Every time I visit Chinatown or Flushing, I can't help but stop at every food stall to savor the cheap, dirty but delicious street snacks. I've formed almost a habit now that I hit all my regular vendors in one trip. Here are my top all-time favorite street snacks that you and your family will love. (It's also great for a fun and cheap date!)
1. Lamb Kabobs
Muslim or Chinese, Eastern or Western, you can't help but fall in love with these fall-off-the-skewer-good kabobs. It comes a variety of meat ranging from the traditional (beef, chicken, lamb) to the absurd (chicken liver, duck tongue). If you like some heat, ask for a sprinkle of hot cumin on top for an authentic tasting Xinjiang style kabob. Most skewers run at $1.25, so you can mix and match to share these fun-to-eat skewers with your friends (or date).
2. Peking Duck Wraps
Probably the mother of all duck wraps (and maybe what inspired David Chang's pork bun empire), this is healthy flavor packed in a chewy white bun. There are actual spruces of real green onions jutting out of the soft bun alongside to a thick layer of duck and sauce. And at the price of $1/wrap, three of them will serve as a lovely lunch.
3. Scallion Pancakes
Find these pancakes at $1 each at the place under the Main Street bridge. If you get lucky, they'll be filled with scallions, but oftentimes not so much. But at least you'll get a mouthful of crunchy sesame flat bread!
4. Potstickers
A house staple in any Chinese restaurant, the taste really depends on which location you get them at. The one I like the best are the pork and chive ones that are hot off the grill, crunchy on the outside with a crispy skin with a juicy, succulent interior on the inside. They usually go four for a $1.25, and you can often buy frozen ones to enjoy at home.
5. Bubble Tea
After gorging on these cheap and delicious eats, you'll definitely need some bubble tea to wash it all down. Get it in red bean, taro or for an exotic change, grapefruit or pineapple. I like to load mine with herb jelly, because the tapioca bubbles can get too much to handle. Some tea joints like Sharetea and Chatime have 2-for-1 specials for less than $3, so you can mix and match different flavors for the price of pocket change.
