Food for Thought: Jannie Japanese Chinese

View Larger Map By Donna Ward

This cross of Japanese and Chinese food restaurant is located in the Roosevelt Mall at 2117 Cottman Avenue. Jannie’s seeks to accommodate the public with take-out, as well as being open seven days a week for both lunch and dinner.  There is plenty of parking in the spacious lot out front, as Jannie’s is located in a mall.

I was seated promptly, and a friendly waitress hurried over to my table shortly after my arrival.  The tables were covered with white clothes, which appeared to be removed after each seating.  The silverware and plates were clean, as were the glasses.  Jannie’s is a casual environment that offers a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for its diners.  It even has a small teapot and cups that the staff brings over to your table when you are ready to order.  The tea was very warm and always kept full, although the flavor was kind of flat.  The food was served warm and punctually upon ordering.

In an attempt to sample dishes from both cultures, I first ordered the Sushi Boat.  The sushi is cold when served and contained a variety of fresh seafood delights in a wooden boat shaped container.  The dragon roll in particular was delicious, however. I found the octopus to be very tough and chewy.  Octopus is a difficult seafood to prepare and besides this sushi, I found the rest to be delightful. The Sushi Boat is a rather large dish and could easily be a main course when not shared among a large number of people.

For an entrée, I had the Chicken Teriyaki with chicken fried rice.  I was very happy to see that Jannie’s offers chicken fried rice instead of pork, as is commonly found in other restaurants.

The chicken fried rice was good, but a little dry, and the teriyaki was quite tasty.  The vegetables in this dish were cooked and crisp, and the chicken was warm but a little too cooked.  The flavor of the sauce was well worth the trip.  The teriyaki was tasty and thick and contained a lovely array of spices that lingered.  Overall, the dish was done nicely.  Jannie’s serves smaller portions than most for its entrées, but when ordering, keep in mind the food is worth the quality, and that most is very filling — especially the sushi.

The prices were not too expensive, and the dishes offered are done nicely.  I especially enjoyed the Mount Fuji drink, which according to the menu, is very popular in Japan.  It had a hint of banana and melon flavor that made it pop.  The drink was served with fruit and a paper umbrella to add flare.

Overall, I enjoyed both the Japanese and Chinese meal samples at Jannie’s.  For popular dishes and a comfortable atmosphere, I recommend a lunch or dinner at this joint culture eatery.

Food For Thought is a NEast restaurant review column written by Donna Ward that runs every other Thursday.