Whenever I find myself in Flushing, I always stop by the window at Corner 28 for a Peking duck bun ($1). It’s a definite must. For example, even this Monday after a day of eating xiaolongbao, momos, miang kana, fish balls, and kimchi roll-ups at Asian Feastival (post will be coming in a few days), I made sure to squeeze a duck bun into my full belly before leaving Flushing.
I love the duck buns at Corner 28 because it’s great quality for the price. Sure, you can get more duck per bun in a sit-down restaurant, but hell, some days you can’t commit to a whole duck (stomach-wise and/or wallet-wise). At Corner 28 you get a nice fluffy steamed white bun filled with shredded scallion, julienned cucumbers, hoisin sauce, and a thin piece of duck meat with beautifully lacquered skin and a decadent layer of fat. And most importantly, all for one dollar. In comparison, the dollar menu at McDonald’s seems undoubtedly lame.
Just one piece of advice when waiting on line for a duck bun: stay close to the person in front of you. Don’t be shy about invading his/her personal space. People in Flushing can smell weakness. Blink and a person will swoop right in and cut you. That’s what a Chinese grandpa did to me this Monday. If he had been twenty years younger I would have pushed him out of my way, but pushing a senior citizen is a little too much, even for me, and even for a duck bun. But trust me, persevere and you will be rewarded deliciously at the end.
Takeout Peking Duck Window at Corner 28
40-28 Main Street (b/n 40th Rd & 41st Ave; map)
Flushing, NY 11355
