Kong Sihk Tong in Flushing is a vibrant cha chaan teng serving Hong Kong-style comfort food at wallet-friendly prices, ideal for a cozy casual breakfast or lunch.
"Kong Sihk Tong is a big, pastel-and-neon wonderland of Hong Kong-style food. It’s perfect for a casual breakfast or lunch when you want to hang out for a while without spending a ton of money, since the breakfast sets are all under $10. The salted egg yolk lava french toast is our favorite dish on the menu, but the beef satay instant noodle soup is a close second. They also make the best milk tea around. On weekends, expect to wait a while for a table if you don’t get there before 10am. " - carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang, neha talreja, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick
"Hong Kong-style cafes are the unsung heroes of New York’s brunch scene. Known as cha chaan tengs, these casual restaurants serve a mix of Cantonese and Western-style food, and, most importantly, creamy milk tea. At Kong Sihk Tong in Flushing, sub-$10 breakfast sets come with tea and one main dish, like Spam and eggs, steamed rice rolls, or satay beef swimming in instant noodles. (Supplement yours with an order of oozing salted egg french toast.) The Flushing spot is snazzier than most cha chaan tengs in town, what with neon lights and roomy booths for groups. There's also a cash-only location in Manhattan's Chinatown, in case that's more convenient. " - neha talreja, will hartman, bryan kim, kenny yang
"Kong Sihk Tong in Flushing is a big, pastel-and-neon wonderland of Hong Kong-style food. The breakfast sets are all under $10, making it perfect for a casual morning meal, or lunch when you want to hang out for a while without spending a ton of money. The salted egg yolk lava french toast is our favorite dish, but the beef satay instant noodle soup is a close second. They also make the best milk tea around. On weekends, expect to wait a while for a table if you don’t get there before 10am. Kong Sihk Tong has another location in Chinatown that is cash-only." - neha talreja, will hartman
"Breakfast is just more fun at a Kong Sihk Tong. This cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong-style cafe, is a big, bright, pastel playground in Flushing, where the music is loud and the milk tea is extra creamy. It has a more contemporary feel than the other HK cafes in the area, but the prices are still pretty reasonable. For $8-9, you can get a breakfast set with a hot drink and one entree, like spam soup, eggs on toast, or satay beef with instant noodles. Order a golden lava french toast for the table, too. It's a decadent dessert-for-breakfast that oozes salted egg yolk when you cut it open. There’s usually a wait on the weekends, so it’s best to come with a group and make a whole morning of it. They also have another location in Chinatown that’s cash-only. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff Food Rundown photo credit: Alex Staniloff Golden Lava French Toast Don’t leave Kong Sihk Tong without ordering the golden lava french toast. It’s two thick slices of milk bread, stuffed with salted egg yolk, dipped in custard, and lightly fried. Cut it open and the egg yolk lava oozes out onto your plate, as the square of butter on top melts into it. They also have a black sesame version that’s slightly less sweet but just as good. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Satay Beef Noodle Soup It’s a simple dish, but it’s one of their best. The beef is incredibly soft and velvety in texture, with nutty satay flavor. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Baked Fried Rice w/Pork Chop Baked rice casseroles are an HK-cafe staple. This one has fried rice under a bone-in pork chop, covered in a sweet and savory tomato sauce and melted cheese. It achieves optimal ooey-gooeyness without turning the rice into mush. Milk Tea Milk tea is, arguably, the most important item at a cha chaan teng. Kong Sihk Tong’s is on the pricier side for the area, but it’s thick and creamy with condensed milk, and a balanced ratio of milk to sugar. All breakfast sets come with hot milk tea. Iced costs $1.50 extra. We’re also into the yuenyueng, which is a mixture of milk and coffee." - Neha Talreja
"Kong Sihk Tong in Flushing is a big, pastel-and-neon wonderland of Hong Kong-style food. It’s perfect for a casual breakfast or lunch when you want to hang out for a while without spending a ton of money, since the breakfast sets are all under $10. The salted egg yolk lava French toast is our favorite dish on the menu, but the beef satay instant noodle soup is a close second. They also make the best milk tea around. On weekends, expect to wait a while for a table if you don’t get there before 10am. They also have another location in Chinatown that is cash-only. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, will hartman, sonal shah, willa moore
