CNY Feast III

I am always in denial about the fact that Flushing has better food than Chinatown in Manhattan. Flushing seems so far, I mean, I can get to New Jersey faster than I can get to Queens. Plus when I was an intern in New York years ago, I stayed in Flushing and I am permanently scarred by the 7 train experience. However, a couple of weeks ago, some friends booked a table at a Taiwanese restaurant (北港台菜館 Bei Gang) and pre-ordered some special Chinese New Year dishes. They loved the restaurant and were singing its praises so I just couldn't say no. :P

We ordered a total of 11 dishes for 7 people, and all the dishes were great. We started with the oyster omelette (蚵仔煎). This is popular in the Taiwanese night markets, it's omelette with starch filled with oysters.

Then we had 蒼蠅頭, which translates literally into fly's head (Noooo, we don't eat flies, just in case you are wondering). It was basically minced meat stir-fried with chives and fermented soybeans. It was very very tasty but I needed rice to go with it because it's rather salty.

One of the dishes we pre-ordered was this deep-fried fish with sauce (Lookie, scary teeth!). Not exactly sure what was in the sauce, but I tasted the usual ginger, scallion & soy sauce.

We also had 客家小菜, it was stir-fried pork with celery and some unknown spice. It was delicious, a little bit spicy and very very tasty.

Then came another pre-ordered dish, which was crab with glutinuous rice. The portion was very generous. I don't think I've ever eaten crab & glutinuous rice as a combo dish but it was great & very flavorful.

The clams with basil was outstanding. It's simple and no-nonsense, the clams were fresh and the basil & garlic sauce brought out the flavor of the clams.

We also ordered the tofu with minced meat in a sizzling pot. The tofu was deep fried, the skin was thin & crispy but the inside was soft...mmm....(temporarily levitated). This reminded me of the deep fried tofu my grandmother used to make, which I'd eat with sweet chilli sauce, so simple yet so good.

All in all the restaurant was GREAT. I hope when the weather is nicer, I'll get my lazy a$$ off the couch and go to Flushing more to hunt down all the good food.


As I am writing this, I am fantasizing about going to Taiwan again and eating all the delicious street food..*stomach growls*

Bei Gang Pictures

Address: 北港台菜館 (Bei Gang Restaurant) 59-14A, Main Street, Flushing NY 11355.