DUCK INTO CORNER 28 FOR ROAST AND DIM SUM

Slabs of pork, as well as chickens and ducks with their heads still on, hang inside a window looking all so juicy and appetizing.   A piece of Peking Duck with scallion and hoisin sauce gets placed in a folded bun for $1.  Purchase portions of some of the best roast pig, roast pork, roast duck or soy sauce chicken.  Skins have a little crunch and the meats are a “melt in the mouth” experience.  This is all about Chinese cuisine. 

 

Step further into Corner 28, located at 131-46 40^th Rd, and you’ll see the long steam table of various Chinese choices.  Choose 4 items with rice and either soy milk or bottled water for a mere price of $5.50.  Don’t worry about the food being out too long as there is a constant turnover due to the amount of knowledgeable and hungry Asians in downtown Flushing that keep the lines going.  Now, the secret is out!!!

This eatery is not quite on the corner as it sits between Main and Prince Street. There is a separate area just for drinks.  If you don’t want the food and drinks to go, head on upstairs with your meal to the table and chairs.  Eat, drink and watch one of three tvs.  

A second option is simply ordering larger portions of those as well as other dishes. The counter and cashier is on the right side just before the steam table.  You will get a numbered receipt. Go upstairs. When the food is ready a staff member will bring it up to you.

 
You will find that few of the staff speaks English. This should not detract from enjoying the food. Dim sum is basically prepared for the morning to very early afternoon.  It’s not a dim sum restaurant where the waitstaff walk around with carts.   You can get items such as: pork shu mai, shrimp dumplings and my favorite…..braised chicken feet. 

I took my niece Dawn with me.  She had never been to a “Chinatown” and this part of Flushing is beyond that due to the numerous Asian cuisines.  This was also the first time that she had the chance to eat authentic Chinese food.  

Start off with a drink.  Get something different. Dawn took a chance on a Jasmine Green Tea with Nata Jelly while I went for the Passion Fruit Tea. Both of us were satisfied. We used the big round straw so that the ingredients were sucked up into our mouth along with the liquid.  Most of the drinks are cold….coffee, teas and of course, bubble tea. 

Soup anyone?  Two great dumping soups were sampled.  One had shrimp and pork and the other had vegetables.  I love cilantro; Dawn does not.  She skipped the veggie one.  I tasted both and equally satisfying to my taste buds. We actually ate the dumplings and saved the soup “to go”.  You never know what you have at home to use the broth.  By the way, these soups are served in a large bowl.

Let’s get into the dishes which looked like they were all meant to be shared.  Steak Cantonese Style.  The steak is pounded before cooking.  It is made with onions in a sweet bbq sauce and topped with slices of fresh tomatoes.  I don’t mind the onions. Dawn seemed to indulge in just the meat.  Many of the items, such as this have cilantro vs parsley to give that extra presentation. 

Honeyed Walnut Shrimp.  Large shrimp coated lightly and fried rest on broccoli florets, topped with the sesame seed and honey coated walnuts in a sweet and savory sauce. This was Dawn’s favorite.  Beef Chow Fun is fun to scoop the tender beef with thick long rice noodles and some veggies.  I always enjoy chow fun. 

Three seafood dishes were then sampled.  Dried Scallop with Egg White Fried Rice.  I think there was baby shrimp in this.  Vermicelli Noodles with squid, and other savvy seafood.  Pan Fried noodles with scallop, shrimp and vegetables.  These are on the drier side rather than “saucy”.  

Even before this last sampling, we were full.  Take it back to my house, park ourselves into a corner and indulge the next day.  We were definitely NOT hungry an hour later. 

Xin Nian Kuai Le (Sheen Nyan Kwai Luh) is Chinese for “Happy New Year” as we approach the Year of the Monkey.  Lunar New Year, the most important East and South East Asian holiday, is the longest Asian holiday, celebrated for 15 days beginning this year on February 8^th.  This holiday extends to Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Malaysians, Japanese, and Mongolians.

February 8th is the actual holiday when “Gong Hei Fat Choi”, basically wishing one “good luck”, is exchanged as well as the commemorated Firecracker Ceremony. The color of red represents “luck” with envelopes of cash and lanterns.  Join in celebrating with the Lunar New Year Parade, which will be held on Saturday, February 13^th starting at 11 a.m.