#1 Sea Harbour, #2 Elite, #3 ______ ?

[Peripatetic]

There seems to be broad agreement here that Sea Harbour and Elite are the top dim sum restaurants in the LA area. What would be contenders for third place?

Besides SH and Elite I've only been to Lunasia, which is okay but disappointing in comparison. Other candidates appear to be King Hua in Alhambra and Happy Harbor in Rowland Heights.

[Bob Brooks]

I ate at New Capital for the first time last week and thought it was the best dim sum I've ever had. While waiting for our table, we chatted with a Chinese woman who said she thought Sea Harbour was better. So, we tried it yesterday. It was certainly good, but IMHO, not better than New Capital.

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Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
3939 N. Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead, CA 91770, USA

New Capital
8823 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA

[martyR]

3. Lunasia
4. King Hua
5. 888

Has Mission 261 re-opened?

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Mission 261 Restaurant
261 S Mission Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

King Hua Restaurant
2000 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

[Peripatetic]

Mission 261 reopened in April but I can't find much in the way of commentary here about the food since reopening. Y*lp has some persuasively* negative reviews, though.

* Not (obviously) written by shills, anti-shills, or hipsters.

[wilafur]

yep, happy harbor is very good as well.

[degustateur]

888 (imho, best cart-driven dim sum in SoCal)

[Wonginator]

I don't get the hype about 888. I've gone here 3 times in the last 3 years, and each time has been an average or underwhelming experience. I went just 2 weeks ago, hoping my previous experiences were out of the norm. Nope, same as before.

To me, Empress Harbor and Ocean Star are easily superior, with other good choices like New Capital, Blue Ocean Seafood, and East Gourmet Seafood. Capital Seafood and NBC have fallen down my ranking list.

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Capital Seafood Restaurant
755 W Garvey Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91754

New Capital
8823 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA

East Gourmet Seafood Restaurant
8118 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770

Blue Ocean Seafood Restaurant
1412 S Garfield Ave, Alhambra, CA 91801

[Peripatetic]

Is Ocean Star still good? There were some negative reports last year after the former owner of NBC (reportedly) bought Ocean Star:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6321...

[Mr Taster]

Roll your eyes upward a few inches.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7225...

Mr Taster

[Peripatetic]

I was going for another datapoint. :)

[lapizzamaven]

As much as Ive loved Sea Harbour and Elite, I am kinda mesmerized by the cart experience....I had 2 great dim sum meals at Empress Pavillion...Where should I go in the SG Valley?

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Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
3939 N. Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead, CA 91770, USA

[mc michael]

I like Full House (but beware the house does get full).

[Peripatetic]

Which location do you prefer, the Chinatown one or the Arcadia one?

[monku]

No dim sum at the Chinatown location unless they've added it.

[mc michael]

Arcadia. Downtown I eat at CBS.

[raytamsgv]

888 in Rosemead or Empress Harbor in Monterey Park.

[ipsedixit]

Here's my list of Top 5 (combo of both cart and menu style)

1. Sea Harbour
2. Elite
3. Ocean Star (tie)
3. 888 (tie)
5. Empress Harbor

Every other place is essentially fungible -- e.g. Capital, King Hua, New Capital, etc.

[mc michael]

King Hua is pretty refined but Elite and Sea Harbour are really nice.

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Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
3939 N. Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead, CA 91770, USA

King Hua Restaurant
2000 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

[Peripatetic]

"refined" meaning a refined experience (like Lunasia), or refined food?

[mc michael]

the atmosphere, the milieu. but the food ain't bad either.

[Peripatetic]

Thanks.

[Mr Taster]

Ipse, I got scared away from Ocean Star a few years ago when there were some ownership changes and the quality apparently went down the toilet.... what's happened since then that they're tied with 888 on your list?

Mr Taster

[ipsedixit]

The upheaval in the back of the restaurant has affected the regular menu more than the dim sum side.