A few weeks ago, It’s In Queens asked me to compile a list of hidden dining gems in the World’s Borough. I kept it to seven — a number near and dear to my heart and stomach as the 7 train (aka International Express) is how I first learned about Queens cuisine some 20 years ago.

It was hard to limit the list to just seven places. So now that indoor dining has partially reopened, I have a perfect excuse to shine a weekly spotlight on the borough’s other amazing restaurants, shops, and cafes.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, this post’s spotlight shines on a great place in Elmhurst called “Taiwanese Specialties.” Also known as “Taiwanese Gourmet,” this restaurant has a vast menu of delicacies, including night market favorite Yen Su Ji, or Salted Crispy Fried Chicken, and Gua Bao, sumptuous pork belly topped with greens and sweet peanuts cradled in a fluffy bun. The fried pork chops are also excellent, and the A Cai, greens with garlic, is a great way to round out a meal.

Since it’s cold outside, I suggest the Oyster in Thin Noodle 蚵仔麵線 (Hézǐ Miàn Xiàn / Orh Ah Mee Sua in Taiwanese). Made from a thick stock and teeming with meaty oysters and bits of pig intestine, it’s a great way to warm up.

Joe DiStefano, who wrote this post, in the Queens Tourism Council’s Official Foodie. Known as the “Man who ate Queens,” the Elmhurst resident runs a great blog on local bites and leads dining tours, among other savory and sweet activities.