FLUSHING — A new dim sum restaurant is focusing on quality over quantity — serving up a limited number of its special Peking ducks so the chef can spend enough time perfecting each one.
Grandma's Dim Sum opened in mid-August inside The Shops at Skyview Center on College Point Boulevard, serving up the Cantonese dishes chef Cindy Ng, 30, grew up eating in Hong Kong.
The restaurant sells dim sum dishes from a menu, not the traditional carts, along with a full offering of entrees.
But the star is their Peking duck, which Ng gets from a New Jersey farm each week.
Each bird is carefully handled and seasoned, and cooked for up to seven hours. Ng prepares each duck herself, and only offers 20 per day.
It's a reminder of home, and of her grandmother, who passed away a few years ago.
"My grandmother loved the dish so much my grandfather would make it for her," said Ng.
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The eatery is the first restaurant for Ng, who has worked in other restaurants across the borough. The operation is a family affair, with her older brother Yan, who cooks all the sauces in the kitchen; and her husband, Irwin Wu, who works as the cashier.
Ng described herself as a "perfectionist" but also likes experimentation. For the Peking duck, she focuses on presentation, cutting and plating.
Since opening, she's worked every day and the dining room has been busy until closing — and the two "VIP" private rooms, which Ng crafts a special menu for each night, has been booked through September, she said.
The restaurant, on the B level of the mall, has been popular for shoppers looking for authentic cuisine, she said.
"The whole day is busy," she said, but noted that she's happy to get the chance to share her family recipes.
"I always learned when [my grandparents] were cooking."
Grandma's Dim Sum, 40-24 College Point Boulevard, Level B. Open 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. on the weekends.
