57808 Thu Jan 08 19:53:12 -0800 2004 11 2 Los Angeles Area 0 302076 According to J.G., this is now the best place in the SGV for Dim Sum, if not for everything. Anyone else been? Link: http://www.laweekly.com/food/ Thu Jan 08 19:53:12 -0800 2004 0 Bob Brooks 1 302087 I was there yesterday, with a Taiwanese friend who did most of the ordering. We both thought the dim sum was quite fine but not out of this world, and probably not worth the higher prices compared to your average SGV dim sum palace. (I haven't been to Sea Harbour yet, can't compare.) To me, the best things were the desserts, which did seem to have superb ingredients and clear strong flavors. We didn't try the suckling pig that JG loves so much, but the roast duck was very tasty. It is a very pretty place and (on a weekday, anyway) nice and quiet, with attentive service. Very good place for a business lunch. For a big rowdy meal with family I think I might prefer some top-notch place with carts. I can't speak to the dinner menu, but the banquet selections are a fun read--banquets range from $328 to $888 per table, with such intriguing selections as "braised shark fin w/fresh crab meat in pumpkin cream"; "dried oyster & pig's tongue w/sea moss & lettuce"; "braised goose webs & spike sea cucumber in abalone sauce"; "double-boiled sweetened harsmar w/red dates & lotus seeds"; and the irresistable-sounding "braised e-fu noodle w/shrimp roe in abalone sauce". Thu Jan 08 20:56:35 -0800 2004 302076 0 PayOrPlay 2 302148 LOL. Reminds me of the "braised ox penis in velvet" (honestly!) I saw last year at a small Chinese restaurant on Garvey last year. Fri Jan 09 11:18:02 -0800 2004 302087 0 Ernie 1 302102 I took my daughter there last weekend - The setting, in the middle of the San Gabriel Old Town/Mission has real character and charm - something sorely lacking from other Dim Sum joints. The Dim Sum was no better or worse than other places. I've been to virtually all the highly lauded ones (Hong Kong, Sea Harbor, Ocean, 888, Empress etc...) and really have a difficult time distinguishing between them. The Suckling Pig was good - great skin - like creme brulee. I wasn't crazy about the Jellyfish that came with it. FWIW, I'll take Din Tai Fung over all of them. It tastes cleaner and fresher - perhaps because stuff isn't deep fried. Coachboy Thu Jan 08 22:32:05 -0800 2004 302076 0 Coachboy 2 302406 Yes, but Din Tai Fung isn't a dim sum restaurant. Tue Jan 13 04:11:01 -0800 2004 302102 0 Bert 1 302105 "According to J.G., this is now the best place in the SGV for Dim Sum, if not for everything. Anyone else been?" I've been meaning to post this, but it's just hearsay... According to my Chinese mother-in-law (located at ground zero, Monterey Park), the original chef that was hired at Mission 261 split after only a month. (You might remember my heads up a few months ago.) She ate there during the grand opening, and said it was awesome. That right there is high praise indeed. However, she never made it back for a second visit. Her friends soon reported that a new chef was in town. All of them reported that the food at that point was "just average." They're now back to their regular haunts. You can use that info however you want. I haven't been myself, although I wish I did go during that first month. Also keep in mind that my MIL and her friends are in their late 50s, hyper-traditionalist Cantonese, and not interested in nouveau "pumpkin cream" sauces. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/55113#285107 Thu Jan 08 22:37:42 -0800 2004 302076 0 Joe B. 2 302145 So the question now is...where is this VunderChef currently employed (hopefully with wok in hand)? Fri Jan 09 11:04:10 -0800 2004 302105 0 gj 2 302186 "Also keep in mind that my MIL and her friends are in their late 50s, hyper-traditionalist Cantonese, and not interested in nouveau "pumpkin cream" sauces." Well that make them all impeccably credible in my book! Fri Jan 09 14:55:48 -0800 2004 302105 0 Chino Wayne 3 302193 Yeah, really -- do tell us where your MIL and her friends eat! Much appreciated. Fri Jan 09 16:10:46 -0800 2004 302186 0 Stan 1 302156 I'm gonna agree with most of the other posters. Nice on the inside, which you don't get a most dim sum places. My bill was kinda high for 2 people on weekend, but they run a weekday special that I think is a lot cheaper. Also, you order from a menu and don't get to peek inside steam carts, which I feel takes away a little bit from the usual dim sum experience. I went about 2 or 3 weeks ago. The Singapore curry noodles were great! The egg rolls are fancy-looking but only so-so. Everything else I'd say was good, but not blow your socks off. Fri Jan 09 12:37:04 -0800 2004 302076 0 kotatsu 2 302163 I went there in early December. Many of the items in the English menu that looked interesting were canceled out. The waitress had considerable difficulty understanding what we were saying - and the dimsum, while good, was not outstanding (a la Din Tai Fung) - so not a good value. Looks like a good place for dinner though. Fri Jan 09 13:35:43 -0800 2004 302156 0 Suvro 1 302354 Just returned from dim sum there an hour ago. For my money, I think it's a notch above the usual dim sum palaces in the area -- the BBQ roast pork was flavorful and had a nice amount of fat, the dumplings were excellent and the greens came in a rich, garlicky broth instead of the usual gloppy brown sauce. I also liked that we ordered from the menu rather from carts -- the food was freshly cooked and hot, sauces hadn't had time to sit and congeal, etc. The food's pricier than most, but then some of the portions are bigger. I was, however, surprised to see that we were charged for tea -- $2.60 for 2 pots. One outstanding thing about the place was the service. The wait staff was friendly and attentive -- not the usual grimacing, brusque bunch. Thumbs up. Sun Jan 11 18:14:52 -0800 2004 302076 0 maria49