FIELD TRIP NOTES: FLUSHING, QUEENS
who needs a staycation when you can escape to another world via the 7 train?
As someone who is a fierce advocate of day trips to the San Gabriel Valley, it should come as no surprise that I was excited to trade the 10 East (or 210) for a long ride on the 7 train out to New York Cityās version of the āAsian suburbsā aka Flushing. My version of Crying in H Mart would be ādisassociating on the 7 trainā (well actually it would be Moping at 99 Ranch but for the purposes of this post, weāll go with the former)
I had been to Flushing before, a lifetime ago, as a child visiting a distant relative. I donāt remember much. So when I went for the first time, twelve years and a pandemic later, it was all the more disorienting. The deeper you go into Queens the more the demographic visibly changes, a stark difference from what Iād gotten used to in north Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. You have a sense that things are different here, but nothing really prepares you for what you are greeted with when you emerge surface level from the subway station.
It feels like a foreign country. In a way that feels more like what Iād imagine China might be like. Not in the SGV way I had thought Iād be walking into. I felt out of place even though I blend in. Non Asians must really feel foreign. The foot traffic jostles you along the crowded sidewalks. The street vendors shout at you in Chinese, a myriad of regional accents blending together. It feels so far away from the scenes of Manhattan or Brooklyn. Storefronts with Chinese and English signage. New juxtaposed with old. Malls that feel new and old at the same times, and blend into each other with a constant flow of families hustling through errands, bags in tow. Admittedly, Iāve not explored past the few chaotic blocks around the subway station, but it is quite literally geographically a fraction of the sprawling suburbs I was used to in SGV. And in those few blocks, thereās a lot packed in.
This is going to be not half as comprehensive as my SGV guide. In fact, this is hardly a guide at all. Weāll call it field notes. Field trip notes. A compilation of notes and observations to at least get you a solid food crawl around Main Street. So take out some cash, hop on the 7 train and show up hungry.
I give credit where credit is due, and Flushing (and the Asian community) really deserve an award for having establishments open every day of the week. Like come here on a MONDAY and still be well fed. Thatās not something we take for granted in the post-pandemic world of Manhattan restaurants and Brooklyn bakeries that only open Wednesday onwards. Sure, some of them will have a decent wait on weekends, but nothing more than the usual dim sum or hot pot rite of passage, you can still get seated in a reasonable time without a reservation, and we love that.
Lots of places that have now made their way to Manhattan, but letās not kid ourselves, the Flushing version is probably better, if only because it is more spacious. So here are some (low effort) places to hit.
Part flower shop part soy milk vendor, name a more perfect combo, Iāll wait. This neighborhood favorite takes both hustles seriously, but even if you arenāt in the market for a plant, itās well worth stopping by for some fresh soymilk and a youtiao to dip.
This place is a little overhyped, and not the most consistent, but while youāre on the block, you might as well grab an order of wontons doused in chili oil as a snack while you wait for a table at Shanghai You Garden.
This is your stop for egg tarts. No frills. Curt service. Cash only. But who needs any other amenities when you have delicious egg tarts? They have both Hong Kong and Portuguese style. (and some different flavored ones too) Donāt bother trying to figure out which one is better, get one of each style and decide for yourself.Ā
My friends who grew up here claim that Asian Jewels is the place to be for weekend morning dim sums. And truly I knew it was the real deal as I waited for our number to be called and saw staff rolling over a table top across the bustling restaurant. This place has push carts which is nice, and the ambience is the exact core memory of Asian American kids growing up going to dim sum with family and family friends on the weekends.Ā
I am a Din Tai Fung (and Taiwanese DTF dupe) loyalist, but Shanghai You Garden has decent soup dumplings, and the rest of the menu is solid, filled with Shanghai classics like sweet and savory tofu puddings and wontons and pastries. And of course their famous Beijing roasted duck buns. If youāre in a hurry they also sell things out the take out window out front. We love some Chinese efficiency.
Named after a military village in Taiwan, Four Four South Village specializes āwaishengā Taiwanese food, aka noodle-heavy dishes from families who, well, are from provinces outside of Taiwan. But no time to dive into political history here. Just know that they are known for their noodles, and while Iāve certainly had better, it is quite homey and hits the spot.
I mean, sheās a classic for a reason, and sheās bougie. Haidilao is like the closest thing you can get from the mainland on this hemisphere. You have all of the amenities. The outdoor seating comes with various heating options for you to configure to perfection. People with long hair get hair ties. The waiting area inside has a play section for the kids. The bathrooms have Dyson hairdryers and Dior perfume. New American restaurants with Aesop bathroom soap could never. The iPad ordering and decked out sauce bar and post-meal ice cream are just tablestakes. Oh and if you order in English or speak English, you will feel foreign.Ā
The Dolar Shop
12:00-22:30 weekday nights 23:00 weekend nights
Hot Pot but make it high tea style? The Dolar Shop has a location in the East Village now too, but the Flushing location looks more like a tea room (while the EV location looks more like a contemporary Vegas hotel restaurant). Itās a good option for individual pots. No matter though, the soup bases are strong and herbal and the spice is real, and they end with icy soft serve so we love it.Ā
Milk bread has been all the rage the past few years, but letās be real, for most of us, it just aināt worth making it yourself. And sure, you can find some at the local Japanese market, but since you are already here, why not grab a whole variety of them, fresh baked daily from the Asian bakeries that do it best? They also have a glorious case of Asian bakery style cakes that are overdecorated in a wonderfully nostalgic way.Ā
Asians love a little something sweet after a meal, so dessert spots are abundant. And while you could easily opt for something on the go, itās also nice to sit down for a bit and 520 Dessert Bar emulates the classic choice for this kind of role. A menu that has a bunch of traditional and less traditional desserts, many Hong Kong style, some western-ish. Point is, you can sit and chat with some friends with some non-alcoholic (and many non-caffeinated) drinks, and thatās something special that you forget can be hard to come by outside of Asian enclaves.Ā
And of course, the obligatory boba to go. They have most of the main hits, from the ātrendyā Xin Fu Tang and Tiger Sugar and Machi Machi to the staples Yi Fang and Chun Yang and now āoldā Coco and Gong Cha and The Alley and Kung Fu Tea, all within a few blocks of each other.
Between meals, thereās always shopping. And besides of course the obligatory grocery shopping (Jmart, Hmart, they have it all but no 99 Ranch š). Thereās actually a DAISO here, and 3x TESOs, and many Asian beauty shops to pick up skincare essentials. New World Mall is just begging to be walked through, even if just as an escape from the sidewalk traffic. And of course thereās SkyView, the actual mall. Which also has the Nike Clearance Store, and if youāre thinking hmm is that off brand? No, that is actually the most on-brand thing you can find in an Asian enclave, and the queue out the entrance is proof it belongs here.
And finally, on weekends it is worth perusing the flea market. There are some good finds if you know what you’re looking for.Ā Anyways, if you’re headed back to the subway without at least a couple miscellaneous bags of food and/or Nike clearance items, what are you doing?Ā