At the end of my awesome train line, the 7, lies Flushing.
Yes this is nearby where the US Open is held, and also the Mets home at Shea Stadium (soon to be Citi Field).
Yesterday, I decided to pay a visit to Flushing for some adventures at the end of my train line. Also, I had heard about it being home to 75c Peking Duck. That is reason enough!
I felt strangely at home the minute I got out of the train station. Check out some of the scenes from Main Street, Flushing.
I had a little trouble finding the Peking Duck Sandwich Stall just because there are so many other stalls on the street selling dumplings, pork rolls, noodle dishes and duck bits. I spied the 75c sign and knew at that minute I had died and gone to duck heaven.
Usually there is a queue, but I lucked out and it was just me. There is a girl behind a window that basically has a stack of dumpling rolls beside her, a container of spring onions (scallions) and cucumbers that are already julienned and mixed together, a bottle of hoisin and.. duck! I asked her for 4 peking duck rolls and away she went – they were all constructed in front of me and in about 30 seconds I was being asked for $3. All packed in a container, I walked through the restaurant part of the eatery and sat at a back table ready to devour this delicacy that I could seriously live on.
This is how it looked –
The way it is served is a lot different to the usual Peking Duck with the duck being wrapped in a delicate crepe – but this was just delicious!!!
Little did I know, the two guys I sat beside worked there. I was on the workers table where they all eat their lunch. Eeek. With that, I think they were happy to see someone basically scoffing down that duck like there was no tomorrow and as they got up to leave they said to me “You like the duck here? Yes?!” all I could do was nod enthusiastically with my mouth full of duck and hoisin dripping all over the place.
One thing I have found surprising is all these ‘non-American-style-chinese’ eateries that I have been eating in, is that each time, I have been the only caucasian in the place. I’m not sure whether these places don’t appeal to the average American because they smell and look so different? The thing is – the food in these places is so much better than the local red-style-sweet-and-sour-sauce with battered chicken places that are always full, it is a shame!
I am already looking forward to heading back to Flushing and knowing that 75c duck is merely a train ride and a few steps away is very comforting indeed!