Nan Xiang Dumpling House 南翔小籠包 in Flushing, NY- The Semiotics of Eating 

I am not a fan of Flushing restaurants for many reasons: the diners often chew with mouth open; they burp while eating; they speak loudly and encroach on your space; the wait staff treat you with little to no respect; the menu is never online; food has questionable hygiene (Grade C from the City Health Department); one can never find parking. Therefore, when I found myself at Nan Xiang Dumpling House 南翔小籠包 at 9pm one Saturday, it really shows me how much I have grown as a person and flexibility is now my middle name. Or did I just have a serious lack of judgment?

And yes, not only did I order for my friend, I also ordered in Mandarin. I guess it was a good practice for my night market visit in Taiwan. I felt very out of place.

Bamboo Shoots with Chili Sauce 辣油香竹: Wow. So good. So authentic.

Boiled Pork Bun with Chili Sauce (not sure what the English translation is) 紅油炒手: even now when I am recalling the experience, I salivate for a dish in which I have no English name for.

Beef Crispy Noodles 牛肉兩麵黃: This is Cantonese cuisine. My friend liked it.

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup 小辣椒牛肉湯麵: Excellent. This is one of my items on my last meal list.

While we were dining, dishes were broken at the next table; a man was speaking loudly on the mobile in Mandarin about painting his room and his appointment from this afternoon; a young boy woofed down his food, slurped and licked his lips with smacking sounds. The restaurant also did not give us all the food we ordered. They forgot the famous dumplings, 小籠包.

I miss Asia for the authentic food from my childhood. I miss a civilized dining experience with the authentic Asian food. The food and the memories they bring back for me is what this blog is all about – the semiotics of eating. I am now officially too biased to make a recommendation.

This experience took place at

Nan Xiang Dumpling House
38-12 Prince St,
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 321-3838