More changes in the SGV: Liu Xiang Yuan and coming soon...

[JThur01]

New (or recent) to San Gabriel, Liu Xiang Yuan. I have no information on food, just noticed it. It is on Las Tunas at Mission, in the plaza on the south side of Las Tunas. It is next to Lucious Dumplings (it sits between Lucious Dumplings and Tip Top Market). If someone could investigate further, it would be appreciated. Big GRAND OPENING banner and 10% off (*except lunch special and holidays).

And coming soon...Tea Time! Which will be replacing Palace Garden Tea Station at the front of "XLB Plaza" (a.k.a. Prospect Plaza). Yes, I realize, quite an anti-climax. How many tea places is that now for that spot?

[Chandavkl]

Well since a lot of Hunan style restaurants have "Xiang"" in the name I thought this might be Hunanese, but that's not the case and I don't know what it is. Menu includes Peking sauce noodles, fried udon, popcorn chicken, Fujian fish balls and fried rice, "cryapy duck," home made spinach noodles and Shanghai rice cakes. It's not a cafe (too small, no Western dishes). I'm guessing Shanghai style based on the rice cakes, eel, and fish in wine sauce

[Chandavkl]

Well d"oh! I took another look at the menu and this is a Fuzhou style restaurant, which is big news because I believe it's the first of its ilk in the San Gabriel Valley. I guess I should have been clued in by the "Foo Chow Pork Chip With Wine" (I hope they meant chop), Fu Chow fried rice, Foo Chow vegetables etc.

[JThur01]

Thanks for the update Chandavkl. Interestingly, the last Fuzhou style place was the short-lived Sweet Aroma Cafe, which was located just across Mission.

[ipsedixit]

So how is the fishball soup (魚丸湯 or yu wan tang)? Better than Noodle Boy's fish balls?

Any sighting of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳墙 or fo tiao qiang)?

[Chandavkl]

Different animals. These are Fuzhou style fish balls--rubbery outside with the ground pork filling. Nothing like the soft fish balls at Noodle Boy.

[ipsedixit]

Ok, then are they better than the ones you can get at, say, Ranch 99 or 168?

I actually think those are pretty good, but only think about getting them when we have Chinese Hot Pot.

[Chandavkl]

Never had the frozen Fuzhou fish balls from the supermarket, but you do have to wonder with the increasing frequency of this item on local restaurant menus, which places serve the store bought variety. I presume the buffets (Osaka Buffet, Union Buffet) do.

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Union Buffet
11819 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

[ipsedixit]

Most of the ones at the markets are fresh, not frozen. Get them in directly with the fish monger.

[Chandavkl]

I see the fresh fish balls, squid balls etc. in the glass case but I don't know if I've seen fresh Fuzhou fish balls. Does 1 6 8 carry those?

[ipsedixit]

Yes, as does Arcadia Mkt, Hawai'i and Ranch 99 (some locations).

I think the best ones are at the market in the Garvey / San Gabriel Blvd square, whose name escapes me right now.

[AubWah]

I don't see a Fuzhou place surviving in SVG

[will47]

The last one didn't last long, but then, neither did its successor, so maybe the location is cursed. There is a little Fuzhou market by the gas station on Del Mar near 99 Ranch / Da Hua plaza.

I had some great food during my visit to Fujian, though I was a little ways away from Fuzhou, and the style of food is different. Given that Taiwanese food is popular here, I don't see why Fujianese shouldn't be.

[will47]

Different xiang - this is xiang as in fragrance / fragrant vs. the Hunan xiang.

The restaurant's name seems to be liú xiāng yuán 留香園. The xiang used to refer to Hunan cuisine is 湘 (also xiāng - same tone), which refers to the Xiangjiang river.

[Chandavkl]

Actually that's only four tea places at unit #101 in 301 W. Valley Bl. More impressive, however is the fact that it's like the 14th eatery in that location in the 20 years since that center was built.

[JThur01]

Gaining on the "Black Hole of Garvey" location? (the one with F.C. Shanghai among others, many others). Seems like three of the tea places have been in that spot in the last 18 months.

For what it's worth, here are photos of the signs. Liu Xiang Yuan on left, Tea Time on right.

[Chandavkl]

You're right about the 3 tea places at 301 W. Valley #101 in a short period, as Palace Garden opened in the summer of 2009, succeeding the Quickly location. That location at 14 or 15 places actually is ahead of 321 W. Garvey, which I believe has had 13 restaurant occupants

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Palace Garden
11828 South St, Cerritos, CA 90703

[JThur01]

So we have a new leader? Better yet, Palace Garden had one, if not two, "under new management" signs during their time. I believe once even involved some signage change.

[Chandavkl]

Management/ownership changes are too difficult to track. I just go by the number of different named restaurants at the location.

[Peripatetic]

Are you talking about the Tea Station (and Ten Ren) that's across the street from Prospect Plaza?

[JThur01]

No, this is at the front of Prospect Plaza, alongside Valley. The space is next to Bin Bin Konjac (which now ID's itself as Memory Tea House in it's window). Tea Station (and Ten Ren) are across the street from the Hilton Plaza. This "coming soon" Tea Time's colors and logo are different - pink and white!

[Peripatetic]

Oops, yes, confused Hilton Plaza and Prospect Plaza. That's what I get for posting before coffee.

[JThur01]

Peripatetic, no problem. The sheer number of restaurants in the immediate area is overwhelming and...I've done the same thing myself.

[raytamsgv]

Someday, when a friend asks me to describe the location of a good Chinese restaurant, I'm going to say, "It's located in a small, crowded strip mall on Valley Blvd. in San Gabriel. There will be a desert shop and a foot massage place there as well. And look for the signs in Chinese."

[JThur01]

LOL...ray, that is too good. Don't be surprised if the friend tells you: "Hey, I found that place...and it was pretty good."