Eating In Translation

33 Bah Kut Teh

During my first meal at this new Malaysian food-court stall, I didn't try the namesake herbal pork soup. The owner tells me he comes from Penang (the mainland, not the island), and I couldn't pass up his fully loaded asam laksa. I'm not sure if the plentiful fish was mackerel or some sort of sardine, but it's hard to mistake thin-sliced torch ginger.

33 Bah Kut Teh
13335 Roosevelt Ave. (Prince St.-College Point Blvd., inside the New York Food Court, stall 19), Flushing, Queens
929-204-4651
www.33BahKutTeh.com

A Snacker’s Guide to Flushing

Flushing is home to countless restaurants — I couldn't begin to tell you how many I've visited — but for a resident who's running errands, often there's time for no more than a light bite or two. Although I don't live in Flushing myself, I've discovered that snacks are a great way to get a taste of the neighborhood while on the go. See a few of my many favorites on Culinary Backstreets — and tell me some favorites of your own!

Minnan Xiaochi

An oyster omelette, Xiamen style, thinner and crisper than the typical Taiwanese version.

Minnan Xiaochi
133-35 Roosevelt Ave. (Prince St.-College Point Blvd., inside the New York Food Court, stall 13), Flushing, Queens
917-908-0919

Ugly Rice Donuts & Corn Dogs

Korean "ugnuts" are finger-lickin' good, especially if you eat 'em while they're hot. Mine was the injeolmi, coated with sweetened soy bean powder; another (not shown; comped) was a very good, but ugly, sugar donut.

Ugly Rice Donuts & Corn Dogs
13684 Roosevelt Ave. (Main-Union Sts.), Flushing, Queens
929-510-0123
www.UglyDonutsNCornDog.com

The Dough Club

Like the other half-dozen-or-so flavors on hand, this matcha mochi donut is designed to be shared. Owing to the high ratio of glaze to donut proper, it's very, very sweet — even the Rice Krispies help to dial it down.

The Dough Club
136-17 39th Ave. (Main-138th Sts., inside the Food Hall at Queens Crossing, at Taiyaki), Flushing, Queens
(One of several locations)
917-826-7821
www.TheDoughClub.com

Yeh's Bakery

This 波士頓派 (Bōshìdùn pài) omits the chocolate frosting integral to a classic Boston cream pie, but the sponge cake and cream filling are spot-on. Yeh's vanilla, green tea, and strawberry sponge-cake flavors (gentle flavors, to be sure) unite in the bakery's rainbow cake. To ascertain the flavor of the peachy-colored band that surrounds them, however, a return visit will be required.

Yeh's Bakery
57-25 Main St. (Booth Memorial-58th Aves.), Flushing, Queens
718-939-1688

Huang Jin Jiao

Dark meat, rich and chewy: duck gizzard with celery.

Huang Jin Jiao
133-35 Roosevelt Ave. (Prince St.-College Point Blvd., inside the New York Food Court stall 22; shown)
929-362-2551
Also, as Golden Corner Noodles, at 4215 College Point Blvd. (Sanford-Maple Aves.)
718-886-0123
www.HuangJinJiaoFood.com

Followsoshi

Unlike a sandwich, a sliced jianbing rarely offers neatly trimmed photo-friendly surfaces. This spicy garlic crayfish jianbing was messier than most; credit the ample filling. On a return visit I'll pay proper attention to the roasted cold noodles.

Followsoshi
13524 40th Rd. (Main-Prince Sts., inside the Corner 28 mini-mall), Flushing, Queens
347-654-6466
www.Instagram.com/Followsoshi

Jongro Rice Hotdog

Yes, I want fries with that: a rice-flour-battered, potato-embedded Korean hotdog.

Jongro Rice Hotdog (based on a visit to what was then Chungchun Rice Hotdog)
15618 Northern Blvd. (at 156th St., in a shopping center), Murray Hill, Queens

Hunan Suofen

The server mentioned twice, with a question in her eyes, that these hot and sour green beans with minced pork were "spicy," and twice I reassured her that this was fine. The sourness, in fact, was much more pronounced; a one-to-one ratio of main dish to white rice was about right. Note that the wall menu (shown below) offers the translation "hot & sour chicken giblets rice"; the characters 酸豆角肉末盖饭 more readily identify this classic dish.

Hunan Suofen (branded, on the premises, only as 湖南嗦粉)
13621 Roosevelt Ave. (Main-Union Sts., inside the Landmark Quest Mall, "the same place as Joe's Steam Rice Roll"), Flushing, Queens
929-391-4633
www.Instagram.com/HunanSuofen