Exploring Flushing: A Culinary Adventure in New York City 🍜

During my exhilarating ten-day journey in New York City, I made a point to visit Flushing three times. Each visit was packed with food experiences—sampling a variety of dishes that, while some may look unappealing from the outside, were delightful surprises. However, there were also some spots that didn’t quite hit the mark. Here’s a detailed account of my gastronomic adventures in Flushing! 🌟

Chongqing Laozao: The Hot Pot Revelation 🔥

Ranked by several New York friends as the go-to for hot pot, Chongqing Laozao truly lives up to its reputation as the “most fragrant hot pot”! While I may not have an expert palate, I can assure you that the flavors are anything but boring.

Xin Nuo Lan: Taste of Xinjiang 🇨🇳

This place serves Xinjiang cuisine, and I must say, the baked buns are heavenly! The stewed and roasted meats are incredibly tender. The chive and egg dish, alongside the lamb skewers, were also delicious. Do try their milk tea and yogurt—so refreshing! However, I found the fried noodles with oily meat to be slightly disappointing. Next time, I’m definitely going for the Big Plate Chicken and Lamb Hand Grab!

Suan Q: A Unique Guizhou Experience 🥘

My first encounter with Guizhou sour soup hot pot was love at first bite! The broth and dipping sauce are incredibly appetizing, and the potato cakes are wonderfully fragrant. The rice cake and crispy fried rice were decent, but the selection of hot pot ingredients felt a bit sparse. Plus, the seating was not the most comfortable, yet overall, a great experience!

Huang Ye Ji: Coconut Chicken Delight 🥥

The chicken here is incredibly tender—almost with a futuristic texture—and the sweet coconut broth is comforting, especially on a chilly day!

Hunan Suo Fen: Nostalgic Comfort Food 🍲

I really missed my stir-fried rice noodles and stewed noodles—it smelled divine! However, my additional order of chicken giblets had an odd flavor reminiscent of a damp cloth… Cleanliness seems to be an ongoing concern in some of these small eateries. [😅]

Yuan Yang: Sweet Treats Paradise 🍧

I’m a fan of this dessert shop! Their unique offerings are delightful and well worth a visit.

Ceramics Delight: A Tea Oasis 🍵

This was my first time trying Teazzi! The signature Double Delight Bird’s Nest was a stunning surprise, although the Mango Green Tea was a bit too sweet for my taste. Still, worth experiencing!

Er Hou: Flavorful Stewed Goodies 🥢

Specializing in marinated snacks, I missed out on the popular Spicy Chicken on my visit. Nevertheless, the beef jerky and duck wings were decent but not spectacular.

Xicha: A Bubble Tea Haven 🧋

My favorites here include the Matcha Coconut Blue and Light Cheese Yangmei. The Matcha Milk Cream and Cool Blackberry flavors were also enjoyable.

Pang Mao Guo Kui: Crunchy Goodness 🥯

A large, crispy baked cake—best enjoyed fresh out of the oven!

Re Mai Shi Guang: Dessert Delight 🧁

The Matcha Red Bean Mochi Bread was surprisingly tasty. [🌙] Not something I’d necessarily revisit, but enjoyable nonetheless!

Zhengzhou Hui Mian: A Mixed Bag 🍜

Under two different names, their signature meat sandwich was pretty flavorful! Although the soup noodles were a tad bland, the stir-fried noodles were way too salty and greasy, unfortunately resembling a dirty rag… Help!

Shakalaka Bakery: A Mixed Review 🍞

The sausage bread was quite tasty, and the almond crisp was okay. However, many other items fell short; the signature taro mud pork floss cake was just average—more taro-flavored cream than actual taro, which was a bit overwhelming. The cream rolls and purple rice buns were a definite pass.

TP TEA: A Disappointment 🤔

I tried several times but have yet to find a flavor that works for me…

Xie Bao: A Hit or Miss 🦀

The crab yellow fresh meat mooncake had a bit of an off-putting odor… Some locals might refuse to acknowledge this as authentic fresh meat mooncake!

Shanghai Yuyuan: A Forgettable Experience 🍵

Regrettably, I forgot to take photos here. The rice cake had a thick skin, and the purple taro rice dumpling was disappointing. Only the Tiao Tiao cake was decent. [⭐] Definitely returning to try again!

Other noteworthy mentions include Artisan, Ba Er Duo, Spicy Space, Sugar Tide, Xiu Ba Zhen, Man Xiao Man, Bearin’ Wheel Pie, Joe’s Steam Rice Roll, Gou Bang Zi, and Duck House Fu Ren. Each offers a variety of flavors that cater to the Chinese palate!

Join me in continuing to explore the culinary gems of New York City! Follow along for more delicious experiences that won’t let you down! #FoodieAdventures #NYCFood #FlushingEats #FoodExplorer