Forest Hills' Best Chinese Food

I've tried every Chinese restaurant that has opened in Forest Hills over the years. Most of the time, I've been disappointed. It's not surprising, really. We live in an age where traditional Chinese food in the U.S.-- the kind familiar to say, anyone who grew up in the 70's or 80's -- has fallen out of favor. It's exceedingly rare to find a traditional Chinese restaurant in New York City these days, aside, of course from, say, Chinatown and Flushing.

Luckily, however, Forest Hills does have one superb Chinese restaurant. And it also happens to be physically one of the more interesting restaurants to visit in the neighborhood because of its location - tucked away behind a building that you can only get to via a narrow alley, which also serves as an outdoor seating area.  

I am talking about Memories of Shanghai. Now, MOS is not a traditional American Chinese restaurant per se. But, in terms of great Chinese food, it is unsurpassed by far in Forest Hills. And, most of its dishes will appeal to people looking for Chinese food that is not too far removed from standard Western Chinese food tastes.

Heavy on the dim sum type offerings, my favorite is their steamed chicken dumplings. Deliciously minced with onions, these are sweet and delightful. I also liked their Spring Rolls and Hot & Sour soup (though, as usual, it could be more soury). Their vegetable potstickers are great as well, as are their shrimp dumplings and pan fried pork bun.

The truth is, you can't really go wrong with anything you order from this kinda hidden Forest Hills culinary treasure.

Memories of Shanghai is located at 68-60 Austin Street in Forest Hills and is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (718)880-2938. And, yes, thankfully, they deliver to Forest Hills and Rego Park.

Coverage of Forest Hills' Growing Chinese Restaurant Scene in The Times

A New Destination for Chinese Food: Not Flushing, but Forest Hills

A corner of Queens better known for delis and pizza parlors has added a critical mass of new (and creative) Chinese restaurants.

Spy C Chinese Restaurant Opens on Austin

The hostess says this new place, down near Ascan, is Asian Fusion cuisine. It opened on Tuesday. They do not have takeout menus yet. I took a glance at their menu and they had some traditional favorites, like Kung Pao, for example. Here's a look at the interior. I was surprised at how much table space there was inside. Anyway, I haven't tried any of the food yet. Soon. Add comments below if you have already.

New Chinese Restaurant on Austin

Thanks to Joe for sending in the photo!

New Chinese Restaurant Opening on Austin Street

In former Twist & Smash'd location, near Ascan...
(... and Joe becomes an honorary Edge of the City cub reporter for his contributions today...)

New Restaurant Review: The Bund

Forest Hills finally has a basic, go-to Chinese restaurant that's actually good. It's been a long time in coming. As I've posted earlier, we have a ton of other Asian places - Thai, Japanese, Asian fusion, sushi - but for some reason a simple Chinese restaurant that was actually really good had been beyond our reach. These other places are great, but sometimes—God damnit!—you just want a freakin' egg roll and pork freakin' fried rice and don't want to pay through the nose to get it!

We've ordered in from The Bund, the new Chinese restaurant that opened in the former Knish Nosh space along Queens Blvd., enroute to Rego Park, a few times and I find their food to remind me of the excellent Chinese food I grew up eating on Long Island: Reasonably-priced (actually dirt-cheap compared to the 'fancy' Asian places we're already brimming with), filling and delicious!

Now, Long Island Chinese food wasn't the more "authentic" Chinese you find in Chinatown here in the City or in Flushing, but for dishes that satisfy that American Chinese food craving - spare ribs, egg rolls, fried rice, Lo mein, Chicken and Broccoli, Kung Pao - you know what I'm talking about - the places on Long Island and other NYC suburbs, just couldn't be beat. Sure, they were devastating to the waist line, but sometimes you just gotta say what the hell!

Anyone looking for THAT kind of Chinese food, old-fashioned, authentic NY-style, should be pleased by the basics at The Bund. I found the choices mentioned above all excellent, and pretty much stuck to the flavors and style that I grew up with. The only difference I noticed was when it came to the egg rolls, which had an interesting slightly peppery flavor. I can't vouch for the more complicated offerings on their menu. But if you try them, let us all know.

The one drawback I found was in the Hot and Sour Soup. I find this issue with so many Chinese restaurants in the City today: these soups are always kinda hot (if not just plain salty) but there's barely any "sour," unless you go to a more pricey place. Why is that? The same thing at The Bund. Don't forget the sour in your Hot and Sour Soup!

Grade: A

The Bund is located at 100-30 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills. They are open Sunday - Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. And, they deliver to central Forest Hills!! (718) 275-8000

The Bund's Kung Pao Chicken, pork fried rice and egg rolls - full calorie, indulgent and delish! ENJOY!

New Chinese Food Cart

This new food cart has popped up on 71st/Continental, in front of the AT&T store. I haven't tried it out myself, but the reader who sent in these pics tells me: "the food is legit, and the prices are only slightly higher than you'd find in Flushing." I can't wait to try it...

The Bund Chinese Restaurant Getting Ready to Open

Is it possible Forest Hills will finally have a decent Chinese restaurant to call its own? Since I've lived here for say 15 years or so I don't think there's been a single Chinese sit-down restaurant that I thought was really good, that made me want to go back to it. Sure, there are some decent take-outs, and there are excellent Asian fusion places like Jade. But the Chinese food places like I grew up eating in on Long Island—I'm talking effortlessly delicious Chinese food—have been sorely, sorely lacking here. Forest Hills is not alone. The lack of good Chinese restaurants has been a city-wide problem, except, of course for Chinatown and Flushing—and, my favorite, Ollie's.

I attribute it to the ridiculous high-fat scare we've all been terrified of for the past 20 years. Chinese restaurants have been a dying breed, replaced by Asian fusion serving up nice and healthy sushi and the like.

Well, Enough with the God-Damn Sushi Already! Make Chinese Food Great Again!

You get the picture.

I'm told the new restaurant The Bund will be opening in the former Knish Nosh space at 100-30 Queens Blvd. at the corner of 67th Road on October 25th. I have high hopes because they have a damn interesting authentic Chinese food story to tell that sounds unique and intriguing. Whether my hopes will be dashed, well, that's a different story. I guess we'll all find out together! (If they are good, I just pray to the Lord Above that they deliver to central FoHi where I reside, since they are kinda on the fringe out there enroute to RP.)

Thanks to Thomas for these photos of the storefront and the menu in the window!

The Rumors of Chinese Food Have Not Been Exagerated

Yes, in reply to the reader who was asking - Forest Hills is getting a Chinese restaurant in the former Knish Nosh space. Thanks to Stacey for tweeting me the news and photo!

Signs up in half the old Knish Nosh space on QB and 67th Road. cc: @EdgeOfTheCity pic.twitter.com/NI61GQL55a

— Stacey Shick Samuels (@StaceyShick) May 31, 2016