318458 Thu Aug 17 18:17:38 -0700 2006 7 2 Los Angeles Area 0 1815034 Planning on getting married August of next year. I know that the Huntington Library/Park is on our short list for photos. Is there a fantastic Chinese restaurant for the reception afterwards? Within a 10-15 mile radius? You know, the one where we sit down and eat a 10 or 12 course dinner. Thu Aug 17 18:17:38 -0700 2006 18151 munchies 1 1815587 You might check out Mission 261 in San Gabriel, just up the street from the San Gabriel Mission, and not too far south of the Huntington Library. They have a banquet room and we did a banquet there for a business function. Thu Aug 17 21:18:45 -0700 2006 1815034 10059 ChinoWayne 1 1816330 If you'll sub for great Thai consider Saladong Song. Their upstairs can accommodate. Saladang Song 383 S. Fair Oaks Ave. 626-793-5200 :) KQ Good Luck! Fri Aug 18 03:30:11 -0700 2006 1815034 11934 Kitchen Queen 1 1817455 You could go to just about every big Chinese restaurant (especially Cantonese seafood types) and have a good spread of food: 888 Sea Food (Rosemead) Empress Harbor (Monterey Park) Mission 261 (Rosemead) MPV Seafood (Alhambra) Usually, they offer fixed menus and prices per table (usually 10 persons per table). Just choose your favorite Chinese restaurant, and they'll be able to hold a banquet/reception. It's their biggest moneymaker, so they'll be happy to accomodate you. But make sure you book it early. The good restaurants will be booked months in advance. Fri Aug 18 17:27:34 -0700 2006 1815034 17644 raytamsgv 2 1818337 I take it that you've eaten at the four restaurants you've identified. Which is your top two choice in terms of food and decor? I am planning to be in town over the holiday weekend to check out restaurants as well as other sorts. Fri Aug 18 22:30:42 -0700 2006 1817455 18151 munchies 3 1818383 I can speak to two. Mission 261 is very well appointed with great interior. It's also one of the more expensive options. 888 is very popular for wedding banquets, so you may end up sharing the very large space with 1 or 2 other wedding parties. Asian weddings are very loud affairs with lots of amplified music and singing. Both of these have good parking. Fri Aug 18 22:47:11 -0700 2006 1818337 12082 PeterL 3 1819507 I've only eaten at three of them. I have not yet eaten at Mission 261, but I've heard good reports from friends and relatives. The food at the other three are excellent. I've actually been to wedding banquets at 888 and Empress Harbor. I've eaten at MPV. Unless you have a huge wedding party, you'll probably need to share the restaurant with one more more other wedding parties at 888 or Empress Harbor, as they are very popular. I know for certain that they have hotel-style partitions at Empress Harbor. They probably have them at 888 as well, but I'm not sure. You should ask. As another post indicates, Chinese wedding banquets are loud, noisy affairs. Unfortunately, the liquor seems to make out-of-tune, middle-aged folks think they can sing karaoke. MPV is probably the smallest of these. If you rent out this out, I would guess that you would probably share the restaurant with other diners but not with other wedding parties. In that case, your wedding party would be the loudest. Some things you should ask for: 1. How early you need to reserve the place? 2. How do they handle multiple wedding parties? 3. Get a fixed price banquet menu in both Chinese and English (get someone to translate the Chinese to make sure the English menu is correct). They will charge by the table. 4. Ask if drinks (soda, liquor) are included. 5. What is the down payment? 6. Do they provide sound equipment? Personally, I like Empress Harbor and 888, but it's really a matter of personal taste. I don't think you could go wrong with any of these four choices. The decor is reasonably good--clean and well-maintained, but I'm fashion-impaired, so you should probably ask someone else. :-) Sat Aug 19 18:05:29 -0700 2006 1818337 17644 raytamsgv 1 1818493 And don't forget to make a reservation with Huntington for your photo shoot. Fri Aug 18 23:38:17 -0700 2006 1815034 19786 dette