Just the other week, I had the great fortune to go on another exciting food adventure with my friends from the Queens Supper club, organized by my friend Anne from City Spoonful blog. Always enjoying our food escapades, this time around brought us back to Flushing for a really unique experience of having Chinese Hot Pot. Never trying this before, I couldn't wait to see how the whole evening would transpire, and I'm happy to report that it far surpassed my expectations. So much so that I keep raving to all my Asian and non-Asian comrades about it.
Atmosphere:
Located a bit of a ways from the subway and the LIRR, Little Lamb Hot Pot (or Tian San Yun Juan Shao Fei Yun as the Chinese refer to it) is a bit on the remote side. I didn't mind the slight trek though, as there was tons of visual stimulation on the way from the various Chinese markets, malls and just general great people watching.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I noticed it wasn't anything visually beautiful, but it was pretty busy, the tables filled with larger groups, which was a great sign. The space is long and narrow, extending all the way to the back, where we ended up sitting in a semi-private area. It was quite nice for newbies like us to have that bit of privacy and also since we were a larger group and often times a bit noisy.
Each table was equipped with a little range for your hot pot and for larger tables, you can find two or three of these. The whole atmosphere is really conducive to being social and carries off a nice communal vibe.
Food:
Since I was a hot pot novice, I got a little tutorial on how to go about it from my friends. The whole concept is pretty simple but quite ingenious. You choose a broth (or two), then your fixins such as meat, seafood and veggies and then you just go for it - cooking everything in the hot broth.
For our side of the table, we decided to split the broth pot in half - one half being mild and the other spicy. Then we went for everything else, including thin slices of lamb, beef, shrimp balls, rice noodles, tofu, tofu skins, mushrooms, carrots, corn, taro, bok choy and even non-traditional proteins such as lamb heart and pig's blood.
The whole thing was an incredible experience, as we all joined in the fun of cooking our proteins and veggies. Experiencing many hilarious moments, as we often forgot what we cooked only to have it float up at a later point in our meal, or the funniest part when we found one of our serving ladles in the broth. "It was the best tasting ladle in all of Queens," we joked.
Something else that was great were all the dipping sauces you can indulge in to enhance all your proteins and veggies. There were about a dozen of them, and Anne created a beautiful concoction of about 3 different sauces, including a few fiery ones that we ended up dipping into for the rest of the evening.
Service and Cost:
We appreciated the efficient service and the fact that our servers had so much patience with us, given our amateur hot pot skills. It was also neat to see that each table was equipped with an iPad you can use during your meal for playing games, perusing the menu, tweeting and so forth.
Costs are inexpensive and of course depend on how many fixins you get. We ended up paying a mere $22/person including tax and tip for the entire meal. Some people got drinks as well.
3 Soupy Mmmms
Little Lamb Hot Pot - 36-35 Main Street, Flushing NY 11354
718.358.6667
7 Train to Flushing/Main Street, LIRR to Flushing/Main Street
www.thebesthotpot.com
Last week I had the great fun to go out with the Queens Supper Club ladies, and each time there’s something really neat to discover. Anne picked Tangra, a Chinese-Indian fusion restaurant that was totally new to all of us, and which was pretty accessible, given its Sunnyside location.
Atmosphere:
Even before stepping inside, I totally judged a book by its handsome cover, being excited to uncover what lay beyond Tangra’s giant double doors. Inside, I found a large dining room that looked very much like a banquet hall, and judging by its random hanging disco ball and stage, I think it serves that purpose quite often.
There’s a large array of various sized tables and because we were a huge group of 15+, we were seated at a really long communal table towards the back of the restaurant. I loved this because it made me feel as if I truly was at a dinner party or some sort of celebratory event.
After we sat down, I got to observe my impeccable surroundings, which consisted of really intricate light fixtures with beautifully painted flowers, ornate banquettes that were located in an elevated area all the way at the back of the restaurant, the Indo-Chinese classical artwork and so much more. It felt like we were dining inside of a museum!
Food:
Because of the extent of their diverse menu, everyone had the opportunity to try something unique, and the vegetarians in the group were also quite happy with the options. Here’s what we devoured:
Appetizers - It was great that we got to share everything and try a whole bunch of apps including their well-known fried chicken drumsticks, the veggie pakora, and the paneer wontons. Out of those, I absolutely loved the chicken drumsticks, which were amazingly crispy on the outside, but the batter also being a bit pancakey when you bit into it. It was just such a surprisingly delightful snack that I can’t wait to get it again.
The pakora (or veggie croquettes) were fabulous too and really hearty, containing a medley of veg such as potato, onion, eggplant, tomato and the crust was just so crunchy. I loved the size, as you can get a lot of bang from eating just one – but word to the wise, if you get a whole portion, make sure you have some friends to share them with.
Entrees - Emily, a new supper club friend and I decided to share some dishes for our entrees including the sizzling tiger prawns in the manchurian sauce, which contained black beans and cilantro, as well as a milder chicken dish dressed with a garlic sauce.
While I enjoyed both, the shrimp was my clear favorite, as the flavors really stood out and gave you a little punch with each bite – it was spicy in a good way, and once coupled with some rice, it was an absolute winner. Even though the shrimp was quite large, it went fast, and I wished there were a few more on the plate. As for the chicken, which was gentler in flavor but still really great (especially for folks who don’t like spicy foods), its portion was large and totally conducive to splitting between two people.
While I didn’t try the noodle dishes some people ordered, they looked fabulous, and were served in these beautiful copper bowls that I’ve seen at traditional Indian restaurants (like Seva in Astoria!)
Service and Cost:
Despite us being a really large group, the service was really great and organized. I was surprised to see that we didn’t have to wait too long for anything and that the waitstaff anticipated our needs even before we asked for anything. It showed that they have a clear command and experience when dealing with large groups.
Costs are moderate to inexpensive and include:
Appetizers - $3.50 - $6.95
Entrees - $7.95 - $13.95
Tangra Masala – 3923 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside NY 11104
718.786.8008
7 Train to 40th St/Lowery Street
www.tangrafusionnyc.com
3 Mmmms
Last night I met up with friends, Anne, Clare, Meg and some other lovely ladies for our monthly Queens Supper Club get together. The "club" is just our excuse to get out and try new foods, and to make sure we're not breaking the bank while doing it. I always enjoy these outings because the girls pick some of the best restos in Queens, and we never end up paying more than $15/person. No...seriously. Our stop this time was Astoria's little hidden Moroccan/Algerian gem, Harissa Cafe.
Atmosphere:
Located on the busy 30th Avenue, it's easy to miss Harissa, as it's sandwiched between popular and well-attended restaurants such as Ovelia and also the new Dominie's bar. But those true hard core foodies and locals know about it. And what they know is that they can get a good, dependable and affordable meal here without waiting too long, and also discovering something new along the way.
While the restaurant is tiny and narrow, the space feels cozy and wonderful. There's a few small tables towards the front and a large table all the way in the back, which is where all of us sat. On a Wednesday night during prime time dinner hour, it was laid back and quiet, and we enjoyed being doted on by Harissa's gracious staff.
Food:
It was nice to see that the menu, despite being short was also diverse. Between a variety of hot sandwiches, soups, tajines, pasta and even burgers, everyone was able to choose something. Vegetarians, please note that this is a great place for you with many many options including the veggie cous-cous you see right here. Here's what I personally had:
Lamb Tajine - I just couldn't refuse the tajine, especially since I was totally chilled from the weather outside. In the mood for something warm and comforting, I couldn't wait to devour the tender (almost stewy) meat. When it came out, I was impressed by the size of the lamb shank and the sea of peas that surrounded it. While mostly consisting of peas, there were other veggies in the stew too, including sweet potatoes and onions, which were really tender and delicious. It goes without saying that the meat was falling off the bone and the flavors were deep and seasoned perfectly (not too salty).
Service and Cost:
As I already hinted above, the service was fabulous. Not only was our server polite and helpful, he was so attentive and really on the ball. Given that he was the only one in the restaurant serving, he did a pretty great job and we didn't feel like we waited long at all to get our food.
Costs are affordable and since we split everything, it only came out to about $15/person (with tax and tip), which is pretty darn sweet.
3 Mmmms
Harrisa Cafe - 34-05 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.545.9595
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.harissacafe.com
