calling expert hounds on various regional cuisines of chinese food in sgv/hacienda & rowland hgts..

[jacknhedy]

hi all. was wondering if a list can be put together listing region and the better restaurants that showcase its cuisine. additionally a comment about must-try dishes would be appreciated. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[K K]

I would give Bon Marche Bistro a try (rural Hong Kong/New Territories / Hakka Cantonese food).

Here's a great writeup from January

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/682331

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Bon Marche Bistro
331 W. Garvey Ave, #D, Monterey Park, CA 91754

[cant talk...eating]

Not about Carl Chu, but, I read that this place near me in San Gabriel, "Sweet Aroma Garden" (yes, that's its actual name) is the only place in town to get Fujianese food. There was a recent thread/subthread on it, and I have no idea if it's authentic or not, but we went the other night. It's a new place (4 mos), was deserted, so may not be long for this world. Ordered: chicken in red wine sauce (apparently this is a typical dish, per the waitress), fried whole fish (looked like a small striped bass - could that be?), and a thick rice noodle soup with shredded pork.

Overall, the general impression was one of glop. Not really bad though. The chicken had a very mild, unique flavor that was basically like a red wine reduction. Bright blood red. Really strange, but ok overall.

Soup was seriously cornstarch-y, like the old-fashioned egg drop soup, but in a massive portion that no two (or six people) could possibly finish.

The fish was out of this world. Obviously fresh/non-frozen, flash-fried, and prepared sort of split, lying on its stomach, if you can imagine. Unfortunately, they sabotaged it by dumping a pile of sweet La Choy-like sauce and the obligatory Birds-Eye peas and carrots atop it. Mmm. It was actually called something like "whole fish with cedar nut" and this referred to the 3rd item placed atop the fish - raw pine nuts.

So, maybe not your cup of tea. Oh yeah - the tea was luke warm. How can that even happen you may ask?

I don't know. I just don't know.

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Sweet Aroma Garden
800 W Las Tunas Dr #300, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[cant talk...eating]

Well that was fast - Sweet Aroma Garden appears to be shuttered aroma garden (at least as of Saturday night).

[Professor Salt]

A bit of a sidebar, but if you're interested in an overview of the area's regional food, you might want to check out Carl Chu's books. His first, Finding Chinese Food in Los Angeles, is a great guide and puts the area's restaruants in the context you're looking for.

Restaurants have opened and closed since it was published, but it's still informative and will guide you toward certain dishes to seek out.

http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Chinese...

[ipsedixit]

That book is really outdated. It was outdated 3 years after first publishing.

Now, in 2010 (soon 2011), it's more appropriate as a collector's item than a reference guide.

[Mr Taster]

http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Food-Fi...

Mr Taster

[ipsedixit]

Come again, Mr. Taster?

That book that you've linked to was first published in 2004, right?

We're approx. 6-7 years out. Many of the recs in that book are long gone (e.g Mandarin Noodle Deli in Chinatown, Oriental Pearl in Alhambra, AAA seafood, etc.) and fails to mention many of the new, or even newer, hotspots like Elite, New Chong Qing, Mama's Lu, JTYH, Qingdoa, etc.

Even the advanced scouts on this board -- Chandavkl, JThur01, J.L, etc. -- can't keep up with all the restaurants that close and sprout up like mushrooms after a heavy downpour.

[Mr Taster]

Just pointing out that there's a more recently updated book from the same author, hence the link with no commentary. But now I've commented. So, there it is.

Mr Taster

[Professor Salt]

I did say that the restaurants listed in the book have come and gone, yes?

I recommended the book on its context - of sorting out the different regional cuisines available, and the dishes that define those regional cuisines. That part of the book is still valid, and useful for someone like this OP who specifially asked for that context.

"problem is beyond basics, i don't know the proper regional differences. "

[ipsedixit]

I recommended the book on its context - of sorting out the different regional cuisines available, and the dishes that define those regional cuisines. That part of the book is still valid, and useful for someone like this OP who specifially asked for that context.

"problem is beyond basics, i don't know the proper regional differences. "

____________________________________

Fair enough, for that both of Chu's efforts are noteworthy.

That said, however, once you do read about the regional differences, you sort of need to know a place to sample each; otherwise all you've done is "read" about them without "eating" them.

Sort of like reading about Hawai'i in guide books, but then realizing that Hawai'i got swallowed up by a Tsunami and no longer exists.

Has the person really gained anything that a seasoned traveller would want?

[Mr Taster]

It seemed obvious to me that this is what Prof Salt was going for. Remember, a big part of the hesitation that non-Chinese people feel before stepping through the door of a real Chinese restaurant (or any restaurant not primarily intended for your culture) is ignorance. We didn't grow up with our mom cooking this stuff-- we had to learn about it. It's intimidating when you don't know what's going on, what to order, how to eat it, etc. and it's all too easy to fall back into your comfort zone of finding the most recognizable thing on the menu and winding up with beef & broccoli instead of beef roll. Good for jacknhedy in making this effort to step out of their comfort zone (and actually, I'm a little jealous- my own Chinese food awakening was a great period in my life and I envy jacknhedy for all the new experiences they're about to discover!)

Mr Taster

[Mr Taster]

And both books are available to borrow from the LA Public Library. I've just held my copies :)

Mr Taster

[jacknhedy]

mr taster,

i tried our san bernardino lib - no such luck!

neglected to mention one important point for this request: i did mention my wife and i are both chinese. when friday night or sunday after church comes around, she would say - where are we going for lunch/dinner?

so when we say 'chinese,' someone would go, no not chinese again. our mindless defaults are leung kee/sam woo, phoenix, tea station/ten ren, where we would swear up and down that we would order something new.

as my wife and girls would object to 'chinese again,' it occurred to me that there are so many variations on chinese cuisine that it can be different enough.

so thanks to all of you, i can now with much pomp and flourish exclaim - 'who says we're having chinese again? today we are going to have shanghainese or jiang nan cuisine for a change!!!'

mr taster, ipsedixit and prof salt:
points well taken. while there are long time standouts, i am reminded of the other post about the 'circle of life in the rowland heights area restaurants.' i think what sums it up for me is the comment above - that is while i am interested in the regional differences and their representative dishes, it is more important that i actually get to have a place to sample them. i will confess being more gustatorily curious.than scholarly-minded. hahaha. yum.

thanks to everyone who has contributed. keep 'em coming.

[Das Ubergeek]

Jiangsu: Giang Nan in Monterey Park. Chicken in clay pot with chestnuts, "pork pump" (which has some totally unappetising name in English like "degreased house special pork knuckle").

Hui: China Islamic in Rosemead (? may be Monterey Park)

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China Islamic Restaurant
7727 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770

Giang Nan
306 N Garfield Ave, Monterey Park, CA

[jacknhedy]

das,

china islamic - that HUGE bowl of lamb hot pot with the noodles and veggies. good for 2 meals! their duck (crispy fried, forgot exact name) - to die for!

thanks!

[ipsedixit]

Panda Express ... generic Chinese-American fast food

Spring Wave ... South East Chinese Fusion (their words, not mine)

Jasmine Cafe ... the regional cuisine called "bad imitation Chinese food"

Green Zone ... what Shanghai ex-pats crave when they return home after a year shopping at Whole Foods in America.

Rolling Wok ... for those Shau-Mei fans who find the food at Shau-Mei too pristine.

[raytamsgv]

Cantonese: Elite in Monterey Park or Sea Harbour in Rosemead. Dim sum (order from the menu, not carts) and dinner should be good in both places, although I like Elite more. The phoenix claws are excellent in both places.

Cantonese: Sam Woo in Alhambra. Get the beef chow fun with black bean sauce and bell peppers. The roast pork there is usually really good (I think the best part is written as 燒 腩, but I might be mistaken). You go there for the food, not the ambiance.

Hong Kong: Tasty Garden in Arcadia. Get the Hong Kong style waffles, and ask for the condensed milk for dipping. Their dried scallop and crab fried rice is tasty.

Chiu chow: Kim Ky Noodle House in San Gabriel. I like their fish with wide rice noodles. Very cheap and good for breakfast. Seafood Village in Temple City is also good, but they are a lunch and dinner place.

Shanxi: JYTH in Rosemead. Get the lamb with knife-shaved noodle soup (刀削 麵). Their beef rolls are decent, and their sheng jian bao (生煎包) are also recommended.

Shandong: 101 Noodle Express in Arcadia. Get the beef rolls. That's what everyone gets. The shrimp and pumpkin dumplings are also good.

Shanghai: Jin Jiang in San Gabriel. I love their xiao long bao (小籠包) there, but that are numerous people who will argue this point left and right. To say that it's a hole in the wall is being generous.

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Tasty Garden
1212 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

Kim Ky Noodle House
1108 S San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Jin Jiang Restaurant
301 W Valley Blvd Ste 109, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[taiwanesesmalleats]

For Shanghai I'd like to add Yu Garden to the mix.

[jacknhedy]

raytamsgv,

that item at sam woo is one of my wife's all time favorites. speaking of arcadia, we happen to like din tai fung, chang's garden and may mei. where do those 3 belong?

that 101 noodle express sounds very interesting...

[raytamsgv]

Chang's Garden is definitely Shanghai cuisine. The decor is much nicer than Jin Jiang in San Gabriel, but it costs a little more per dish. Din Tai Fung was originally started in Taipei, but they tend to serve Shanghai food as well. I'm not sure about May Mei.

There are also some Taiwanese places: Won Won in Temple City or Cafe Fusion in Arcadia. "Fusion" is not actually serve a fusion cuisines. It is a play its the Chinese name: 福軒. I'm not a big fan of Taiwanese food, but my friends and contacts seem to like those places.

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Din Tai Fung Restaurant
1108 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

Chang's Garden
627 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia, CA 91007

May Mei Restaurant
639 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia, CA 91007

Cafe Fusion
510 E Live Oak Ave, Arcadia, CA 91006

Jin Jiang Restaurant
301 W Valley Blvd Ste 109, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[jacknhedy]

hey everyone - forgot to mention: once we have a big pile of info, i will collate and make a list of cuisines, restaurants, must-trys (and avoids). i'm looking forward to this!

confession - i am chinese. love chinese food, have been to many places. problem is beyond basics, i don't know the proper regional differences.

some examples of places our family loves, but don't know the classification.

1. leung kee (ex sam woo) on gale. it's the only restaurant we still love going to after 23 years. recent favorite - on the board evening only special - the fish hot pot. oh that is so good.

2. phoenix - their wontons are neck and neck with those at sam woo. mixed fruit tapioca in coconut milk, caramelized walnuts.

3. happy harbour - dimsum with no carts.

brain freeze...

[Das Ubergeek]

Phoenix Food Boutique is a HK-style cha chaan teng (tea house).

[Chandavkl]

Uighur/Xinjiang at Omar's, 1718 New Ave., San Gabriel. Two foot long hand made noodles are great.

[sushigirlie]

Would you describe the noodles in more detail?

[Chandavkl]

Long and chewy.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/733500

[sushigirlie]

Shanghai. Shanghai Restaurant. One of the nicest Chinese restaurants in the SGV with a diverse menu of good Shanghainese food. Try the yellow croaker with seaweed and the vegetarian duck.

Hunan. Hunan Chili King. Try the sauteed cucumbers with an herb they call "parrilla" and one of their spicy fish dishes. Beware: this may be the spiciest food in the SGV.

Szechuan. Yunnan Garden. Try the boiled fish and everything on the "salad bar." FYI: Yunnan is a different province from Szechuan, but most of the dishes on the menu are Szechuan. Also try Chung King on Garfield for Szechuan.

Teow Chew. Seafood Village. Try...the seafood!

You could also try a dumpling place. I like Qingdao Bread Food myself. Because I like fish dumplings and they have fish dumplings.

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Chung King Restaurant
206 S Garfield Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91754

Chili King
10623 Hawthorne Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90304

Yunnan Garden
545 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

[jacknhedy]

sushigirlie,

thanks for getting things started. we've tried yunnan - i love that place. boiled fish is awesome. the fried lamb ribs and frog is getting me hungry right now. the other recs we will put on our to-eat list.

hopefully we can get others to chime in.

[sushigirlie]

I'd be interested in hearing people's favorite Cantonese and Beijing-ese restaurants, since these seem to me to be weak points of the SGV.

Do try Yoma if you get a chance. It's not Chinese, it's Burmese, but it's one of the most interesting restaurants in the SGV.

[cant talk...eating]

I wanted to chime in again and say that I went to Yun Nan 168, on San Gabriel Ave. for lunch the other day, and found it superior to Yunnan (one word) Garden on Las Tunas. Both are pretty spicy, and good, but the San Gabriel Ave. one (which is always crowded) seemed much more artfully done, fresher, and with a greater variety of ingredients, etc. We had shrimp with leek, cumin lamb, and won ton soup with rice noodle, the latter being their specialty. Shrimp was extremely fresh, lamb non-fatty and subtly hot (not mouth-on-fire at all, but just packed a punch). Soup and noodles light and satisfying, with some type of watercress-like green (maybe someone knows what this is). So for Yunnanese food, my money's with Yun Nan.