The scallion pancake was alot thinner then what I'm used to, but that doesn't mean it was bad - in fact, I kind of like it better.

Hi Elmo - It could be Jamillah Garden, they have a "branch" in OC.

Hi RONW - I think we just sneaky buggas'! I'm trying to avoid the fate you described.....

Hi Jo - I think it takes the "taste like chicken" a bit too far! Believe me, there are times when we have to show extreme restraint, and then there are the pictures that never make it......

[Rachel]

Lol Kirk !!! So does my mum !! :) *hi-5 the missus* I kinda agree but its very difficult to describe when you feel "heaty" and have eaten too many such foods, however, the feeling is definitely there !

Yes V good pics, but the taste is better when you know you can "share" it with other people and give them cooking/dining ideas too, hence a pic snapped is worth 5 seconds of wait before CHOWTIME !! *arooooga arooooga honk honk!!*

[Kirk]

Hi Rachel - The Missus says that Lamb gives her "energy".....but it is hard to describe. i'll try to describe maybe in a future post.

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

The food here definitely sounds interesting. I haven't ever tried Islamic Chinese food although I do know there are a few shops in Singapore that sell Muslim Chinese cuisine.

The lamb and tofu look really good right about now....I guess I need to eat dinner soon, huh?

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - It was a rainy and somewhat "cold"(it's all relative) New Year, so the Lamb Hot Pot was perfect.

[Rachel]

Hi Reid ! I think you are thinking of "peranakan" or "baba" or Straits chinese cuisine. This is pretty different to Islamic Chinese cuisine as the former has malay influences which is predominantly south east asian. (From malaysia and Indonesia) Think Penang Laksa or normal Laksa,mee goreng, various nonya kueh, nonya zhong (made with mince and spices as opposed to normal chestnuts, pork and salted eggs. Nonya cuisine usus lots of coconut milk etc. And some dishes even have pork! Thsi is because they are't islamic themselves but have some grandmother or great grandmother who was malay. From wha tI can gather, Islamic chinese has kazacstan and Afghanistan influences from the north west and west, hence the islamic influences from there.

[Jack]

I haven't had those type of noodles for quite awhile. Looks good.

[Kirk]

Hi Rachel - Wow, lot's of info! Thanks so much.

Hi Jack - The noodles are pretty good, but the Lamb Hot Pot was better.

[Paula]

Steer clear of their sweet and sour chicken, if you like chicken. THERE IS NO CHICKEN IN IT! It is nothing but deep fried batter made to look like chicken strips. I complained to the waiter, and he said there's a really tiny piece of chicken in each strip, and that that was how they "have to make it"... Well, it was so tiny that it was invisible. What a sham!

[Kirk]

Hi Paula - Thanks for he comment and warning. I really wouldn't go for Sweet-Sour, and any other type of Cantonese Fare at Jamillah Garden - I'd stay with the Northern Chinese dishes. Islamic Chinese Food is Northern style Chinese.

[yummy911]

Hi Kirk,
Thank you for finding the restaurant. I have been long for the taste of northern china islamic cusine in san diego. as a chinese muslim from hongkong myself.
i remember the excitement of eating out at them. the best memory i got was their pan-fry juicy beef buns. i still can picture of taking the first bite and the delicious hot juice started dripping out. it was so good. i hope they have these buns in san diego as well.

[Kirk]

Hi yummy911 - Thanks for visiting and commenting. I don't think they have the "buns" you are thinking about. You may need to visit someplace like Lung Lai Shun, or the like in LA - but do let me know if you find them on the menu here.