Congee in Queens

[Greg]

Which restaurant makes the best congee in Queens? Bonus points will be awarded if they make good yau tiao. I'm guessing that the same restaurant will also have good roast pork, so feel free to pass along any recommendations in that regard as well. TIA.

[Greg]

Thanks for all the posts - there are lots of great suggestions in here, particularly the ones about cooking your own.

I'll have to try Corner 28, it sounds like just the spot I'm looking for. You can get good congee in Manhattan, though now that Big Wing Wang is closing, there's one less place out there. I just moved to Queens, so the trip into Manhattan's Chinatown for a quick breakfast is much less feasible. I'll explore on my own in Queens, and will be sure to post back any recommendations for restaurants that compare favorably to Big Wong et al (yes, Miss Needle, my two favorites were/are on Mott. Big Wing Wang was north of Canal, and Big Wong is south).

Quick question with respect to making your own - do you have a good recipe? What is a good ratio of rice to water, and what kind of rice do you recommend? I usually get the salt pork - without the pi dan that Lau likes. Any particular way to prepare the congee for that version?

[LloydG]

I'm no Congee expert (discovered it accidentally on a flight to Hong Kong a couple of years ago), but I eat congee for breakfast about once a week in Flushing. If I'm in a hurry, I go to Corner 28, because it's cafeteria style. If I want to sit for a while, I go to Chou Zhou (one block south), which has a larger variety and a great selection of condiments on the table.

[Miss Needle]

Here is a thread that I think would be helpful.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/526072

[Greg]

That's a great link, thanks.

[Polecat]

I've had surprisingly good congee at Corner 28, the downstairs section, which would also fulfill your roast pork needs. C28, along w/ Sunflower Delight and a few others along Main, opens very early, around 6:30. The congee that I've had at that early time has, for me, had the perfect consistency, not too watery, not too thick, and very flavorful.

My wife and I were both pleasantly surprised, some time back, with the excellent congee at a dim sum place on 37th, not one of the bigger name restaurants. When the name comes back to me, I'll re-post.
P.

[designerboy01]

Some people like to eat congee with yau tiao, but corner 28 also sells "ow lee sow" (Cantonese which translates to cow tounge somthing) which some people like too with congee. Its a fried piece of bread is shaped like a mini football (best description for now). It taste a little sweet and is fried. You can get it at the duck slider window during the day. Its usually on the left of the window for $1.25. Or you can ask for it inside when you order too and at most Cantonese restaurants that serve congee. Full Hose Seafood isn't bad too.

[albee]

Despite my issues with the $4 tea at Sweet N Tart they have excellent congee and a nice variety.

[Miss Needle]

I've also liked the congee at Sweet n Tart.

[designerboy01]

Yeah their congee isn't that bad but its not enough for me on a hungry morning. Has anyone been after the renovations?

[albee]

I have been. The decor is very nice. The dumplings are still excellent. However they have redone the menu almost completely. No more of their wonderful house favorites like Chicken with Ginger and Scallions and the Fried Rice in the bamboo log .The Scallion Pancake is now more of a soft crepe and there is only one (1) to an order. But the thing that I feel is completely out of line is the pricing of the Tea. I truly do not understand $4.25 for a single serving of Jasmine Tea. And they go up higher for other Teas. The wait staff was completely new and seemed to be very inexperienced.

[Brian S]

Congee's one of the very few things I've never tried, but there was a good thread on this in Feb 2007 (long enough ago that it wouldn't show up on the simple search of this board)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/370662

[Lau]

wow Brian S...uve never tried congee ever? im surprised! its such a breakfast staple....i love it, u should def try it (get the pork and thousand year egg aka pi dan) and don't forget to dip you tiao in it

although surprisingly it is one thing that manhattan trumps flushing on...you can actually get pretty good congee in manhattan

[Miss Needle]

I remember my first Chinese congee experience over 15 years. A Chinese friend was taking me and started warning me that a lot of Westerners don't like it. When I got my bowl, I told her that Koreans eat this stuff all the time. It's perfect winter breakfast food.

I have to say my best congee experiences were those I've eaten at home or at other people's homes. I think it's because at home, we tend to put ingredients like dried scallops and dried shrimp when cooking whereas the restaurants generally don't do it because it's expensive.

[designerboy01]

Yes, my best congee experiences are from home. Chinese restaurants outside tend to use rice flour to quicken up the cooking process. Also, they usually make a big vat plain congee and add the other ingredients in right before serving. If you had real congee the flavoring ingredients are cooked with the rice and there are the extras that get thrown in later. Its not hard to make too. You won't get the real McCoy on the street.

[Miss Needle]

Oh, so that's why restaurant congee looks like they've blended the rice! I always wondered how they got that texture.

Yup, homemade is so much better. In the fall and winter months, I make it in my crockpot the night before and have a really satisfying breakfast waiting for me in the AM.

[Lau]

thats fair, i love the type of condiments u get at home...that said u can still get good congee in ny

[Miss Needle]

Yeah, I do like -- I keep forgetting the name -- is it Big Wong or something like that on Mott Street? I forget, but it's the really divey looking one.

At the risk of being alienated by all the Koreans out there, I do have to say that I prefer the Chinese version of jook over the Korean one. Korean jooks are way too thick and glutinous for my taste.

[designerboy01]

Funny, my family did the same thing and had a crockpot filled rice and ingredients that needed to be slow cooked the night before. We mostly had Abalone and Duck Congee, Shredded Pork with Thousand year old eggs. Also sliced fish with aged tangerine peel. So much richer and flavorful when made at home.

I tend to like my creamy, but good thing different regiions in China do it differently.