Queens Global Tour

Eat in 196 Countries on One Subway Line

Introduction: Gastronomic Anthropology of the 7 Subway

Along the 7 Line, known as the "International Express", each station is a miniature country. There are no Michelin Guide rules and regulations here, only the survival epics written by immigrants with stoves. This article will use taste as a compass to help you decode the most authentic multicultural genes in New York.

First stop: South Asian maze in Jackson Heights

74th Street-Roosevelt Avenue Station

Patel Brothers Supermarket: Touch 300 kinds of curry powder on the shelves and participate in the "Spice Blind Smell Challenge" every Saturday

Dhaulagiri Kitchen: The Nepalese boss lady uses Himalayan black salt to make milk tea, and a photo of the mountaineering team in 1982 is hung on the wall

Hidden Easter Eggs: Look for the Bangladeshi tricycle modified snack stall in the alley behind the mosque (only appears on Sunday afternoons)

Second stop: Latin American carnival in Elmhurst

90th Street-Elmhurst Avenue Station

Los Arrieros: Corn dumplings baked by Colombian grandmothers in antique coal stoves, filled with five kinds of tropical fruits

Language class: Learn to say "Yapay" in Quechua from Ecuadorian store clerks to receive free cactus juice

Community secrets: The yellow bench next to the fire hydrant on 82nd Street is an "informal embassy" for Salvadoran immigrants to exchange news from their hometown

Third stop: Flushing's Chinese time capsule

Main Street-Flushing Station

Golden Mall Basement: Fuzhou snack cluster opened in 1992, recommended eel noodles (using freshwater eels caught in New York Harbor)

Cultural collision: Experience paying for pancakes with Bitcoin at "Northeast Dumpling King" (the owner's son is a blockchain programmer)

Nostalgic experience: The arcade of "King of Fighters" in 2003 is still preserved in the game hall on the third floor of New World Mall, and the token price has not risen in 20 years

Ultimate challenge: Global Food BINGO

Make your own nine-square grid on the back of MetroCard and complete the following tasks:

① Order in Romanian ② Find a shop that uses kitchenware from the Cold War era ③ Collect receipts in three different languages ​​④ Taste dishes containing insects ⑤ Exchange hometown postcards with the shop owner

Practical tips

Transportation: The Express train on Line 7 is suspended on weekends, so it is recommended to go on Thursdays with Bella escorting service

Payment: Most vendors offer "immigrant discounts" for cash payments (it is better to show foreign currency proactively)

Safety: Be careful to avoid the loading and unloading hours of wholesale markets from 3 to 5 a.m.

Souvenirs: Collect tokens from laundries in various communities (the patterns contain cultural codes)