"Way before Malaysia’s wildly popular Papparich chain landed in 2016, Malay has been doling out sumptuous Malaysian dishes since it opened on a then-seedy side street in 1988. You’ll still catch vestiges of old Flushing before the skyscrapers cropped up. An employee assembles satay sticks in a tiny window at the left upon entry. A sliver of an aisle is made even more narrow by packed tables steaming with chicken curry noodle soup. Other hits include the al dente kang kung belacan, or water spinach heavy with shrimp paste; barbecued skate; roti canai; Hainanese chicken; and beef rendang." - Caroline Shin