Little Lamb (A Fan Ti) in Flushing- recommended?

[bennyt]

I keep reading mixed reviews (the phrase "sad shadow of its former self" sticks in my mind). Is LIttle Lamb (a.k.a. A Fan Ti) recommended? If so, what dishes do you recommend?
Thanks!

[el jefe]

I think the lack of response confirms that it's not the same place we loved before they changed hands and changed the menu almost two years ago.

[Joe MacBu]

Yep. The fact that lamb eyeballs and testicles are no longer available defeats their existence as A Fan Ti.

[david sprague]

but for those more interested in a good, solid meal from this rarely represented region of china -- and not simply a culinary adventure -- the place was just fine as of two weeks ago. they have pulled back a bit but it is not totally dumbed down by any means.

[bennyt]

Is there anything comparable to the old A Fan Ti that you can recommend?

[Lau]

there is a korean goat restaurant on union st, past northern, somewhere in the low-mid 30s on the west side of the street. I've past by it a couple of times, i really want to try it, but i keep forgetting. I recently (like a month ago) past by it, so i'm pretty sure its still open

there are a bunch of korean goat specialists in LA, but this is the first time i've seen one in NY

[Joe MacBu]

Thank you. I've been missing the black goat specialists of LA. I never made it to the place in Woodside before it shut down years ago.

I did a Google Streetview run up Union from Northern to the H-Mart. I couldn't spot any Korean characters for goat. How would one locate this place? Awning color? Other landmarks? I did spot a neon pig sign though!

I also did a Google search for "bo yang", and a menu for the restaurant Kimchee in Bay Ridge (9324 3rd Ave) popped up. They've got the goat with sesame leaves casserole, though they don't seem to be goat specialists. Menu: http://www.allmenus.com/ny/brooklyn/5...

[Lau]

i'm trying to remember if it was in english or not, its fairly close to the place with the pig (i saw that place as well)...i feel like that stretch of union is fairly undiscovered on chowhound

i have a feeling it might have been in korean only, i remember passing by it and getting sort of excited by all of the places on union and asking my gf what kind of place it was and she read the korean and said it was a goat specialist.

i think this is going to be one of those things that if you want to find out you're going to just have to drive down union and find it....i will do that at some point if no one beats me

[bennyt]

do it! report back! need details!

[Joe MacBu]

Today, I tried. But I fear that I failed. After dealing with the DMV, I headed out to that stretch of Union in the cold persistent rain, hoping for a restorative bowl of yumso tang. I stopped at almost every store, looking like an ignorant tourist who hadn't bothered to learn how to say anything in the local dialect. My interaction with the hair dresser would have given Abbott & Costello a run for their money.

All I came away with was these 2 photos. The awning might be a holdover from the previous tenant. My hunch was that this place would have the goat. But I was pretty much denied service there (perhaps everyone is since it was completely empty). It looks like another one of those Korean-Chinese places. At least the sleeping worker told me he was from Jilin (after telling me that they don't serve food there!).

I'm pretty sure that I managed to miss a couple of shops. I gave up and instead had a bowl of kal gook su at Jang Tur.

[Lau]

hmm i cant read korean, ill ask my gf what is says later on

i cant read most of the chinese characters either, but the last two characters say chuan dian (kebab store)

[Miss Needle]

The first pic says naeng myun and beer. As my Korean totally sucks, not sure what the second pic is except that I think it's a grill type of place.

[bennyt]

Would somebody have mercy on me and explain just what a Korean "black goat specialist" is?
My interest has been piqued.

[Lau]

here's some pics of chin go gae, which is a korean goat restaurant in LA:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/R-fWsG...

[bennyt]

Amazing. Going to LA in January. This is on the short list.
Thanks so much.

[Lau]

if you're going to LA, go to this restaurant....i think its the best korean restaurant in LA and you cannot get kokaetang (crab stew) in NY (doesnt exist)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ondal-2-los-a...

[bennyt]

Awesome.
Keep the recommendations coming (especially if you have thoughts on Vietnamese and Thai as well)!

[Lau]

ok so my gf looked at the pic
1st pic: naeng myun and beer
2nd pic: some type of ameat on a stick place, which makes sense since it says kebab store in chinese

bennyt - the best viet is in orange county in little saigon (westminister, garden grove areas). here's some write ups i did
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/576549
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/582941
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/634629

thai town is in LA, its very good, here's a couple of places if you search around there are alot more, but i haven't totally explored all the restaurants there:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jitlada-thai-restaurant-los-angeles
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ruen-pair-restaurant-los-angeles
http://www.yelp.com/biz/spicy-bbq-res...

[bennyt]

You are quickly becoming my favorite poster on this board :)

[Joe MacBu]

Hey Lau, any update on the goat place on Union?

While eating at Ham Ji Bak, I noticed that they had bo yang jungol on the menu (which they translate as lamb, but I'm hoping that it's goat). I had my Korean friend get the details on the dish and I'm excited to say that it sounds like what I used to eat at Chin Go Gae in LA, with the piles of sesame leaves and finished off with rice added to the leftover broth.

[Lau]

hey - i'm actually in asia right now (ridiculous food!) and i was really busy, so haven't had a chance to go try to find it and try it out, but i promise i will once the new years passes and im back in NY