Food
www.qns.com I LIC COURIER I FEBRUARY 2020 45
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
Anew restaurant that opened at the start of
the new year and specializes in authentic
Chinese hand-pulled noodles and barbecue
skewers has joined the ever-growing array
of delicious places to eat in Astoria.
Residents in the area looking to satisfy their craving for
freshly made noodles in a bowl of hot broth can indulge at
La Mian Lounge’s new location at 25-12 Broadway. The
eatery, which uses only halal quality meats, is an addition
to the area that owner David Kong says was certainly
lacking for those looking for authentic Chinese cuisine.
“We just want to offer really ethnic Chinese food,”
said Kong. “We didn’t change the taste of anything.
What you have here is the way it is made in China, as
close as we can get to it.”
Kong has made it his mission to provide authentic
Chinese cuisine throughout Queens with several
restaurants, including The Bund in Forest Hills, which has
dishes from a wider region of China such as sautéed dishes
and dim sum. And almost a year ago, Kong expanded to
Bund on Broadway, which is just a few stores down from
La Mian, and specializes in handmade dumplings.
At his new shop, the focus will be on noodles and
barbecue skewers, which are made by two chefs who
are experts in making each dish accordingly. In looking
to further fulfill the need to the area, Kong felt it was
important to provide halal quality meats in order to
make everyone feel welcome to eat there.
“In the community there are a lot of Muslims as
well as people who don’t eat pork, so that’s why we
made it halal,” he said.
The ingredients and process in which the food
is prepared is instrumental in providing customers
a truly authentic Chinese cuisine. The noodles are
continuously made throughout the day in order to be
fresh for guests, and their broth is made over a process
of 10 hours in order to create a clear broth that is not
overbearing in seasoning or over-flavored in order
to nicely complement the fresh, handmade noodles.
La Mian’s menu has options for everyone, from fish
tofu that is a great addition to share at the table, as well as
tasty skewers that are marinated and seasoned with spices.
The menu also features cold dishes which
complement nicely with a hot bowl of fresh noodles
and broth. One cold dish that is certainly a must-try is
the tripe, which is braised with soy and ginger, spices,
and mixed with vegetables.
The menu certainly has something for everyone
and in catering to the melting pot of Astoria, that is
certainly the goal that Kong had in mind.
“The reason I love Astoria is because everyone
loves to try new stuff,” said Kong. “There’s Indian food,
Greek, so why not give Chinese a try?”
La Mian Lounge is located at 25-12 Broadway in Astoria.
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