New York Food Court (紐約美食廣場)

New York Food Court (紐約美食廣場)
133-35 Roosevelt Ave
Flushing, NY 11354
$

A new food court joins the battle in Flushing as New York Food Court had its grand opening this past weekend. This “New World Mall Food Court” clone opened on Roosevelt ave, across the street from the apartment complexes. Walking in, you would feel like you have stepped into a parallel universe of NWM Food court because the vendors are almost exactly the same (if not by name, then by cuisine).

So shiny and clean, I am sure this won’t last long. There are not much people here yet as words still spreads about the opening.

I am not going too in-depth with this post but I will give you a quick tour of this food court.

EAST

The following are all the vendors along the right side of the food court spanning numbers 1-12.

So the first thing you see when you walk in is this drinks vendor. Don’t know the name of it so lets call it panda drinks.

Next is Yang Yang Noodle and Panyo. As you can see not all the shops are fully set up yet.

The Crispy Pancake 炸雞餅 looks like they fry up anything that is Asian. But their main attraction is a fried pancake of some sort.

Yoyo 甜品 is the first dessert shop you will encounter. Think HK style desserts like mango everything and sweet soups.

Chicken Noodle 老四季 serves Chinese chicken noodle soups. There are only 6 items on the menu ranging from $5-6.

Next is Dumplings 大大水餃 and you can guess what they serve. I had to guess too since there is no menu anywhere.

Liang Pi Wang 涼皮王 serves my favorite cold noodle, the liang pi ($5.00). I wonder if its as good as those of Xi’an Famous Eats 西安名吃.

Happy Lemon is a popular drink shop chain everywhere in Asia. I’ve seen a couple of these back in Taiwan. They specialize in their lemon flavored drinks and slushies.

Fu Zi Dumpling 福字蒸餃 is another dumpling vendor. We got the Bok Choy Dumplings at $3.99/10 pieces

Reaching almost the end, we see Peng Shun 麻辣香鍋 with their numbing spicy casseroles. It’s the food bowls where you pick a random assortment of ingredients and they stir fry it in their special sauce. Food here is charged by the weight.

The last vendor on the right side is SLZ? They serve noodles, buns, and braised side dishes. However, the menu has no prices so I skipped this one even though the food looks good.

NORTH

The north side and also the shortest side of the food court only has the following 2 vendors. Shops 15-16 are here.

Gladly Cuisine 客來勤 has some unique spicy seafood dishes and a 4 side 1 soup 四菜一湯 ($6.00) option.

I kind of regret my decision in ordering this since I realized that the 4 sides 1 soup is cheaper everywhere else. Also since all the sides are are in the open, they are cold and dry.

Hang’s 夯 serves the mala soup and the spicy mixed bowls as well. This seems to be the trend in food courts these days.

WEST

The left side of the food court has more familiar options and is as extensive as the right. Vendors 17-26 are on this side.

The first two are Mango Mango (a favorite from Manhattan Chinatown and Hong Kong) and Joyful Yummy House Inc. Mango Mango serves some of the best mango desserts in the city and you have to try their Slush-O drinks. Joyful Yummy House 悅食悅香 seems like they serve stews and braised food.

The third mala soup vendor is from 老媽’s. This is the mala soup lovers are accustomed to as they have branches in New World Mall and Golden Mall. The beef mala tang here is $7.99.

Next to 老媽 is Lanzhou Hand Pull Noodles 蘭州拉面. This famous chain is also found in all food courts and around the city. They make the noodle right in front of you and serves it with a delicious beef broth. Right next to them is Xiangyi Noodle 香溢美食, another noodle vendor.

Around a small corner must be the most popular and biggest vendor 8090 八零九零台灣小吃. The food here is really similar to those of Hankou Steaks in Flushing Mall. That means they have steaks on sizzling platters and Taiwanese snacks. Above is the Fried Squid and Rice ($6.50).

Szechuan Taste 天府之國 deserves a couple of photos because their food looks so good. There are many Szechuan delicacies to choose from but some of their noodles are on the pricier end.

The last vendor, Tokyo Express, is unopened and the oddball of the food court. This place seems like it will sell fake Asian food. The limited menu comprises of chicken, beef, or shrimp teriyaki or a mixed of those meats.

In conclusion, there are many good places to eat in this food court but everything is so similar to the New World Mall Food Court which begs the question: is it worth going all the way here? If you are around the area or finished shopping at Skyview Mall, then this food court is the perfect stop for a quick bite. Inside, just go to where the lines are. Lines usually mean the food is good.

Flushing Mall Food Court – Closed

Flushing Mall Food Court
133-31 39th Ave
Flushing, NY 11354
$

Flushing Mall Food Court is a legend in the Flushing food scene. It paved the way for Asian food courts all over the city and its one of the first, if not the first, to assemble multiple types of Asian fast food in one place. I remember eating here way back in my high school days when it was the only Flushing loitering spot with food, before the days of Queens Crossing and New World Mall food court. Unfortunately, this food court just never got popular with the masses. Maybe it was during a time when Western palates weren’t accustomed to exotic Asian street food. Maybe it was because its location is far from the train station and it was too much effort making the walk down 39th Ave. Regardless, this food court is still here and whipping out food better than most places in Flushing.

Like most days, the outside of the food court is empty. Occasionally there are small-scaled shows and corporate rallies that liven things up a bit.

What was once a melting pot of Chinese, Korean, Japanese cuisine has dwindled down to only a handful of shops. Now the vendors primarily serve Taiwanese food

At Diverse Dim Sum 不一樣點心, you can get a variety of Chinese breakfast items such as buns, fried dough, dumplings, and soy products.

Fresh Juice Bar 水霸 is the only non-savory shop in the mall. Here you could get refreshments like teas, smoothies, fruit juices, and bubble tea. I see they still use the Taiwanese ice station that used to be here.

At the furthest end of the food court is Temple Snacks 廟口小吃, named after a famous market district in Keelung city of Taiwan. They specialize in regional small eats but oddly I didn’t see any seafood on the menu, a trademark of the Keelung Miaokou Night Market.

Place your order here. The staff is very friendly.

Fool-proof menu with pictures and names of the food. Also everything is cheap and unique.

Hanged above the cashier is the secret menu that’s in only in Chinese. If you can read these or feel adventurous, definitely order from this menu as well.

Reiterating from my previous posts, I love kitchens that are visible to the public. You can see how clean the place is and what goes on with your food.

Fried Chicken Roll 廟口炸雞卷

Fried Chicken Roll 廟口炸雞卷

You will love the crispy bean curd skin of the Fried Chicken Roll 廟口炸雞卷 ($5.75). Inside the roll is a filling of taro and onions but I don’t think there is an ounce of chicken. I guess it gets the name because it resembles fried chicken? Best part of the dish is the garlic sauce that lights up your taste and smell senses.

Bamboo Shoots & Stewed Pork w. Rice 廟口筍干焢肉飯

Bamboo Shoots & Stewed Pork w. Rice 廟口筍干焢肉飯

They don’t mess around with the pork belly in the Bamboo Shoots & Stewed Pork w. Rice 廟口筍干焢肉飯 ($6.75). The whole chunk of meat was juicy and full of flavor. Accompanying the rice is some shredded bamboo shoots, minced fatty pork, lettuce, and tea egg.

 The most famous vendor at the food court is Hankou Steaks 漢口牛排. Everything that is fried or grilled is good here but they are most famous for their steaks served on a sizzling platter. You can check our their menu here. I do fear from the C rating in the back though…

As soon as you walk into the vicinity, you feel an aura of oil in the air.

House Special Steak 漢口牛排 ($14.75)

The House Special Steak 漢口牛排 ($14.75) is what everybody gets. Its hard to resist when you hear the sizzling sound and smell the beefy aroma from the plates of everyone walking pass you.

House Special Noodle Soup 阿宗麵線

A restaurant called Ah Chung used to be next to Hankou Steaks but I think their menus consolidated. Being so, Hankou also serves the Ay Chung Mee Sua or House Special Noodle Soup 阿宗麵線 ($5.00). It is a soup of flour-rice noodles with some bamboo and cilantro in a bonito-flavored broth. After tasting the original in Taiwan, this one was not as deep in bonito flavor and a bit saltier. Nonetheless, I am glad I was able to find this soup in New York. 

Flushing Mall Food Court has seen better days and I am amazed on how this whole mall is still running considering there is no business in any of the shops. Every year there are always rumors of the mall and food court closing down and I can see why with competing food courts in Queens Crossing and New World Mall. Very soon, a fourth food court (New York Food Court) is going to open on 133-35 Roosevelt Ave. As for now, Flushing Mall is here to stay so might as well make the best of it and have a taste of history.