We do enjoy good dim sum every now and then. There are so many dim sum options in Chinatown, like Jing Fong and Golden Unicorn. However, some say that you must travel a bit further away, to Flushing, to get even better options, including better pricing, more dish offerings, and more authentic dishes. When we were going to Queens Museum, we decided to try one of the dim sum spots in Flushing.
The inside was not too big but not too small either. It was separated into three dining rooms, and we were taken to the room to the right. You could see into a part of their kitchen in the middle dining room, with staffs preparing steamed dim sum dishes. Pretty cool.
A staff brought us complimentary hot teas as soon as we were seated. They were quite efficient, well, maybe too efficient… Within a few minutes of us sitting down, they came and asked if we are ready to order. Wow! Maybe most of their customers already know what they want, and want them quick! Of course they will give you as much time as you need to look over the menu.
We were hungry, but since we didn’t know the sizes of each dish, we decided to start small. We ordered just a couple of dishes, and added another dish shortly after. They all came out SUPER fast! It was impressive… All three items came out almost the same time. The first pick was Steamed Pork Buns ($6.50). They come in six, each one about medium size. I liked that they were not too big nor too small.
We learned how to eat soup dumpling the safe way already, but we still need to be careful not to burn our tongue! We bit into the wrapper with care, took a sip of hot soup in the inside, and bit into the filling. It was really tasty! It was not too salty, which was great. I’ve had too many of those way-too-salty kind. This one had perfect seasoning, and packed with flavor. The wrapper was thin and delicate, another thing I really liked about this one.
The second pick was Scallion Pancake ($3.95). It was a good amount too, great for sharing. It was very fresh, and not greasy at all with nice crispy-ness to it. Simple flavor that was very comforting. It kept its crispy texture, and never got soggy!
The third dish was something I was curious about, Cucumber & Garlic ($4.95). It seemed like one of their popular dishes, so I wanted to try it… It was super refreshing, and gave a nice balance between more meaty and oily dishes. Totally loved the garlic! It was almost addictive…so enjoyed it!
We added one more dish, Pan Fried Dumplings ($6.50). This one also came with six dumplings. They were nice fat babies, had real weight too it!
They were super meaty and juicy, almost as juicy as soup dumpling. Soooo tasty! Packed with flavor! The wrap was a bit thicker than the steamed dumpling, but not too thick, and chewy in a good way.
There were other dishes we really wanted to try, but after sharing these four dishes, we were happily full. We decided not to push our stomach…we can always come back for more, in which we will definitely do! The staffs were not overly friendly, but again, very efficient. They kept the complimentary hot tea refills coming, without us asking for it. The food was very tasty, and very affordable too. On that note, they are CASH ONLY so make sure to bring cash! If you are looking for a really good dim sum spot, head over to Flushing and give this place a try!
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao – 38-12 Prince St, Flushing, NY 11354