SGV + Chinese + Full Bar + Reservations = ?

[odub]

My father-in-law's birthday is coming up and because we'll have a bigger group, we thought some nicely upscale-y Chinese spot would be a good idea. Normally, I would have gone with DTF but 1) they don't take reservations and perhaps even more importantly, 2) they don't have a full bar (not my requirement but "other members of the party" would like one).

I guess Sea Harbour or Fu Shing would be reasonable alternatives but am wondering if there's any other place people might recommend?

Thanks!

[ipsedixit]

Please do not go to Fu-Shing when there are so many better alternatives that fit your criteria.

Aside from Sea Harbour that you've already mentioned, there's 888, Ocean Star, Lunasia, Empress Harbor, and that's just in the West SGV. In the East SGV -- Rowland Heights to be specific -- you have Happy Harbour which is also a very good choice.

[odub]

Thanks Ipsedixit: I figured you'd chime in. Personally, I'd rather avoid Cantonese (but my FIL does like seafood and it seems like they have more full bars than any Shanghainese spot I could find.) Off your list, which do you like best, for the food?

[ipsedixit]

I'd probably rank them in this order:

Sea Harbour
Elite
Lunasia
888
Ocean Star

Cheers!

[suvro]

Is 888 good for dinner? I have never been there except for the dimsum lunch, so I ask.

The one time we went for dinner to New Capital Seafood in the San Gabriel Square Mall, we were so surprised at how bad the food was that I left scratching my head that how this same restaurant does such a great lunch business (often the waits can be over 20 minutes in the pandemonium) can produce such bad dinner food.

We had a similar bad experience in the also popular Full House in Arcadia and I had tentatively concluded it was wise to avoid having dinner at the popular dimsum places. Perhaps I need to revise that opinion.

[ipsedixit]

Yes, in fact 888 is better at dinner in my opinion (that's probably the case for all of the Cantonese restaurants that offer dim sum).

At dinner, have to order the right dishes -- e.g. seafood -- and not the dishes that are merely "filler" for the menu.

[estone888]

It does have some pretty nice non-seafood Chiu Chau dishes. I'm fond of their Chiu Chau style chicken with fried chili leaves (I don't know the characters or a reasonable Pinyin for it, but I know it as something like "chun chiu gai"), they have good Chiu Chau style goose, a lot of people I know are fond of their minced pigeon in lettuce leaves (me - not so much, but friends of mine always like it.) And I do think their seafood can be excellent.

[ipsedixit]

Agree about the chiu chow dishes. Also think that 888 does a nice rendition of squab with black fungus

[raytamsgv]

I've had some very good dinners at 888. I don't recall the exact dishes, but I think their dinners are better than dim sum. I love their dim sum, BTW.

I'm not a fan of Full House's dinners. I think their both their dinner and dim sum items are of average quality--passable, but I'd rather eat elsewhere if possible.

[estone888]

Elite.