CHINESE AMERICAN food has long been one of the most popular cuisines in the Western hemisphere. So, too, has Indochinese cuisine been in East Asia. Since late spring, The Monk’s, which has outlets in Houston and suburban Chicago, has brought northside diners a taste of this spicy, aromatic cooking style. Appetizers include momo (steamed dumplings filled with chicken or paneer and served with fiery chutneys), street-style wings, and juicy Drums of Heaven. Curries, such as the South Indian chettinad or the Telegu specialty gongura, are great for purists. But the true experience comes in such Chinese-style dishes as the delicate wok-tossed hakka noodles and the deeply flavorful burnt garlic fried rice. 13080 Grand Blvd., Carmel, 317-564-8266.