Courting the hungry in Sunset Park

Visitors and residents of southwest Brooklyn’s Chinatown nowhave a host of flavors available in one spot.

Fei Long Food Court, located at the corner of Eighth Avenue and63rd Street, opened earlier this month in the space that used tohouse Fei Long Supermarket – the main place for shoppers from allover Brooklyn to buy Chinese and other Asian-brand goods.

The new Food Court features 11 types of cuisine, from Chinesedumplings to American-style steak, from Japanese sushi or teriyakito Malaysian hot pot. There are also areas selling yogurt, pancakesand waffles, as well as an area for large family-stylebanquets.

Eighth Avenue is a whole strip and when it’s too cold or hot out,people have trouble finding a place [to eat], said Denny Chen, areal estate broker with Ritz Realty NY, which manages the space. Afood court is ideal for young and old people. It helps withoutreach, too.

The food court was officially welcomed on Monday, December 18, bycommunity and business leaders who gathered with shoppers for aribbon-cutting ceremony and champagne toast.

Hundreds of people streamed in and out, lining up around andrelaxing in seats in the central eating courtyard, where tableswere adorned with red envelope origami in the shape of Christmastrees, and orange-red-and-gold streamers alternated with flowerscarved in watermelons amidst steaming trays of crab and roastpork.