Thursday, November 25, 2004

Chinese: Cantonese and Cantonese-American

Sea Harbor
3939 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, 91770 - (626) 288-3939
Best dim sum in town according to my explorations. Don't miss #1 pastry of the universe and bittermelon dumpling with black sesame dessert. Many other delights.

New Concept
700 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park; (626) 282-6800
High end Cantonese renowned for crazy innovations. I haven't tried the famous dim sum, but dinner has amazing treasures liked fried milk and Szechuan spotted deer.

Mission 261
261 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, (626) 588-1666
Bling-bling dim sum unmatched except by Sea Harbor in my book, and in the same innovation-crazed style. Try it and decide for yourself. Famous for dumplings shaped like bees, fish and butterflies. I actually preferred green-wrapper shrimp and scallop.

Ocean Star
145 N Atlantic Blvd, at Garvey, Monterey Park 626-308-2128
Famous and outstanding dim sum in Monterey Park. Innovations and cart-borne cooking stations. Worth the long drive.

NBC Seafood Restaurant
404 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park 626 282 2323
Another long-esteemed seafood palace with great dim sum (a genre where noisy and hectic often signify delicious). They have the hilarious fried doughnut/yau cha gwei wrapped in rice noodles. At dinner, try the double pleasure flounder; fillet delicately stir fried, bones and skin deep-fried with the delicious addition of saltfish (haam yu).

Empress Pavilion
988 N Hill St # 201, 213-617-9898
High end for Chinatown, the dim sum is very good here.

MPV
( 626 ) 289 - 3018. 1412 S GARFIELD AVE, ALHAMBRA
Alhambra seafood palace. Set menu of seafood is a predictably lavish extravaganza.

Sam Woo (Chinatown)
727 North Broadway Los Angeles, ph: 213.680.7836
Reliable Cantonese fare with v. good barbecue shop.

AAA Dim Sum and BBQ
213.687.7333, 711 1/2 New High St Chinatown
Cantonese barbecue shop with dim sum to go. Real cheap as always and good quality - you can eat here for about $3!!!

Regent Cafe
1411 S. Garfield Ave., Alhambra, 626-289-9398
HK style cafe with Cantonese versions of American food plus chinese dishes and British Commonwealth treats. In a place like this I generally order tongue in corn sauce or suchlike, with coffee and tea mixed together.

Kabob and Chinese Food
11330 Santa Monica Blvd, West LA - (310) 914-3040
Hilarious Persian Jewish versions of Cantonese American food. Not very good, but a real L.A. experience!!! Get Persian rice with your stir fried slop.

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4 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Have you had a chance of trying Din Tai Fung? If yes, how would it compare to Sea Harbor?

Din Tai Fung
1108 S Baldwin Ave
Arcadia, CA 91007

The soupy dumplings there are the best I had so far.

1:45 PM  
Blogger Simon said...

Hey Peter,

I looove Din Tai Fung, and haven't even had the special 40-orders-only soupy dumpling (if only Arcadia were 30 minutes closer). It is in my Shanghai page, as I believe xiao long bao are most famous from this region.

As for comparing to Sea Harbor, they're very different restaurants. Din Tai Fung is clearly the xlb king, but isn't really a dim sum restaurant in the Hong Kong style.

Thanks for your comment,

Simon

4:46 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks Simon, your site is very helpful. I get the distinction, nice clarification. I will be visiting Sea Harbor too.

3:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I stopover in LA enroute to Asia and ate at Sam Woo in St. Gabriel Square Mall. I personally feel that the best way to evaluate a Cantonese restaurant is to observe how the chef renders his stir fry skills on meat, seafood and greens. If done correctly, these three food groups should retain its fresh, succulent and yet tender texture when fully cooked. Also, the sauce used should be sufficiently vibrant to permeate the food, yet it must also be delicate enough so that it will enhance but not overpower the original taste of the meat, seafood or greens.

Sam Woo's chef acquitted himself or herself very well and I think this eatery compares favorably to some of the better restaurants in Hong Kong. Price wise, this joint is a shade above low end but it is worth it because portions were substantial, and the quality in taste and freshness was exceptionally high.

5:02 PM  

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