662313 Sun Oct 25 23:36:43 -0700 2009 37 2 Los Angeles Area 0 5130869 Anybody know of a great authentic Chinese restaurant around the downtown area? I'm specifically looking for great dumplings, and also a kind of pan-fried noodles that I once had at the famous Joe's Shanghai in Flushing, NY. The noodles were thin and golden and crispy, but when drenched in this dark sauce, becomes soft and pliable. I'm not interested in American-Chinese food, or boring common items like General Tsao or kung pao chicken. I want authentic Chinese food, the kind that brings back nostalgia to one who was brought up eating Chinese food! Thanks! :-) Sun Oct 25 23:36:43 -0700 2009 1108992 burp_excuzme 1 5131134 I don't really know of any Northern Chinese places for dumplings in the Downtown / China Town area. The noodle dish that you describe is simply chow mein with crispy noodles. The sauce usually varies from light to dark depending on what type of meat / seafood you order with the noodles. Mon Oct 26 06:39:24 -0700 2009 5130869 10883 JAB 1 5131961 I believe there have been a number of threads regarding the LA equivalent of the dumplings you have referenced. I do not recall any Shanghai-style restaurant in the downtown/Chinatown area. The real place to get Shanghai-style food (or food from just about any part of China) would be the San Gabriel Valley. From your description, the noodle dish would be Cantonese/Hong Kong style chow mein. While this is the default style in most Cantonese/HK restaurants in the SGV, it is not always true elsewhere. Make sure you order it with the crispy noodle. Mon Oct 26 10:59:39 -0700 2009 5130869 17644 raytamsgv 1 5132725 Only somewhat authentic non-Cantonese restaurant I can think of is Mandarin Chateau on North Broadway. I think they have XLB, but that might be it for their "dumpling" selection. Mon Oct 26 15:13:00 -0700 2009 5130869 10131 Chandavkl 1 5132741 The type of noodles you are looking for can be found at Kim Chuy (on Broadway and Ord) Mon Oct 26 15:19:44 -0700 2009 5130869 11583 ipsedixit 1 5132948 I don't think you'll find much in the way of dumplings but I still find Hop Li one of the best Chinese restaurants in Chinatown on Alpine St. They have a variety of noodles and the best darn stir fried lobster my family has ever had. Mon Oct 26 16:36:58 -0700 2009 5130869 12033 Hughlipton 2 5133742 Wow! I looked up on the menu, and they've got an extensive menu for noodles! Cool! Thank you! Tue Oct 27 01:36:29 -0700 2009 5132948 1108992 burp_excuzme 3 5136962 If you try it report back. I tout this place so often you would think I owned an interest in it (which I do not). I just love their food. Wed Oct 28 07:25:31 -0700 2009 5133742 12033 Hughlipton 2 5167368 Having read your review on this restaurant, I gave it a try last night. I really wanted to like it. We tried first a couple of items, prior to ordering the stir fried lobster. Sesame spare ribs and chicken and asparagus, etc. They were so bad, I couldn't justify spending more on the lobster dish. (salty, greasy and bland) Not to mention the wait staff. All of the uniforms were so dirty, and our server was leaning on a table next to us, tending to his finger nails, right in front of us, Gross! There must be better Chinatown restaurants. Mon Nov 09 10:34:32 -0800 2009 5132948 11649 xoxohh 3 5168690 Across the street from Hop Li, Zen Mei Bistro. Check out their $9.99 lobster special. Order $20 worth of food and get a free item. They got thin pan fried noodles...ask for the three flavor pan fried noodles. Also other noodle place I like is Hong Kong BBQ (formerly Sam Woo BBQ) on Broadway. Mon Nov 09 17:38:05 -0800 2009 5167368 11914 monku 3 5170302 Well Hughlipton did qualify his statement by saying Hop Li was one of the best Chinese Restaurants in Chinatown. I personally don't agree, but whatever the best in Chinatown is, the ceiling isn't very high Tue Nov 10 10:30:58 -0800 2009 5167368 10131 Chandavkl 4 5170312 For non dim sum, I dare say that the best in Chinatown might be Yang Chow. That's saying quite a bit because I think on a good day Panda Express can outdo whatever Yang Chow is putting out of its back kitchen. Tue Nov 10 10:35:27 -0800 2009 5170302 11583 ipsedixit 5 5170768 Translation: This is more of a knock on Chinatown that a recommendation for Yang Chow. However, I think we might be guilty of a little piling on. I've had some pretty good meals at Golden City on Hill St., and Mayflower over on Spring. However unless the I-10 east is really jammed, I'm headed out that way instead (and not to the Pasadena Yang Chow). Tue Nov 10 13:03:25 -0800 2009 5170312 10131 Chandavkl 6 5170823 I almost fear that in 10 years people like you and me will be talking about west SGV -- e.g., Monterey Park/Alhambra/San Gabriel -- the way we do about Chinatown today. The east SGV -- e.g., Rowland Heights and environs -- may quickly supplant west SGV as the epicenter of Chinese grub. Tue Nov 10 13:19:04 -0800 2009 5170768 11583 ipsedixit 7 5170888 That's funny, I always refer to the East SGV as the "3rd coming" with West SGV as the "2nd coming" and Chinatown as the original. Tue Nov 10 13:41:39 -0800 2009 5170823 10883 JAB 7 5170941 Who knows what the future may bring. For all we know, in 10 years, Riverside might become the new epicenter of Chinese cuisine. When I was younger, none of my relatives in Chinatown ever thought they would move out to the suburbs. But that's where they are these days. Tue Nov 10 14:01:39 -0800 2009 5170823 17644 raytamsgv 8 5170947 Maybe it'll be the foodie version of Manifest Destiny ... why stop at Riverside? Maybe the Chinese food domination will spread out all the way to Blythe! Tue Nov 10 14:05:01 -0800 2009 5170941 11583 ipsedixit 9 5170958 Oklahoma, here we come! Tue Nov 10 14:10:27 -0800 2009 5170947 17644 raytamsgv 3 5171419 It doesn't even come close to sounding like the restaurant I eat at called Hop Li. To be fair though I would be more than happy after the first of the year to have you and your guest be my guest including lobster but I must be in charge of the ordering. I also bring the wine. Let's click chopsticks together and discuss the respective dishes. Tue Nov 10 17:49:49 -0800 2009 5167368 12033 Hughlipton 4 5171724 Are you talking to me? We may just take you up on it :) Tue Nov 10 20:11:55 -0800 2009 5171419 11649 xoxohh 5 5172481 Anytime after the first of the year. Wed Nov 11 07:35:40 -0800 2009 5171724 12033 Hughlipton 6 5172492 OK. We look very much forward to it!! Wed Nov 11 07:40:56 -0800 2009 5172481 11649 xoxohh 4 5172988 Isn't Hop Li a chain? I think there's one on Arcadia. i have to say i wasn't impressed with it. Wed Nov 11 10:20:44 -0800 2009 5171419 10332 mc michael 5 5173101 I guess four branches (2 other branches in WLA on Pico and Santa Monica) would make it a chain. Wed Nov 11 10:54:58 -0800 2009 5172988 10131 Chandavkl 6 5173640 Is being a chain a bad thing? Yang Chow has at least three locations that I know of. They get favorable reviews and yet they seem to be a chain. Wed Nov 11 13:45:24 -0800 2009 5173101 12033 Hughlipton 7 5173740 To keep this on topic, I frequent the Yang Chow in Woodland Hills and, now that I've developed a rapport with Claire in the front of the house, I can get my dishes just as spicy as I could possibly want. They have dumbed down a bit (eliminated jellyfish, for example) but still it's the best combination of good eats and proximity to home. And no, being a chain isn't necessarily a bad thing. Arguably Per Se and French Laundry are a chain. To my mind (and I think to the minds of many Hounds and non-Hounds alike) "chain" connotes something like Denny's or California Pizza Kitchen, places with a corporate infrastructure dictating menu choices and ingredients. But In n Out and Bob's Big Boy (there are at least 2 left and a new one just opened) are "chains" and both are favorites of mine and highly rated on this board. As I see it, the problem with a "chain" is that almost always you lose the individuality of the chef of the original and you end up with restaurant clones. Not necessarily a bad thing if what you're seeking is uniformity whether you're in California or Maine. Can I get in on the lobster event and yes you can be in charge of ordering! Wed Nov 11 14:21:13 -0800 2009 5173640 14405 TomSwift 8 5174299 Come on Tom. Fess up. You were interested in the wine weren't you? Wed Nov 11 17:37:58 -0800 2009 5173740 12033 Hughlipton 9 5176228 Yup, always interested in the wine. But we'll hold up our end of the stick by bringing a few bottles as well. Although I must confess ("fess") I'm not sure what type of wine would pair best with what you'd order. Please adivse. Thu Nov 12 11:44:06 -0800 2009 5174299 14405 TomSwift 8 5176988 The Yang Chow in Pasadena is one of my worst restaurant experiences. They can't pay me to go back! Thu Nov 12 15:23:01 -0800 2009 5173740 27669 suvro 9 5177136 I have a co-worker in another state that insists that we do a Yang Chow run every time he comes in to LA. Gotta get his Slippery Shrimp fix. Me... not so much! Thu Nov 12 16:28:11 -0800 2009 5176988 1124086 eddiesudz 10 5177875 I think slippery shrimp tastes best eaten no more than once a year. Thu Nov 12 22:48:22 -0800 2009 5177136 10332 mc michael 7 5174273 Yes, I agree in principle with your point on chains. Chain or not, I've grown less enamored of Yang Chow over time. Wed Nov 11 17:21:52 -0800 2009 5173640 10332 mc michael 7 5174454 Yang Chow is awful -- chain, or otherwise. Wed Nov 11 18:52:33 -0800 2009 5173640 11583 ipsedixit 8 5176264 But remember that in the west SFV it's slim pickins' when it comes to Chinese. And most nights I'm too tired to drive over to A&W. The day was saved (sort of) when I was able to convince them that when I said "spicy" I really meant spicy. My Chowhound Passport got a chuckle but really didn't help much. Thu Nov 12 11:57:43 -0800 2009 5174454 14405 TomSwift 9 5176913 Reisling? Thu Nov 12 14:52:43 -0800 2009 5176264 10332 mc michael 1 5169058 Forget these places. Go to CBS on Ord & Spring. They might not have exactly what you want, but what they have will be good. Mon Nov 09 20:22:00 -0800 2009 5130869 10332 mc michael 1 5169321 You should go a few miles east really to Alhambra. No doubt about it. Mon Nov 09 23:54:18 -0800 2009 5130869 233427 tenxtone76 1 5180121 My two cents: Downtown doesn't have a "great authentic Chinese restaurant" that I'm aware of. For decent Chinese-y Chinese food, Try: Mayflower CBS/ABC Yum Cha Cafe (basically fast-food/usually v. crowded) Avoid: Hop Li (among the worst in town, on about every level) Still working my way through Chinatown and have a very long way to go. See endless previous threads for (lack of) NY-style Chinese food. Fri Nov 13 17:15:56 -0800 2009 5130869 15494 cant talk...eating