Chinese Restaurants in North Orange County

[mpierce]

I've been searching for a good chinese restaurant in the Buena Park/Fullerton area. Based on the recommendations on this Board, I went to Mandarin Palace in Fullerton last Friday.

It was absolutely the WORST chinese food I've ever had. I work in downtown L.A., so I get to enjoy the food in Chinatown. However, I also enjoy restaurants like P.F. Chang, Yang Chow, and even, Pick up Stix. The food was so bad, we just threw everything away!! I ordered the Shredded Pork with the spicy sauce; Pan Fried Noodles; Aromatic Shrimp (this was "okay"); and Kung Pao Chicken.

I will never order from there again!!!!

[quinntran]

I like King Harbor in Garden Grove..... great salt and pepper shrimp and lobster....... Newport Seafood is also good but is more Vietnamese in preperation.....

[notmartha]

One restaurant that's pretty good if you like Mandarin style chinese food is Chu's Wok Inn in Orange (near Crystal Cathedral). Food is favorful and not at all greasy. Price is a bit higher than most chinese restaurants.

Obviously if you can go further north there are many good chinese restaurants in the SGV.

[monku]

PF Changs and Yang Chow are Americanized Chinese restaurants so maybe you wouldn't appreciate authentic Chinese food if you had it.

How about Cerritos.
Can't remember but I went to a wedding banquet at some Chinese seafood place on South Street and it was as good as any banquet place in Monterey Park. There are a bunch of Chinese restaurants down South Street. Maybe some Cerritos CH's know places.

There's a Sam Woo down there, I won't vouch for it because I've never been there. Sam Woo is kind of a loosely held name licensing company and not a franchise in the strict sense...you might try that.

Sam Woo Seafood & BBQ
19008 Pioneer Blvd
Cerritos, CA 90703
[phone]

[Chandavkl]

Good point. Depending on where the poster is, Cerritos/Artesia might be quite a bit closer. The Sam Woo in Cerritos is pretty good--above average for that chain. Other good places in Cerritos/Artesia are Ten Ten Seafood in the 99 Ranch Market shopping center on Pioneer Bl. and Happy House on Norwalk Bl. near South Street. Also, don't know if Prince Seafood, 11828 South St., re-opened after their kitchen fire, but that'll stack up against anything in Monterey Park (though it's quite pricey). Also, check out several smaller places in the shopping center at 183rd and Pioneer. These are all better than Chinatown quality places.

[monku]

I knew there had to be places down in Cerritos. I was surprised when I went to that banquet and saw all those places. Anywhere there's a 99 Ranch Market there are going to be "good" Chinese restaurants close by.

[Das Ubergeek]

Except Van Nuys... that Sam Woo's not exactly the shining star of the chain, and there's really nothing else nearby. (Now, Vietnamese, that's a different story -- the bun dau hu ky at Pho So 1 is excellent.)

[zruilong]

Was never a big fan of that Sam Woo. Standard Fare.

Two of my favorite restaurants outside of the SGV are Little Bean (Lu Dou Miao) on Norwalk and Spicy Shabu Shabu (Qiang Qiang Gun??). Little Bean used to/still does make their own xiao long bao, guo tie, and jiao zi. Last time I was there, the XLB was not as good as in the past...I believe this was due to the family being on vacation for several weeks, I got some of the frozen ones. First day back after reopening, they didn't have those fresh.

Spicy Shabu Shabu is on Pioneer. I like their water boiled dishes (shui zhu niu rou) and their zha jiang mian, it has a test closer to what I remember in Beijing (salty, not sweet like the korean influenced variety).

In the same mall as shabu shabu is Kim Tar. I like their cheap duck, noodle soups. Don't go for the letter grade or cleanliness...just goodness.

Spicy Shabu Shabu
18323 Pioneer Blvd Artesia, CA 90701

Little Bean
18902 Norwalk Blvd Artesia, CA

[Chandavkl]

Don't think it was one of us that made that recommendation. See response to query a month ago about north Orange County Chinese food.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Das Ubergeek]

Well, P.F. Chang, Yang Chow and Pick Up Stix aren't on many chowhounds' lists of the best Chinese food in LA.

You need to head over the hill to Rowland Heights and start exploring. It's maybe a 15-minute drive from downtown Fullerton on a good day. I'll start you off by telling you Malan Noodles is excellent.

[elmomonster]

Listen to Das Ubergeek. Go over the hill on Harbor until it turns into Fullerton Rd and meets with Colima. Go a little further, right before the 60, and hang a right into Diamond Plaza. Park and go up the stairs to New Capital. Enjoy an exhilariting good dim sum brunch (or seafood dinner) for cheap.

PHOTOS:
http://elmomonster.blogspot.com/2006/07/new-capital-rowland-heights.html

This is just the start. There are so many other places that will dazzle your senses and leave your finances in tact.

http://elmomonster.blogspot.com