The grand sign of “新世界商城” (New World Mall) finally appears in our sights after an hour-long commute.
Going up the escalator leads us into the bustling supermarket, with people moving in every direction. The wide displays of water spinach, radish, and corn fill the spaces with little room to walk.
In the basement of New World Mall, one of the most popular supermarkets in Flushing, lies an array of authentic Asian cuisine. The never ending line of food stalls cover the entire wall. Vibrant menus and photos capture the eyes of hungry tourists and locals.
The smell of steaming spicy soup carries itself through the air, wafting through the busy crowd. Vendors holler left and right, holding up samples to any passerby.
After countless laps around the food court, we finally decided upon two stalls: Laoma Ma La Tang and Daimaru Ramen & Udon.
At Lao Ma La Tang, we ordered meat lover malatang with mild spice for 17 dollars. It came with spam, meatballs, beef tripes, beef slices, glass noodles, potatoes, fried tofu, lettuce, and bok choy alongside a steaming hot soup.
The first few bites were heavenly; the spices and flavors combined into the perfect mouthful. Later, however, the heavy flavors made the malatang gradually more salty with each bite. As a last resort, we ended up watering down the malatang, which had little effect because of the overbearing seasoning.
Although initial impressions were satisfactory, the malatang was overall underwhelming and unenjoyable. Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to our expectations considering how much it cost.
We also ordered the beef-don at Daimaru Ramen & Udon for 14 dollars. The presentation was lovely, with a poached egg garnished with scallions, nori, and sesame surrounded by a mountain of seasoned beef on a warm bed of white rice.
Following typical Japanese tradition, we mixed the poached egg with the beef and rice to ensure that every grain of rice is covered in egg yolk. The beef-don was savory and sweet, filling our tastebuds with umami soy sauce.
The free side of miso soup, on the other hand, was extremely subpar. Compared to our high fulfillment with the beef-don, the dashi in the miso soup felt artificial. We drank one spoonful and vowed to never drink it ever again.
Despite the lackluster miso soup, for 14 dollars, the portion was great, and was extremely filling.
Overall, we recommend ordering the beef-don at Daimaru Ramen & Udon but skipping out on the meat lovers malatang at Laoma Ma La Tang. We advise you to carefully look around every stall, as pricey food may not guarantee a quality meal.
