Fire it up at Fat Ni BBQ: "Chicken, good!"

After this winter, you’re antsy for grilling season! But summer’s still a couple of months away. 

Sigh. 

Don’t worry. Get your temporary fix from Flushing’s BBQ skewer carts like Fat Ni BBQ (at the corner of Prince Street and 39th Avenue, Flushing). As a bonus, you can check off “tried world-famous Xinjiang kaorou chuan’r” from your bucket list. 

As with Xinjiang kaorou joints, Fat Ni BBQ's serving speed is impressive. Two cooks serve a steady crowd.* The seasoned cooks juggle multiple orders, arithmetic, and cooking with ease.

Options—in both English and Chinese—are located front and center on the panel above the grill, with respective prices. The ordering process is as with most street food vendors: designate a ringleader to approach the cooks. When a cook turns around to take the next order, your main guy or gal requests flavors and quantities of kebab sticks.

Go ahead and try 'em all! Beef, chicken, and lamb skewers each go for $1.25. No matter what flavor you order, rest assured that it'll be freshly laced with the same Xinjiang-inspired medley of cumin seeds, pepper flakes, and salt.

If this is your first time trying Xinjiang kaorou chuan'r, consider easing into the waters with Fat Ni BBQ’s chicken skewers. The chicken pieces are both juicier and almost a fourth larger than the lamb and beef cuts. 

Where the magic happens!

Magic happening, from a more Instagram-y angle.

May Flushing Food suggest: standing downwind, unless you want your clothes smelling like kitchen.

* http://www.yelp.com/biz/fat-ni-bbq-cart-flushing

Picture credits: Helen Y.