Where the heck is College Point? (although based on the street names eks threw out, I'm guessing Flushing area?)

It is north of Flushing and west of Whitestone.

Yes, it is near Flushing but a little north, near the Whitestone Bridge.

By the way, a few days ago I had a very good meal (great xlb, or "soup dumplings") at Nan Xiang on Prince Street in Flushing. There is no English sign, but look for a red awning at 38-12 Prince Street. Cash only. Near the #7 Main Street stop.

Around the corner from the Flushing Mall which has a number of food stands including the now-famous Xi'an Famous Foods.

http://www.xianfoods.com/

I'm going to add the Meatball Shop and a few other places I found while wandering around Alphabet City and the LES last week to this thread list.

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...d-present.html

Caracas Arepas bar in both E. Village and Brooklyn.
Joe's on Bleecker St for Pizza by the slice
Veniero's for dessert
Cheap Italian - Mappamondo in the W. Village and with a discounted restaurant.com certificate, it's dirt cheap.

Another cheap Italian in the Village - Focacceria (also on restaurant.com)

For some free food deals: http://www.winedanddined.com/restaur...-nyc-new-york/

Aduchamp1, Thanks for the list. Love Pylos. It's a great restaurant and it's inexpensive for NYC.
I went to Woo Lae Oak some weeks ago with a coupon from opentable and I was pleasantly surprised. The reviews on yelp and other websites are so terrible, I wouldn't have gone there if it weren't for the coupon. The restaurant is spacious, offers nice ambiance, food is good and nicely presented and it's in soho surrounded by nice shops. We had black cod and short ribs with Korean sake', forgot the appertizers but they were good. I would try the barbacue if there were more people. It was a good dining experience overall.
ekscrunchy, there are car service in flushing but they charge alot for short distance. I like to use them to and from airport because the drivers are reliable, punctual and they always carry my bags for me. Some drivers don't speak English though. Last time I zipcar to Flushing to try Anthony Boudain's recommendation (the xian cold skin noodle place), the food didn't live up to the hype. How that place passed the inspection from the health department is beyond me. If you come across a spectacular restaurant, please share the experience.

Yes, Pylos is hidden treat. Most people expect the standard Greek fare and get anything but that.

I cannot stand yelp. It is probably the worst of the on-line eating sites. There are too many people who know not of what they speak but they say it loudly.

re:Woo Lae Oak. The 18% gratuity is added in the bill which is uncommon practise(maybe because of the coupon). $29 for an entree is not exactly cheap or cheaper either but if you are in soho and crave for Korean food in a nice setting, it should do it for you.

Mohan: The Xian place has an outlet in the Flushing mall that is much more appealing than the one in that grotty Golden Mall near the LIRR station. I really do not like that original basement space and would not go there again.

I hesitate to answer because my criteria for "spectacular" might be different than yours. And just as important, I like different restaurants there for different dishes. Also, I am not too bothered by places that might appear less than spick-and-span, so have not paid too much attention to that aspect.




Having said that, the places I like a lot include:

Fu Run on Prince Street near corner with Roosevelt, across from the "Bland Houses(!)" housing project. This is a NE Chinese place, but some of their best dishes are NW/Uighur. Both their Muslim Lamb Chop and their lamb with cumin are among the best dishes in Flushing, to me. I also love their tofu skin with green pepper. Lionang.

Imperial House; Seafood. their Dungeness crab over sticky rice is the most celebrated dish there but I like other things better; among them: Vietnamese clam casserole; conch and dried squid with lily bulbs; mixed mushroom dishes including the one with the naigamo root; Peking pork chops. Take a look at the specials listed on the cards placed on each table. Nicer atmosphere than most, but that is not saying all that much. Cantonese.

Little Pepper; this was just about my favorite but I have not been to the new College Point location. Their lamb with cumin is a standout, as are their dishes with bamboo shoots and their shredded tea-smoked duck. I did not like their hot pot. Sichuan.

M&T on Kissena between downtown Flushing and the LIE. I had an excellent meal here a few months ago and would like to return. Qingdao Stir fry; Fried Salt and Pepper Ginseng; Squid heads with cumin and hot pepper; lotus root "sandwiches: steamed fish; clams with egg. Small place; very homey. Qingdao.

Hunan House on Northern Blvd. Another stellar place; nice atmosphere; some staff speak English. Braised Pork Chariman Mao style; steamed eggplant with duck egg; preserved beef with white chili pepper; their baby bok choy is fabulous; pumpkin cake; wood ear mushrooms in vinegar appetizer; sliced fish in spicy sauce; Napa cabbage with fermented soybean; White pepper smoked duck with dried turnips (ask for this boneless if you like it that way) Hunan.


Nan Xiang on Prince Street. Soup dumplings; scallion pancake; kaufu (wheat gluten with black mushrooms) Best soup dumplings I've had outside Shanghai (I have not had any in California) Cash only. Must be the cheapest restaurant listed in the NYC Michelin guide!


Shanghai Tide on 40th Road. Pork shoulder; kaufu; seaweed battered fried fish; cold Shanghai appetizers. This is a popular place for hotpot; I think it is all-you-can-eat for about $26, but I have never ordered it. Soup dumplings not as good as at Nan Xiang, but far better than most. Shanghai.


All of these, except Little Pepper and M&T, are near the #7 train and the LIRR Main Street Flushing stops. www.Chowhound.com has reams of detail on all these places, and more. I have written some reviews on that site.

Hope this helps; after eating in some of these places, I rarely go to Manhattan Chinatown anymore since most places are not nearly as good as those in Flushing and you do not find the breath of different cuisines in Manhattan.

For more info, and photos, of Chinese restaurants in Manhattan, Flushing, and beyond, take a look at this blog; also please note that Nan Xiang in Flushing has no English sign, although they do have an English menu and some staff speak English.



http://www.lauhound.com/category/shanghainese/

"you do not find the breath of different cuisines in Manhattan."

This wins for best typo of the week.

Meanwhile, this list is coming with me the next time I visit my mother in New York.

Veselka is on now offiical on the Watch List. We have been eating at Veselka for 30, 35 years since the artists who ate there had their portraits on the walls and there was a weird little room in the back. It used to be cheap, good, with a long menu.

Well now they have raised prices once again, shortened their menu but with more hip choices and worse quality. They are also opening a second restaurant this summer on The Bowery near 2nd Street.

Do not want to take them off the list after all these years. The place is still jameed at all hours, so maybe I am just a cranky old-time customer.

Good catch, Nikki!

Adu: Go and tell Veselka that they are hanging by a thread and that you will 86 them from "the list" if they do not get their act together!

Adu: Go and tell Veselka that they are hanging by a thread and that you will 86 them from "the list" if they do not get their act together!


I would but they were so busy living off their reputation, I do not think anyone would listen.

ekscrunchy, Thank you for the long list. I really appreciate it. I will try them all. I have eaten all over the sidewalk in S.E. Asia so I don't care for spic and span and white table cloth but some cleanliness is necessary. I used to live in Hong Kong so I have pretty high standard for Chinese food. My general complaint for the Chinese food here is that it's too greasy for no reason, even pork belly don't have to be greasy when it's cooked right but it is seldom cook right. Next time you go to Shanghai or HK, try the popular traditional steam pork rind dish, the texture is creme brulee and no greese. The bigger problem is most Chinese restaurants don't use good oil for frying and some even reuse the oil over and over again. That can be a serious health hazard and food don't taste fresh. I also don't bother much with the restaurant in Chinatown anymore except for the occasional Cantonese steam live whole fish and some saute shell fish. I have a wok but they can do it MUCH MUCH better than I can because they can bring up the heat. I like to do take-outs like the beef rendang, Hainan chicken and the chicken oil rice from Nonya, roast duck and pork ribs from Big wong. The fish, the Chinese vegetables and Asian fruit is what I go to Chinatown for.
For those who wants to take public transport to Flushing, the 7 train does not run normal on some weekends. This could be old news but it can be confessing so check before you go and bring a book.

I know Adu mentioned Motorino on East 12th Street above, but I want to add that they have an excellent lunch deal: $12 for a pizza and salad. Their pizzas are large enough for two people to split, although someone with a huge appetite might want a whole one. Two of us had an excellent light dinner here last night: One roasted red pepper salad (excellent, although it was a bit too cold, as if served right from the frig) and one special of meatball pizza. $27 total before tip. They offer a special of ramp pizza while ramps are in season.


http://www.motorinopizza.com/


Another pizza place that deserves mention here is Co, on 9th Avenue in Chelsea. You must go at an off hour or risk waiting a long time for a table. No reservations taken. This is expensive for a pizza place, but I thought it was very, very good, and with careful ordering, it can fall into the " inexpensive/moderate eats" category.


http://www.co-pane.com/

EKS is correct. We try and take advantage of the lunch special at Motorino.

Motorino's website says the prix fixe lunch special - the pizza and salad for $12 - cannot be shared. Can I assume from ekscrunchy's comments that they don't enforce this?