Asian Jewels

"Scope out the Flushing seafood and dim sum restaurant for its Lunar New Year-appropriate preorders, such as the sauteed lobster in black bean sauce, steamed whole fish, and seafood rolls." - Nadia Chaudhury

"Frankly, multiple wedding receptions could happen at the same time in the many rooms of this dim sum spot. That is to say, there’s a lot of room here. Asian Jewels is usually pretty busy on weekend afternoons, but even then, you’ll probably only have to wait 20 or 30 minutes to eat your har gow, shumai, and steamed rice rolls. You can also stop by for dinner to eat some delicious Cantonese dishes, like a puffy chow fun with beef and salt, and pepper pork chops." - carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang, neha talreja, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick

"High chairs: Yes Waving down dim sum carts is fun no matter how old you are. And Asian Jewels in Flushing is an excellent place to do just that. Not only do we love the Cantonese food, but this place is a well-oiled machine. There’s tons of room, and even when the restaurant is at its most packed on weekends, you'll still typically be seated in under 20 minutes. Expect a dull roar of contented chit chat and babies babbling, and be sure to grab some steamed rice rolls and the fried shrimp dumplings. " - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick

"If craving top-notch Cantonese dim sum, such as is readily available in Sunset Park and Manhattan Chinatown, Asian Jewels is the place to go in Flushing. The dumplings go around and around on carts, often delivered only minutes after they’re made and steamed. The huge dining room is elegant and relentlessly red, and dim sum is served well into the afternoon. Pillowy vegetarian rice noodle rolls and minced beef balls scented with orange peel are particularly recommended, as are steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce and honeycomb tripe with black pepper sauce. Humongous servings of soup such as fish maw with diced seafood will satisfy an entire table." - Caroline Shin

"Asian Jewels, a cavernous, chandelier-bedazzled banquet hall across from the Tangram Mall in Flushing, serves excellent dim sum in easy walking distance from the 7 train. Your pot of chrysanthemum tea will be promptly refilled as you ooh and aah over the endless parade of well-executed dim sum staples circulating the dining rooms: delicate har gow, bouncy steamed fish balls, and tender chicken feet. Expect a lively atmosphere, with a dull roar of contented chit chat and conversations about the contents of every passing cart. Asian Jewels is a well-oiled machine, so don’t be deterred by the hungry crowd lingering in the lobby—just take a number and wait for it to be called. Even when they’re packed on weekends, you'll typically be seated in under 30 minutes, particularly if you don't mind sharing a table with another party. (The longest we've had to wait is an hour, and that was on the restaurant apocalypse that is Mother's Day.) photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Food Rundown Steamed Beef Ribs With Black Pepper Sauce We generally err on the side of seafood at Asian Jewels, but this juicy, gloriously peppery dish is a must-get. Note that there isn’t a ton of meat on these bones, so consider doubling up and save yourself an argument with your dining companions. Fried Shrimp Dumplings Do not leave Asian Jewels without consuming at least one order of these immaculately crispy, perfectly pleated pouches of sweet, bouncy shrimp. Fried Crispy Squid With Salt And Pepper Another top-tier highlight. Super crispy (all those little tentacles make for a lot of delicious surface area for frying) with loads of crunchy garlic. Steamed Rice Rolls With Twisted Cruller We've had mixed results with the zhaliang at Asian Jewels. When they aren’t the freshest, the cruller can be a little chewy. But when you spot the shrimp rice noodle rolls coming by, grab those without hesitation—they’re a sure thing. Seafood Pan-Fried Noodles Asian Jewels doesn’t just serve dim sum. Whether you’re coming for dinner or just want to supplement all the steamer baskets on your table with something more substantial, we love this dish. Enjoying the still-crispy noodles submerged in the light, slightly sweet sauce is a totally sublime textural experience." - Molly Fitzpatrick