Back in the 19XX’s, a new Chinese restaurant opened up in my town in the New York suburbs that served Szechuan food. It was a huge departure from the traditional Cantonese cuisine dominant in the U.S., embodied by the conventional egg rolls, spare ribs, and chicken chow mein. Nowadays, things have come full circle, as all the crazy diversions to Flushing have left us wanting for the simplicity of that era. I’d give my right arm for a great egg roll, and a few fingers more for some pungent old school Chinese mustard.
Well those days might be gone, but with the arrival of Hibino, Long Island City finally gets its first breakout restaurant.1 Sometimes we need to have a little Brooklyn come to us, in order for us to get a little of the good stuff that comes out of Brooklyn. Hibino LIC is the spin-off from a restaurant of the same name located in Cobble Hill. That restaurant regularly has long lines out the door, and if my recent experience at LIC’s version is any indication, my advice would be to go there before this one does too.
We don’t do restaurant reviews here at LICtalk, but between the food, service, and ambiance at Hibino LIC, we will say that it’s opening here is as good a sign as any that Long Island City has arrived restaurant-wise. So enjoy the coming out party, and here’s hoping that more are right behind it.
Hibino LIC’s website – per a regular at Cobble Hill: “Hibino means ‘daily’, and many of the best dishes are their obanzai, or daily specials, which can be found online.
$2.15 Million Townhouse Sale Sets Record In LIC – over in Court Square on townhouse row, needs work
Five27 in LIC Sells Out – all 27 units are gonzo
Largest Condo Unit at Arris Lofts Sold For Over a Million – but less than $700 a sq ft?
LIC Landing To Open May 15 – this is the outdoor space in Hunters Point Park, aka Da Beer Garden!
Dutch Kills Suing Centraal Over …”Dutch Kills” – me thinks the lawyers end up on top in this squabble
LIC Waterfront Park Gets Some New Blood – if you want blood, you got it!
5Pointz Owner Defends Right To Gentrify Area
- Tournesol came before LIC in its present incarnation [↩]
calpio says
March 14, 2014 at 11:14 pmThe idea that Dutch Kills Centraal and Dutch Kills are a few blocks away is madness. It’s a 13 minute walk. If you want to get precise, it’s 0.6 miles, which is equivalent to 12 city blocks. You can’t accidentally end up at a burger bar that serves beer and three types of wine if you’re trying to get to a mixology bar! It’s clear on a map. It’s clear on search. It’s clear on social media. As for the trademark issue, what’s next? LIC Market suing LIC Talk? I came to this blog looking for cold brewed coffee and don’t see any! How dare you!