Through Oorja, we aim to create a restaurant inspired by the flavors of Hakka, primarily Indo Chinese cuisine, where the emphasis is placed on fresh ingredients and great service. We take pride in the food that we create, and it is our ambition to bring this vibrant and culturally rich cuisine to Montreal. As both a restaurant and a cocktail bar, our objective is to shape a fun and dynamic environment centered around a unique culinary experience. Our team will create dishes and cocktails made from quality seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers. Indo Chinese cuisine is surprisingly absent from Montreal, and we believe that its vibrance and imaginativeness will be very well received.
Overall, reviews of Oorja describe a vibrant Indo Chinese fusion spot with inventive cocktails, playful tapas style dishes, and a warm, stylish ambiance that can range from relaxed lunch vibes to lively evenings with live music. The food frequently earns praise for bold flavors and presentation, with favorites including momos, chicken lollipops, chilli chicken, duck wings and other tapas style plates, while some diners note portions can be small for the price and spice levels may be very high. Cocktails are repeatedly highlighted as well balanced and creative, with several guests enjoying standout options and seasonal changes. Service is a common point, with many experiences described as friendly, attentive and professional, though others recount slow or inconsistent service, missed items, or long waits. The setting is often praised as chic and cozy, with attractive presentation and a welcoming atmosphere suited for dates, gatherings, or casual bites. Overall, Oorja comes across as a notable destination for Indo Chinese fusion in the area, delivering memorable drinks and interesting dishes, but with uneven service and portion consistency that may vary by visit.
Loved the place. Loved their food. The perfect indo Chinese cuisine that I have been looking for! I had the cocktail (Forty Birds or fifty? Forgot the exact name) it was a little too sour, so go for it if you like this taste. Place is a little smaller & it is hard to bring in a big gang. Service was very good. Will definitely recommend this place to all my friends
We had the pleasure of dining at Oorja on our recent Montreal visit. It is a small restaurant but what Beautiful ambience. We had reservations for 5 people, but had an extra person join in at the last minute (a kid), & they were very kind to accommodate us. The menu is not elaborate, however it includes all the famed dishes from the Indochinese cuisine. Plating is gorgeous & everything was deliciuosly flavourful. My favorite was veggie Manchurian, which I was sharing with my sister. However it was so delicious that we ended up ordering another plate. Kids had lamb spring rolls & chicken manchurian, & even though it was a bit spicy for their taste buds, they thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband ordered chili paneer, which was very flavorful but the paneer was on the dry side. & lastly, I would travel back to Montreal just to have their red bean ice cream with bao bun. Everyone was skeptical in ordering a red bean icecream, but My gut feeling said it would be good. & I wasn't wrong. I was so full otherwise I would have eaten one more plate of that. Thank you for the wonderful experience.
Jan 11, 2024
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This is a nice Indo Chinese spot in St Henri. We ordered the mango cocktail, chili baby corn, braised pork & chili chicken. The menu is small but good. The chili chicken with chowmein tasted very much like the street side chili chicken I've grown up eating in Kolkata. The braised pork was delicious. The crispy babycorn came with a nice sauce. The portions are quite filling. The atmosphere is very pleasant, with soft music playing in the background. This is a really cute spot for dinner.
It's a cosy date spot with great Indo Chinese food. The serving size is comparatively small. I liked the ambiance & the customer service. It would be great to see a bigger menu & food servings.
Amazing food. The starters (Lamb spring rolls, Fried Momos, Manchow Soup) were really well made, especially the dips & the chutneys. Plating was superb. Tried the Chicken Manchurian with fried rice. The gravy was so close to indo chinese but the chicken was not as succulent & tender. Waiting staff were quick & delight to interact with. Everything was served really fast. Restaurant was a bit smaller & seating was not very comfortable as the tables are laid out very close to each other. Lighting was a little dim so could not read the menu. But overall a very nice ambience & is on the rustic side & the place was packed with people.
The food is really very close to the Indo-Chinese Hakka cuisine. But I can imagine it might be a little too spicy for some people. So just ask before you order. Ordered one cocktail & it was well made. Would love to see cauliflower lollipop for vegetarians.
Oct 1, 2023
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Saw a few posts about how this is the first Indo-Chinese restaurant in Montreal. As someone who grew up eating hakka chinese every other week, Oorja was immediately added to my list of places to try. It did not disappoint. The service, ambience, drinks, food, literally every single thing was absolutely phenomenal & so authentic. Will be going back often.
As someone who likes Indo Chinese a lot, I'd give 4 stars to the food, maybe 3.5-4 stars to service only because it's a little slow, however the staff is very courteous. Great Ambience, awesome cocktails
This is such a nice place to come have a drink &/or eat. The food is delicious. Indo-chinese fusion with immaculate flavours in each dish. Not only that the food is amazing, so are the cocktails. There is a large range of alcohol & tasty beverages. It is not too expensive & it’s a cozy place to come either with your friends or with a date. The ambiance makes it really nice, the staff are super friendly & comprehensive. I would 100% recommend
Great new restaurant in the St Henri neighbourhood. First time trying Indo-Chinese food . Everything from the Dumplings to the spicy chicken dishes were delicious .(along with nice glass of the natural wine ) . Service was friendly & helpful
