A New Taste of China

Most of us have had Chinese takeout at some point in our lives. If we are alike, you also associate Chinese food with Fried Rice, Lowmein, Wontons and Egg Rolls. However, there are many kinds of Chinese food that come from the North to South and East to West. For this review we decided to eat our way through North China.

On a bright, sunny Saturday we ventured out to Flushing Queens to see what China had to offer. Passing by many restaurants, one in particular caught our eyes.  Fu Run on 40-09 Prince Street, Flushing NY was the choice this time. It wasn't any special sign or decor that did it but a simple sign that said we could expect Dongbei Cai which simply means comfort food from Northeastern China. We were very eager to find out for ourselves just what this new cuisine was all about.

The menu was pretty extensive so it took us a while to make our selections. We ordered the Lamb Meat Soup (serves 2-4) for starters and for our entrees Spicy Sliced Pork, Scallops with Hot Garlic Sauce, Chicken Lowmein, Sauteed Fried Fillet of Fish and Pork Fried Rice.

Thankfully there were four of us for this tasting as we were forced to entertain ourselves while we waited about 35 minutes for our food. There wasn't much to look at except a small tv and people watching out the large ceiling to floor windows. The decor was basic; boasting wooden lacquered tables, chairs and the necessary utensils.

Our food came but it did not start with the soup. Our entrees were served first then the  Lamb Soup made it's debut about 10 minutes later.

The flavors were quite different than anything we've had so far in the USA. Most of the dishes were quite savory and heavily spiced with cumin and herbs like cilantro. Many of us associate that combination with Latin food but somehow the balance worked well. Strong notes of oyster and soy sauce, ginger and garlic were heard loud and clear as well. We liked it. This different taste was welcomed in our mouths.

The only two dishes that weren't such hits were the Sauteed Fried Fillet of Fish and the Lamb Soup. The batter for the fish was chewy and quite salt to the taste, while the lamb was almost impossible to chew and the broth was overpowered by the too many large pieces of cilantro that covered the top.
All things considered this was a good, refreshing experience that expanded the way we think of Chinese. We are now excited to taste even more of China.

For this Fu Run gets a solid B+ and we happily recommend it to couples out for dinner or families seeking a hearty lunch.