Editor’s Note: Mama’s Lu and Mama Lu’s both reside on Garvey Ave and have different owners. San Gabriel Valley has some of the best Chinese food LA has to offer. Ground zero for some of the best eateries seems to be Monterey Park, Rosemead, Alhambra, and Rowland Heights. I decided to stay in Monterey Park…
Chinese
Iron Teapot Delivers Quality Dim Sum to the Westside
Dim sum is a Chinese meal of small plates best enjoyed in the company of family and friends. Due to the large Chinese population in San Gabriel Valley, the majority of dim sum restaurants reside there, I learned about Iron Teapot, a dim sum restaurant opening on the westside. My daughter and I visited during…
Rice Box – Flavorful Cantonese BBQ in DTLA
A growing trend taking place is the number of second and third generation immigrants that are following in the footsteps of their parents’ restaurant livelihood. The generation raised here is influenced by modern cooking techniques exhibited by many LA restaurants. An example of this is Rice Box, a modern Cantonese BBQ restaurant located in downtown…
Popular Elite Restaurant Re-opens for Take-Out
Dim Sum Restaurants usually consist of large banquet rooms packed with hungry customers. They are extremely popular and waiting lists are quickly form. These restaurants have largely been closed since March and a couple of them in Monterey Park recently opened. One such establishment is Elite Restaurant. The experience now is completely different. The parking…
101 Noodle Express, a Top Notch Chinese Noodle House
LA area restaurants remain closed and have had to transition to make-shift patios and take-out. One thing I’ve learned from the pandemic experience is that take out food is best enjoyed soon after you receive it. For a couple of days, I decided to change my home base and stay in San Gabriel so that…
Dan Modern Chinese Offers Delicious Soup Dumplings
LA foodies immediately took notice when Din Tai Fung opened its doors in Arcadia, Suddenly soup dumplings were the rage of LA and lines quickly formed around Din Tai Fung. Since that time others such as Dan Modern Chinese have entered the competitive LA market. Dan Modern Chinese is located in Japantown, a busy ¾…
Week 10 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
Thursday, May 28, was National Hamburger Day. As a result, I had a hankering for a good burger. I haven’t experienced Goldburger’s double cheeseburger and went for it this week. The other two stops were at Mariscos Jalisco and Din Tai Fung. Goldburger Allen Yelent started as an Instagram account showcasing great burgers that he…
Celebrating Lunar New Year at A-1 Chinese BBQ
Lunar New Year is a Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. It is a major holiday in China and Taiwan and is also celebrated worldwide in regions and countries with a significant Chinese population. I invited my friend Dean to try a relatively unknown South Bay…
Yang’s Kitchen Succeeds with Asian Fusion in the SGV
Many years ago, I frequented the Alhambra / Monterey Park area on a regular basis. As I recall, the scene was very much Chinese cuisine with BBQ shops, bakeries and stinky tofu eateries. As I drove through Alhambra, I was surprised to see the changes: ramen shops, Vietnamese food, and some Southeast Asian digs. The…
Ruiji Brings SGV-Quality Sichuan to the South Bay
China is a huge country with many provinces. Because of the differences in geography, climate, and natural resources, regional Chinese cuisine varies widely. In the United States, Panda Express has popularized Mandarin cuisine, but until Ruiji Sichuan Cuisine opened, Sichuan dishes were mostly confined to restaurants in San Gabriel Valley. Ruiji Sichuan Cuisine opened about…