OCTOBER 2013 | BOROMAG.COM | 29 you a dining room packed with locals who sometimes even order as they are sitting down. But if you ask for a menu for perusal, the staff gladly adjusts the pace of service accordingly. On one of my visits, an elderly Chinese couple next to me ordered as they were seated, and food arrived within minutes. When I leaned over to ask if this was their favorite place in the neighborhood, they laughed, explaining—in a thick southern accent—that they had just arrived from Texas an hour ago. Several friends had told them Nan Xiang needed to be their first stop, and had instructed them on precisely what to order. Following their lead, I tried the turnip puffs, like a savory Chinese miniature counterpart to the Italian sfogliatelle. Where the Italians use custard, these layered Chinese pastries are filled with shredded daikon, minced vegetables, and tiny cubes of pork—then crusted in sesame seeds and baked to golden brown. Other favorites include the salty sticky rice roll—stuffed with a fried cruller, salty pork floss, and house pickles—as well as the fried rice cakes, like Chinese gnocchi diagonally sliced into coins, then sautéed in a rich brown gravy with vegetables and tender slices of beef. Sample a few dishes, then return to sample some more. Items range in price from $1.25 to $9.95 for the seafood crispy rice noodles, should you decide to splurge. But be sure to start with a soup dumpling, because the best things sometimes really do come in small packages. Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao 38-12 Prince St, Flushing 11354 (718) 321-3838 http://www.nanxiangusa.com open daily from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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