04/02/13 12:00pm
Golden Shopping Mall’s Tianjin Dumpling House offers ten varieties of steamed dumplings.

Golden Shopping Mall’s Tianjin Dumpling House offers 10 kinds.

Last summer I compiled a list of the Top 7 Dumplings in Queens. The delicious little secret is that it was really, really hard to limit such a list to just seven dumplings. In fact I could devote a whole blog to dumplings in Queens. So today’s edition of Twofer Tuesday is dedicated to two of my latest dumpling discoveries from Queens’ two Chinatowns, Flushing and Elmhurst.

These steamed lamb dumplings made for a perfect Easter snack.

These steamed lamb dumplings made for a perfect Easter snack.

Tianjin Dumpling House is a relatively new outfit on the lower level of Flushing’s Golden Shopping Mall. Among the 10 varieties of dumplings find yáng ròu shuǐ jiǎo, or lamb dumplings with green squash ($5for 12). Create your own dipping sauce by combining soy, black vinegar, and chili oil.

A peek inside the savory little package.

A peek inside the savory little package.

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02/28/13 3:15pm
Danny Bowien and crew at Chen du Tian Fu in Flushing’s Golden Shopping  Mall.

Danny Bowien and crew at Flushing’s Golden Shopping Mall.

A few weeks ago I was giving a tour of downtown Flushing’s Chinatown. I had forgotten that the Lunar New Year Parade was being held that day. It was an unexpected treat for both me and my guests when we exited New World Mall to the pulsing beat of Gangnam Style from a passing float. As if the parade and its lion dancers weren’t enough good fortune for one day we encountered one of my favorite chefs. Just as we got to the bottom of the stairs of the Golden Shopping Mall Food Court, Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food came into view. He and his posse were digging into a meal at Chen Du Tian Fu. Danny was kind enough to let me ask him Seven Questions . . .

What’s your favorite way to eat bone marrow?
Seolleongtang.

Where’d you get the dragon that graces the dining room at the Mission Chinese Food in New York City?
We ordered it on-line from Beijing. We crowd-sourced it as part of a low-budget remodeling effort.

How many pounds of Sichuan peppercorn does MCFNYC go through in a week?
Probably five. (more…)