nyonya

Sometimes I wonder about the things I get myself into, like plan a birthday dinner at a restaurant nearly two hours from my house by public transportation. On the muggiest afternoon in recent memory, I managed to drag my eleven year old sister and friend, both as unwilling and lazy as two people could have been, down to Little Italy for my Dad's birthday dinner. The heat and humidity were not alleviating the frustration from the long commute. Arguments unfolded and bribes were made but we finally arrived at Nyonya two hours later and entered just as we all experienced the most deafening crack of thunder. We were last in the never-ending line of impatient customers waiting for tables, but glad to be inside and not caught in the violent rain that ensued shortly after.

The Roti Canai, a sculpture of an impossibly crispy, buttery thin flatbread, arrived resting on a small bowl of chicken dipping curry. We ordered three portions and all of us greedily attacked the pancake, tearing them apart like "wild barbarians"(quoting my sister here) as soon as the plates reached our table.

The Seafood TomYam rice noodle soup, to our surprise, came with egg noodles. The seafood component was overcooked and mushy, while the lo-mein-like noodles buried underneath were too dense for a noodle soup. We were all quick to consume the lemongrass broth though, serving ourselves small portions and savoring every last drop.

 

This sizzling tofu platter was delicious - the fried-then-drenched tofu was incredibly silky on the inside yet still retained the crispiness on the outside.

The pieces of chewy fried squid oozed a lot of grease and didn't have much flavor besides that of overused oil. The unappetizing vegetables were lukewarm and almost completely raw.

The Hokkien Char Mee consisted of thick yellow noodles tossed in a dark-soy based sauce. I'm not a fan of dark-soy, whose taste is much bolder than that of light soy. The tangy and spicy red sauce of the side was a mix of Sriracha and shrimp paste, which gave the noodles a pungent twist.

My mother is obsessed with any sort of stewed beef, and she was very pleased the tender chunks of beef in the Beef Rendang.

By far the most disappointing dish of the night was the fried green tea ice cream. The over-battered ice cream, which was icy and almost inedible in itself, rested on top of a messy drizzle of tart artificial strawberry syrup. A banana fritter, which seemed like an afterthought, turned out to be only edible thing on the plate.

What made the experience an Nonya so memorable was the inviting and modest design, speedy service, and cafe pricing. The informality of the atmosphere allowed for shameless conversation.  Despite being incredibly packed on a Friday night, our quirky waiter never missed a beat and everything was served on time and attended to promptly. The bustling dining room, which we had managed to settle comfortably into in the past hour,  was still as packed as it was when we had walked in. We braved the rain and began our journey home, with the taste of the aromatic Malaysian spices still lingering on our palettes.  

Nyonya
199 Grand Street
New York, NY 10013

jade asian restaurant

It's hard getting up early on rainy Sunday mornings, especially after a long tiring week of doing absolutely nothing and when dozing back off to the sound of rain drops hitting the window pane is just so tempting. But I dragged myself up because this morning I was headed to Dim Sum with my family and family friends, a soon-to-be joyous affair which I had been looking forward to for weeks. The pull of casual, spontaneous dim sum is a strong force that made my family and I brave the pouring rain and drive out to Flushing where the food is almost always promising, especially on rainy days when the streets aren't jam-packed.

Just a few plates due to time constraints:

Durian fritters: smooth puree with crispy thin noodle coating, dipped in seasame. Good if you like durian, a large spikey tropical fruit with a really distinct, pungent flavor. Bad if you don't.

Firm shrimp mousse wrapped in bacon, coated in batter, then deep fried until, once again, crispy and golden. Served with soy sauce. My mouth is watering as I'm typing this.

Braised duck tongue and taro (potato-like root vegetable) for the adventurous.

Fried silken tofu: golden and crispy on the outside, piping hot delicate tofu on the inside. Tucked in the center is a baby shrimp. Dip the whole thing in soy sauce, served on the side.

Braised fatty spare ribs- really juicy and flavorful.

Fried sesame ball: starchy dough stuffed with sweet lotus filling then coated with sesame seeds and fried until golden and crispy. (Note the repetition of "golden and crispy"when describing dimsum) Makes for the perfect bite.

Bits of dried baby shrimp and fatty chinese sausage flavorthis miniature serving of filling sticky rice.

Fried stuffed eggplant: large chunks of Chinese eggplant stuffed with seafood mousse, deep fried, then coated with a sweet and sour sauce.

Pork meatball with notes of celery and cilantro, braised with black bean and bitter melon. Bitter melon is like a bitter cucumber with more of a bite to it, and takes some time getting used to-in my case, ten years. But delicious once the sharp taste is acquired.

***

After Dim Sum my sister and I headed across the street to the mall while we waited for our parents to run a few errands. While we initially planned on window-shopping off our extremely large brunch, the aroma of the buttery pastries of Paris Baguette lured us in. Duty called.

Below are the "chocolate croissant" and "pineapple pastry", names far too modest for these these amazing goods; "Buttery, flaky, crispy on the outside soft and airy on the inside, super-light croissant with semi-sweet chooclate drizzling" would be more appropriate for the former.



As for the latter, sweet cream and pineapple chunks replace the chocolate and with a dough similar in content, you have the breakfast pastry or after-dim-sum snack you see before you.



What I love about this Americanized chain and other bakeries in Asian-dominated Flushing is that the sweet stuff here is never too sweet. I find that most pastries I encounter are often so tooth-achingly sweet, and it's not long before one falls into a sugar coma. These desserts have the perfect dose of sugar, just enough to call it a dessert, yet allows for consumuption by the masses. But maybe that's just my Asian tastebuds talking.



Jade Asian Restaurant 13628 39th Avenue, Flushing, NY
Paris Baguette 136-20 38th Ave(one of several locations)

oh! taisho/ pommes frittes

We were quickly seated in the back of this hole-in-the-wall extention of Yakitori Taisho, just a few doors down. Upon walking in we were hit with the aroma of barbeque and grilled skewers from the open kitchen in the front, complete with a bar-like set up for those who wish to see their food be made in front of them.

Yakitori is a type of skewered chicken, also a term to describe skewered food in general. To start off, we snacked on a platter of mixed meat skewers: tender chicken, juicy beef meatballs, chewy chicken gizzards, crispy chicken skin, and pork belly (which was slightly tough and lacked flavor) assembled over a bed of raw, dressed cabbage. For the most part all the meats were seasoned and cooked well, and were really filling.


I had been craving Kimichi noodles for weeks and couldn't have been more excited when the Kimichee Yakiudon arrived at the table shortly after our mini-feast of yakitori. Thinly sliced pork belly added a nice richness and fattiness to the tangy spicy kimichi dish.


I think my strong aversion to chicken terriyaki stemmed from elementary school lunches, when the special would often read "chicken terriyaki", quickly dubbed mystery meat by many of my peers. On top of that, chicken breast(typically used for c.t.) is my least favorite cut of meat and Terriyaki is my least favorite sauce. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this dish, which sported grilled chicken thighs and wasn't smothered in that thick sweet poisin, but tossed in a light savory (only slightly sweet) sauce.


To finish off we ordered a Matcha Brulee. Matcha is finely-milled green tea; its aftertaste reminds me of seaweed, as unappetizing as that sounds. Nonetheless it has an addictive flavor. Despite the waiter's suggestion to "order this dish at one of the many other restaurants on the block" (no joke) we enjoyed the dessert, which wasn't too sweet nor heavy.

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Up a few blocks and around the corner stands another hole-in-the-wall of an eatery that specializes in fries. Pommes Frittes serves thick-cut belgian fries and one chooses from its large selection of dipping sauces. We picked the organic black truffle mayo(left), pesto mayo(center), and one of its most popular sauces- sweet mango chutney(right). The pungent black truffle, cheesy pesto, and sweet creamy mango sauces made eating fries fun again, although we all agreed nothing beats hot crispy fries with a big bowl of vanilla soft serve. We must have come at an odd time cause the fries were slightly soggy and burnt on several ends.


Oh! Taisho 9 St. Marks Pl
Pommes Frittes 123 Second Ave.

lombardi's

Back-to-school shopping is tiring work; we must eat well beforehand.

A pre-lunch treat from a Van Leeuwen ice cream truck: a big scoop of Giandujia ice cream, a hazelnut chocolate combo. Really nutty with bits of hazelnut and nicely incorporated chocolate flavor. Creamy and not too sweet.


After a twenty minute walk in the blazing sun we finally arrived at a maze of a restaurant that is Lombardi's. We were anticipating a long wait but were seated surprisingly quickly(although many weren't so lucky). After what seemed like an eternity of sipping our waters and staring at the kaleidoscopic checkered tablecloth, two lovely margarita pies were placed before us.
  Pictured below are a pancetta and pepperoni pie and a sausage and spinach pie. Crispy crust, light tangy tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and ribbons of fresh basil made up the base of the pizzas.

Crispy disks of pepperoni and bits of mild pancetta:


Garlicky, sweet, spicy sausage bits with charred spinach.

  ***

After lunch we headed across the street to Rice to Riches, a brightly-lit rice pudding bar decked out with witty signs and funky decor. The panna cotta pudding (left) was rich and pleasantly sweet while the wild berry was tart and brought back the memories of after-school snacks of Trix berry yogurt. We also ordered a bowl of Marscapone and Cherries (not pictured below to avoid would-be lost appetites but we promise it was delicious). This was my first encounter with rice pudding and while I would soon realize that I detest the texture of it, the flavor did compensate quite a bit.



And with all the artisan ice cream, mouth-watering pizza, and creamy, filling rice pudding sitting in our stomachs we headed down Broadway for school essentials. The days we have left here in the city are dwindling down, we best eat up.

Lombardi's 32 Spring
Rice to Riches 37 Spring St (btwn. Mott and Mulberry)

Maybe it's because I had spent way too much time there as a child but at one point in my life I stopped caring for trips to Flushing, Queens - which to me referred to the bustling section of Main Street that sports densely-packed strips of markets, medicinal shops, and dirt-cheap eateries. But just the other day as I peered into my uninviting fridge stocked with American groceries from Costco and Trader Joe's, I found myself overwhelemd by nostalgia for these crowded streets from which I've bought and eaten at least a thousand porkbuns, seriously craving some Asian comfort food.

One morning out of hunger/cravings too intense to bear for the greasy finds on Main Street, my friend and I boarded the bus to Queens, equipped with a pricey camera and empty stomachs, ready to pay one last tribute to our second home before we head off to college.

Slightly bitter daikon, sweet carrot, (both cooked until tender), and fatty, salty pork rinds make for a well-balanced and hearty soup, found at Yummy Dim Sum on Roosevelt Avenue. Don't let the softened pork rinds turn you away; it's pleasantly chewy and gelatinous, and its sponge-like attributes help it soak up the delicious broth, creating a burst of flavor with every chew.



Our next stop was the Asian kebob stand on 39th and Main Street, just one of many carts parked on random side roads of Flushing. These stands always remind me of my childhood in China; the smoky aroma from the kebob stand right by my building would lure me in and of course I'd have to get at least half a dozen sticks every time.


Chicken kebobs slowly cooked over flickering charcoal.
They're dusted with seasoned salt, cumin, and upon request, chili powder. Other options include lamb, beef, and even entrails, depending on the cart.

***

After we had Liang Pi noodle- literally "cold skin" noodle in Mandarin- at Xi'an. This particular Xi'an of the award winning chain is located (though concealed would be a more fitting term) in a run-down basement with several other eateries, all of which take "no-frills dining" to a whole new level. The entrance is deceiving, as it appears to be that of a toy store. Duck, make a left, and you can grab yourself a splittable portion for 4 dollars.



Homemade, firm, semi-transluscent noodles tossed in chili oil and a peppery, tastebud-numbing sauce and garnished with mung bean sprouts, celery leaves, cucumber, and spongey bean curd. Really refreshing, really spicy, really good.

***

I have a soft spot for Corner 28. I've gotten the duck buns there numerous times. Julienned scallions, crunchy cucumbers, and slices of roasted Peking duck are sandwiched between fluffy, steamed buns then drizzled with hoisin sauce to finish. The contrasting temperatures, flavors, and textures of the dish are what make for the perfect two bites.


***

Dried pork bun from TaiPan bakery. Two pieces of sweet light bread-like pastry held together by a layer of Asian mayo (thinned out lard) and topped with shredded dried pork, kind of like a pork jerky. The pork is savory with a touch of sweetness and so good with the sweet fluffy bread, especially when warm.


***

Pho Bac Express is just one of the many eateries at the food court inside New World Mall, a relatively new urban complex smack in the center of Flushing. The food court is packed with over two dozen newly established eateries and chains specializing in all types of Asian fast food, from Malaysian bbq to Schezuan hot pot to Japaanese ramen.

I'm slightly embarrased to admit that I had Pho for the very first time a few weeks ago, and I just had to come back to this very place and order the same dish, despite my "try-only-new-foods rule" for the summer. Pictured below are perfectly cooked rice noodles swimming in a light and savory beef broth, garnished with Thai basil leaves, raw mung bean sprouts (partially cooked by the hot soup) and a squeeze of lime juice. Thin slices of beef (usually medium, although this time way beyond well done) sit on top of the noodles.



Ponji Juice Bar, a few booths down, offer a variety of shaved ice combos as well as toppings - syrups, different jellys, milk-soaked peanuts, fruits and beans- a la carte. We split a Taiwanese shaved ice with sweetened mung bean (green bean), kidney bean, and grass jelly bits. Grass jelly has a very distinctive flavor with a strong alkaline aftertaste; for us, it's an acquired taste. A big squirt of sweetened condensed milk brought this whole dessert together.


Yes we admit it does look and sound unappetizing, but believe us, it's delicious -sweet, creamy, and refreshing- and for 3.75, an interesting alternative to ice cream for the adventurous.

***

And that wraps up our food adventure for the day, due to time contraints and emptied wallets. We boarded the bus and headed home, having spent a reasonable 20 dollars between the two of us. It's saddening that cheap comfort food on which I grew up won't always be so readily available. Until then, it doesn't hurt to pig out when our cravings call.


Yummy Dim Sum 135-46 Roosevelt Ave

Xi'an Famous Foods 41-28 Main Street Bsmt #36

Corner 28 40-28 Main Street

Tai Pan Bakery 3725 Main Street

Pho Bac Express and Ponji Juice Bar
@ New World Mall
4021 Main Street

bettola/ emack+bolio's

For a catch-up lunch, we found ourselves at Betolla, just one of many modest eateries found along Amsterdam ave. It wasn't long before the heat and humidity got to us and we decided to settle with the next decent-looking place we passed, which happened to embrace rusticity and boast reasonably priced items. By the time the third member of our party arrived, my friend and I were so stuffed with bread we ended up splitting only two dishes among the three of us.

Pappardelle pasta with butterflied jumbo shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and arugula, all tossed in a tomato sauce. The shrimp was well-cooked and the tomato sauce was light and well seasoned. I enjoyed the dish overall, although we did find clumped flaps of pappardelle;unevenly cooked pasta is never pleasant.



Our pizza was topped with mushroom, mozzarella, parmasean, and truffle oil. All Bettola's pizzas are baked in its firebrick oven, which sits in the center towards the back of the dining room. The crust was deliciously crispy with the oozing cheese; However, I did find the pungent truffle to be a bit overwhelming.


For dessert, we headed to Emack and Bolio's, an ice cream parlor chain which offers a wide range of flavors with crazy mix-ins.


I can't remember the last time I had mint chocolate chip ice cream prior to this visit.Pictured is mint ice cream with oreo and shaved chocolate flakes; the light chocolate flakes were a nice alternative to the usually hard frozen dark chocolate chips. What a nice welcome back: (Grasshopper Pie)




My friend proclaimed this was the "best ice cream ever," for lack of a better phrase. The Cake Batter featured  yellow cake bites and ribbons of fudge swirled into creamy vanilla ice cream.



Bettola
412 Amsterdam Ave(btwn 79th and 80th)

Emack and Boilio's
389 Amsterdam Ave(btwn 78th and 79th)