Elusive Asian-Flavored Doughnuts Inspire Long Lines in Queens

Queens doughnut maker makes a comeback

There’s a pastry chef in Bayside, Queens, commanding two-hour long waits for his gourmet doughnuts, which pull from flavors of Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and France with options like an orange miso pecan sticky bun or a matcha custard bun. Richard Eng, the guy behind Black Label Donuts, has gained quite the following for his popular pop-up that began inside Japanese teahouse Nippon Cha in Bayside — but in June of last year, he was shot in the face during an armed robbery, leaving his business in limbo, the NYT reports. Eng, though, made a speedy recovery and was baking his beloved pastries again by year end. He’s now looking for a new location for his pop-up.

New Singaporean restaurant serves “succulent and sweet” crab, critic says

Flushing Singaporean newcomer Yummy Tummy Asian Bistro serves an “excellent” Hainanese chicken, which is deboned and “sliced neatly” over cucumber, served with a bowl of rice “laced with chicken fat,” New Yorker critic Hannah Goldfield writes in her latest review. She writes that the chili crab dish — of which there is one on every table — comes with “succulent and sweet” crab in a “briny” sauce that’s “just a little spicy.” The crabs are “as good as they look” and served with fried, “squishy” buns; she writes that she’ll return for this dish alone — which she only knew before because of the movie Crazy Rich Asians.

Restaurants plan to cut back on staff and raise prices this year, survey says

New York’s restaurants say they will cut back on staff and reduce workers’ hours this year to offset rising minimum wage costs, Crains New York reports. Nearly half of the full-service restaurants that responded to a recent survey say they’ll eliminate jobs this year, compared to only 36 percent last year, according to the New York City Hospitality Alliance, the lobbying group that conducted the survey. And three-quarters of the 575 respondents — which included both full-service and fast-food restaurants — say they plan to reduce employee hours this year, too. Most of the restaurants also plan to increase menu prices in 2019, according to Crains.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que reopens today in Harlem

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s Harlem location will reopen today after a fire forced it closed for over a month. Doors open this afternoon at 4 p.m., when free music, Champagne, and barbecue will flow. The restaurant located at 700 West 125th St., bordering Henry Hudson Parkway, is considered one of NYC’s best for barbecue.

Here’s where government employees can get a free meal today

Government employees who miss their first paycheck today can stop by the Juice Shop’s six locations, Sushi by Bou in the Flatiron, or Sidebar in Union Square for free meals. Starting today, restaurateur Michael Sinensky is offering free breakfast, lunch, and dinner at each venue, respectively, until the federal government shutdown ends or until employees’ pay is reinstated, according to a spokesperson. To participate, affected employees should email shutdown@funbars.com or call (212) 677-2900.