Golden Mall and Yipin Chinese Cuisine

So begins a photo-heavy post about our adventures in Flushing one Saturday evening. We ate and we ate and we ate.. our main targets handmade noodles and dumplings. Our comments will follow each picture, since otherwise we might all get a little lost.

Liang Pi ($3.50), Xi'An Small Delights, Golden Mall

L: Golden Mall is one of many "food courts" around Flushing. You enter and walk downstairs, where there are tightly packed vendors and a few tables squeezed in. There are people having hot pots, ordering dumplings and noodles to go, and even some shoes for sale. Nothing quite like it.

This cold noodle dish came out quick (no heating required), and featured bits of squishy tofu. I don't eat a lot of cold noodles, but this was pretty good. The spices were well done, but I'm not a big squishy tofu person.. more like a firm person. It was lightly spicy and had an interesting flavor.

J: As for the Golden Mall, a couple of us agreed that it smelled like a pet store. I think it was just all the fresh fish, etc. and they were frying it. Not that the frying it had anything to do with a pet store, but I'd say it was just all the fresh food. There were lots of people down there though, and everyone wanted us to eat at their booths...but when I looked at a pair of boots in one little booth, I thought the woman was going to cuss me out. She did not want me in there.

As for the food...The boys were raving over this one, but I have to say I wasn't a huge fan. I like my tofu more firm than squishy, and I wasn't overly impressed by the taste. And it was cold, which David kept saying it was the Chinese Tuna Salad, but I didn't really like that either.

Sauteed Lamb with Cumin Burger ($2.50), Xi'An Small Delights, Golden Mall

L: This was like a delicious, more interesting Sloppy Joe. The lamb was finely chopped with some bits of onion and pepper and spiced with cumin. It was a nice meaty snack for 2.50. It really could have been any meat, though, as it didn't taste overly lamby (yummy either way).

J: This was probably my favorite. The meat was so tender, with a little bit of cumin and other spices - but there wasn't too much. And the pita was fantastic - soft and flavorful, and the perfect combination with the spicy lamb.

Stewed Pork Noodle Soup ($4.50), Xi'An Small Delights, Golden Mall

L: I ordered this one, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The broth tasted like beef and veg, and was loaded with lots of hand cut noodles, chunks of pork, onions, bean sprouts and cilantro. The noodles were big and chewy, and I must say they were difficult to eat with chopsticks. The pork was delicious and falling apart it was so tender. It's a lot of soup, plenty for a meal (or, in my case, for leftover lunch the next day). My only problem was it could have used more meat and veg-- this soup was mostly noodle.

J: I liked Laurel's little pot roast soup. It was good. The broth was tasty, and with all the other ingredients, it was definitely better than mine. And those noodles were so LONG they were really hard to get in my mouth (that's what she said?).

Lamb Noodle Soup ($4.50), Xi'An Small Delights, Golden Mall

L: This soup was very similar to my soup, but with lamb. It was milder, and a good warm up for a cold day. I liked it, but it really needed more lamb, and a bit of added spice.

J: There was almost no lamb in this soup (the amount pictured above as about how much was in there, and I had to pull that up for the picture), and unlike Laurel's, the broth wasn't very good. And as for the lamb meat - it wasn't very tender and was a little hard to chew. However, I did like the bits of green onion and cilantro, it made it have a little more flavor. And of course those crazy long noodles were hard to eat. I attempted to take mine home, but after carrying it all over Flushing decided that I would never eat it, and threw it away.

Qishan Saozi Noodles (can't remember, I think $4.50), Xi'An Small Delights, Golden Mall

L: Check out them noodles. This dish was hot and had handmade noodles, scallions, lamb and a midly spicy sauce. I think the sauce had cumin it it. It was hearty and pretty tasty, and had an interesting not-overly-spicy flavor.

J: I loved this one. This was probably my second favorite dish. The little bits of ... whatever the meat was, probably chicken....was so tasty (I don't think it was lamb). I can't even explain the flavor though - let's say a mixture of spice and a little bit of vinegar. There was also lots of green onions, etc. The boys debated over this one and the top one being their favorite for a while. While they did that, I snuck bites.

Sichuan Dumplings, Chengdu Tianfu Small Dishes, Golden Mall

L: These dumplings were handmade, your standard pork and chive variety. They were a nice texture, but lacking in filling, and were drowned in chili oil. A little chili oil=good. A mouthful=greasy overload.

J: These were hard to eat. You couldn't take a bite, because the rest would slip out of your mouth and fall on the floor. The only real alternative was eating the whole thing at once. Which means having grease run down your chin. Also, I didn't like the way they were shaped, or their filling that much. If anything, they just tasted like noodles with chili oil...and a lot of it.

Handmade Cold Noodles ($4 or $5), Yipin Chinese Cuisine

L: This place was small, and the lady that was serving us was cute. The cold noodles were thinner noodles (than seen previously in this post) bathed in a chili sauce. These are definitely good and surprisingly fairly mild. They are pretty oily, but if you haven't been eating oily food all night like us, then these won't set you over the edge. Like they did me.

J: I loved the little old lady at this place. She was like the Chinese grandmother I never had. I believe these were the noodles where everyone started feeling a little sick. They actually reminded me of the dumplings, but they were in noodle form, and they were cold. These had just a very mild chili sauce taste and not much more.

Pork and Thistle Dumplings ($4 or $5), Yipin Chinese Cuisine

L: These pretty handmade dumplings tasted similar to pork and chive dumplings, but with a slightly different, sweetly bitter taste. They were excellent. Not too doughy, great with a bit of soy sauce. Boy do I love dumplings.

J: These dumplings were just right. Exactly how you think of dumplings. The dough was soft and not overly chewy. And the filling was your traditional pork and chive, and there was more than enough.

Address: Golden Mall: 41-28 Main St; Yipin Chinese Cuisine: 40-04 Union St

Website: N/A

Payment: Cash

Take Out: Yes

Delivery: no

Open Late: Not sure! We were in Yipin at 9 pm and they weren't closed, though

Bar/Happy Hour: I think I saw some beer at Golden Mall..

Caracas Arepa Bar

Lines, Lines, Lines. Those are the first three words that I think of when I think of Caracas Arepa Bar. But like rollercoasters and voting (Yes, we can), they're worth the wait.

The first time we ate from Caracas Arepas, Laurel picked it up from the to-go side (to the left. the "Bar" is to the right, and there is a closing thrift shop between), and met me in Thompkins Square Park so we could pretend we are homeless. The second time was a mere attempt on my part. My friends were going to meet me but even though they were running late, and I had already waited about 30 minutes for them, with our names in with the hostess, we were still going to have to wait an hour to an hour and a half. The third time was successful. We showed up, and got inside in about 30 minutes. We had to sit at the bar, but it wasn't bad at all and the waiter was attentive. The only bad thing was that my camera died, so we couldn't get a picture of the food. I attempted to draw them, but I am completely untalented in every way when it comes to art. And instead of looking like arepas, they looked like diapers.

At least they didn't taste like diapers! In fact, let me move on from the "Line, Line, Line" part to the "Worth the Wait" part. On my first visit, I had ordered the La Del Gato with beans. The La Del Gato ($5.75) contains guayanés cheese, fried sweet plantains and avocado slices. With beans, it would be all of my favorite foods COMBINED and GRILLED. BOOM - Flavor explosion. It's like a Taco Bell commercial, but the food is actually good. The third (and most successful) time Laurel and I shared the De Pollo ($5.75), which contained grilled chicken breast with caramelized onions and cheddar cheese. It was surprisingly sweet, tasted a little like barbecue, and was the perfect combination of flavors.

This place is delicious. I strongly suggest at least attempting to get in. Isn't too busy before around 7, it seems, but you never know. - Jennifer

[Insert awesome picture of food here.]

Caracas is a delicious place. Arepas are relatively new to my food world, but I'm happy to welcome them to my eating out diet. So good!

So, for those of you who don't know, arepas are a South American dish and resemble a cross between a sandwich and a taco. Fillings are stuffed inside a handmade fluffy grilled corn tortilla, and include black beans, slow-cooked pork and beef, chicken, fried plantains, avocado, cheese, and more. I ordered the De Pabellon ($6.75), filled with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and aged cheese. This is the arepa they are famous for, and there's a reason why. It's delicious. The flavor combo is different and slightly complex, but the salty-sweet-chewy-meaty combination is just good.

One arepa doesn't seem big, but it's pretty filling. However, if you're starving like we were, I'd suggest getting three and splitting one, or starting out with an appetizer. Note that there are lovely pictures of their arepas and other items at Caracas' website below (sorry for the lack of photo evidence).

The take-out location has a bit of seating, but a bit is it.. not to say that the proper location is much better. The space is tight and the wait can be long, but the staff is friendly and the food is tasty, so, as Jennifer said, it's worth it. Note that they make everything fresh when you order it, so don't expect real speed, even at the to-go location. But sit back and relax-- it's part of the experience. -Laurel

Address: 93 1/2 E 7th St (at 1st Ave)

Website: http://caracasarepabar.com

Payment: Cash, Cards

Take Out: Yes

Delivery: no

Open Late: 10:30

Bar/Happy Hour: Yes, wine and beer

The Usual

Jennifer and I came upon The Usual on the way to go running in Prospect Park (no--we didn't eat instead of run), and made note for brunch. We returned later with big appetites, and found a table for two right away.

The atmosphere is casual, but doesn't have squeaky plastic booths but rather cafe style seating. The menu is pretty classic diner, though, with lots of options. We did what we do best in brunch situations: ordered something sweet, ordered something savory, and split them between us. Above you see the waffle with strawberries, and below an omelet with turkey sausage, onion and cheese with home fries and toast. Prices are standard, our bill came to about $19 with all this and hot tea.

The waffle wasn't unusual or over-the-top, but well done. It was crisp on the outside, pillowy and chewy on the inside, and the strawberries were fresh. The omelet was also good, not as fluffy as it could be, but good with a good portion of tasty toppings mixed in. The homefries weren't my favorite-- I like them crispy-- but not bad, either. The portions were appropriate, especially since we were so hungry. We ate it all, but were full afterwards. All-in-all it was a solid brunch.

I would recommend this place as a solid brunch spot in Prospect Heights if you live in or are visiting the area. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty delicious and sometimes nothing will do but some eggs and a waffle. Nice place to reverse your calorie burn after a run. -Laurel

Yes, we ran. I was unbelievably proud of myself. We decided in that run to start training for mini-marathons. Since that day, Laurel has continued to run, and I've...not. But here I pledge myself to start running for realz.

Ok, now that that's out of the way. Exercise really does burn calories to give way to starvation, and while The Usual isn't that mind blowing, the food is definitely filling, tasty and cheap. Our waffle was sweet and flaky, just like a belgian waffle should be, and the omelet wasn't spectacular, but the sausage inside was the perfect counterpart to the onions and cheese. And unlike my dining companion, I love home fries soft or crispy or pretty much any way (I love potatoes), but these potatoes lacked a certain pizazz. Nothing ketchup and salt won't solve, but my favorite homefries are those that don't need any extras.

The Usual is cute inside, and while the place is very diner-y menu wise, but it's more reminiscent of a down home local family joint, rather than the diner from Seinfeld, which had more of a ... dirty feel (is it just me that thinks that?)

Either way - if you're ever around going for a run, you should stop by. Or if you live somewhere close, you should make it your place to hang. Or if you have to pee, you should check out the tiny bathroom. - Jennifer

Address: 637 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn

Website: http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=41632&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=31&home=Y

Payment: Cash, Cards

Take Out: Yes

Delivery: Yes

Open Late: No

Bar/Happy Hour: No

Dogmatic Gourmet Sausage System

Dogmatic Gourmet Sausage System.. quite a mouthful isn't it? (pun intended) This newly opened storefront, lovingly referred to as simply Dogmatic, was formerly a street cart I'm ashamed to say I never visited. The new space is located right off of Union Square and is small and modern. The storefront is all glass, and the seating consists of a communal table in the middle with pull-out attached stools, and some seating on one side up against the wall (not big group friendly). When David and I went on a Thursday night they weren't busy, and we had no problem finding seats and our food came out pretty quickly.



The concept is fresh, locally made sausages (chicken, pork, beef, turkey) in little baguettes with your choice of "topping." They skewer the baguettes on these hot pokers, squirt in your sauce, and slide in the sausage-- and ta da! a fancy hot dog. The small-ish menu includes these variations of sausages, several fillings (see below, plus some), chips, ice cream, and various handmade sodas.

I ordered a turkey sausage with chimichurri sauce, David ordered a pork sausage with horseradish mustard, and we ordered an asparagus (as the menu says, "not a sausage") with truffle gruyere to share (each $4.50), along with a homemade grape soda ($2.50). The turkey sausage was tasty, but somewhat overpowered by the chimichurri.. albeit the chimichurri was yummy and fresh-tasting, if you like that sort of thing. The baguette was crusty and very good. I had a bite of David's, but mostly got the mustard--which was good, but there was too much of it. The asparagas was lightly grilled, but the star was the truffle gruyere sauce. The soda was creamy and, honestly, a little medicinal tasting. I kind of liked it, but David wasn't a big fan.

My advice is to try it if: you like sausage (shame on you if you are a meat eater and you don't), you like baguettes, and you don't mind paying $4.50 a pop for some good quality. One isn't quite enough, so if you're ravenous go for two, if you're with someone share a second one, or order some chips or ice cream to accompany. And please, try the truffle gruyere, but word to the wise: let it sit a moment, and eat with caution. Hot cheese may come shooting out when you least expect it! -Laurel

Address: 26 E 17th St (near Union Square)

Website: http://eatdogmatic.com/

Payment: cash or credit

Take Out: yes

Delivery: don't think so

Open Late: I'm not sure and I can't find it anywhere online. Sorry folks, I've failed you

Bar/Happy Hour: No alcohol, just homemade sodas.

Angelo's Pizza (with guest reviewer Matt Litman)

First things first. Take serious look at that pizza and tell me it's not good. They don't call it fat people porn for nothing.

When you're looking for good pizza I think geography must play a factor. If you're from Chicago you will favor the deep dish. New Yorkers like their "New York" style pizza, and if you're lucky and from Italy, thin crust and fresh ingredients conquer all. If you're from Knoxville and stuck with the unlucky decision between the $5-$5-$5 deal from Domino's or Papa Johns drowned in a butter dipping sauce then I guess anything that signifies New York will do just fine. Midtown New York normally does not get much in the way of recognition when it comes to pizza, but two relative powerhouses still remain - John's and Angelo's.

Friday we took a visiting co-worker from Knoxville out to Angelo's - Better known as the coal-oven joint famously attached to the hip of Letterman's Studio on Broadway. Today's Angelo's is probably a far cry from what put it "on the map" but it still a pretty good pie. Between 5 of us we got two large pies, one pepperoni and one sausage...sometimes it's good to eat with a bunch of porkaholics. For the first couple bites you'll need a fork and knife to deal with initial entry thanks to the piping hot delivery, stringy cheese and flimsy pointed end. After that, put down the fork and knife and dig in.

Angelo's is a good pizza. It's one of those pies that you can relate to the good old college days in the sense that you were drunk and before you know it you've just housed the entire $5 large pie. The difference this time is that you're older, sober and the pie costs $17.50. The will to eat the whole thing is still there.

Now, for what we all came here for - From order to delivery took about 15 to 20 minutes. From delivery to leaving nothing in sight takes another 5 minutes. The sauce is mild and the cheese is fresh, but not over powering...just enough to leave that much anticipated string from the pan to the plate. All this gives way to what I thought was the surprise of the pie itself - the sweet and soft crust. It's not too thick and not too thin...like Naan bread compared to a tortilla wrap or pita. The crumbled sweet Italian sausage was spot on, but sparing. The little pepperoni discs were great as well and they were a little more liberal with their application leaving for another greasy pie. All in all, I'd go back. And if it were a rainy day, I'd order in. -Matt

I can't say I have all that much to add to Matt's thorough review [his views on overweight individuals' sexual preferences are not necessarily those of the blog], but let me lay it out plain and simple. It's coal oven, which is a good thing. The pizza is good--not the very best I've ever had, but nothing to shake your head at. Definitely satisfies that pizza craving, and the prices are on par with Lombardi's and Grimaldi's (kinda high, but the norm for coal oven). It's in midtown, a quality pizza wasteland. And they have tons of seating, which is always rare around these parts.

We went around 1:30 and were immediately seated. Service was prompt and our pizza came out quick and hot. Two large pizzas was just right for five hungrys, and we all left happy, albeit without any Letterman spottings. I'd recommend this place if you're looking for coal oven pizza in midtown and don't mind paying the price. The crowd is mostly tourists, but it's still especially good if you have a group! -Laurel

Address: 1697 Broadway near 54th St (with two other locations)

Website: http://www.angelospizzany.com/

Payment: Cash & Cards

Take Out: Yes

Delivery: Yes

Open Late: Midnight on the weekend

Large Group Friendly: Yes

Bar/Happy Hour: Yes