It is widely known that the best Vietnamese food may be found in Orange County. Over 189,000 Vietnamese Americans reside there making this the largest concentration of Vietnamese in the US. Westminster became known as Little Saigon and the area quickly spread into Garden Grove. In order to succeed, restaurant owners must tailor their food…
Noodles
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…
Loroco Bistro – Much More Than Salvadoran Pupusas
I will be the first to admit that I’m not knowledgeable about Salvadoran food. I’ve been to a few restaurants and even a food truck that serves Central American pupusas, but that is the extent of my venture into their cuisine. I recently learned of Loroco Bistro and decided to visit them. Loroco Bistro is…
Kotohira for Heavenly Japanese Udon Noodles
Twenty eight years ago, Tozai Plaza opened on the corner of Redondo Beach Blvd and Western Ave. in Gardena. The mini mall quickly became the buzz of the Japanese community because they opened new cutting edge restaurants. One of them was Kotohira and it is still operating today. As you drive by the busy intersection,…
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 11 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
On May 29, Mayor Eric Garcetti said that Los Angeles restaurants can reopen at 60% of their capacity and apply for outdoor dining permits, under social distancing guidelines. This caused many restaurants to scramble and figure out how to re-establish a new norm. In the meantime, many have elected to continue operating as “to go”…
Otafuku Restaurant, Where Soba Noodle Reigns King
Otafuku is a Japanese soba noodle house in Gardena that has been around for approximately 20 years. Despite their longevity, they are relatively unknown. I happened to find them while performing a Yelp search when I had a hankering for Japanese noodles. While Otafuku has a sign in front of the building, the blinds are…