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Amidst the sea of traditional Chinese eateries, Asian fusion restaurants are on the rise in the San Gabriel Valley. They cater to a crowd that grew up with traditional Asian food but are also inclined towards Western flavors. It's a trend that coincides with the rise of second generation Asian-Americans in the area. Think French fries with Sriracha, fried chicken with a Japanese twist, and of course, everything with a runny egg on top. Here are the top Asian fusion restaurants in the 626:
Tokyo Fried Chicken
This insanely popular fried chicken restaurant is elevating the definition of comfort food. Edamame is coated in truffle oil; chicken is flavored with soy, ginger, and garlic. The mac and cheese is topped off with seaweed, and the collard greens are seasoned with dashi. It's Southern food meets Japan, in a completely sensible and delicious way. The owner is Kouji Yamanashi, who found inspiration in Japanese karaage. Note: the condiments are addictive. We love the yuzu ponzu; it goes well with the chicken. Yamanashi also has an intensive selection of local and interesting beers in his eatery, plus a great sake selection. 122 S Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 91754; (626) 282-9829.
Honey Badger Noodle House
Honey Badger started off as your typical boba and snack shop, but they have since relocated down the street and started specializing in handmade noodles. The rebrand has paid off -- the shop is now widely popular, with locals scrambling to try their garlic shrimp noodles with an egg on top or Taiwanese beef noodle soup. You can most definitely tell that the noodles are fresh. They are chewy and soak up flavors well. You can also create your own noodle bowl with your choice of toppings. 555 W Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801; (424) 644-7060.
Cha Cafe
Cha Cafe has a menu of combinations like kalbi beef cheesesteak sandwiches, and nachos drenched in poke. Korean, Mexican, and Hawaiian flavors are among the stronger influences here. Cha is known mostly for their glorious fry basket combinations. Get your french fries topped with cheesesteak, fajita steak, pastrami, or spam and egg. Their tag line: "California Comfort Food." 10308 Lower Azusa Road, El Monte, CA 91731;
(626) 575-1861.
Hot Red Bus
Located in Alhambra on Main Street, Hot Red Bus is British fish and chips meets Indian flavors. Pair your chips with mini samosas, or dip them in their glorious curry sauce. The menu is chock full of eclectic flavors. You'll see English sandwiches stuffed with pork sausage patties, crispy bacon, Heinz beans, mushrooms, and cheese right along with doner wraps with naan bread and vindaloo sauce. 31 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 576-2877
Far East Joint
This West Covina establishment pays homage to Korean and Mexican flavors. There are spicy tuna nachos or fried rice with bacon or Korean beef, kimchi salsa, and grilled onions. Or you can get the latter combination in a glorious brioche burger. Starters include chicken wings drenched in Sriracha honey. It's a lovely place where locals like to congregate and watch the game. 1230 Lakes Drive #104, West Covina, CA 91790; (626) 384-3886
Korean barbecue is an integral part of the Los Angeles dining scene and has become so popular that the restaurants have practically become tourist destinations.
If you have carnivorous tendencies, it's hard not to love the experience. A lot of the places have the all-you-can-eat option -- a concept unique to the States. In Korea unlimited barbecue is virtually unheard of. Meat, especially beef, is expensive there. We're really fortunate here. Not only do we have unlimited meat options, we have a whole slew of Korean BBQ restaurants to choose from.
At the end of the day, it's all based on personal preferences. Everyone has their favorites, based on nostalgia, price point, and quality. Even A-listers like like the Jolie-Pitt family have been spotted in Koreatown grilling their own bulgogi. But for the uninitiated, here's a guide:
Most Popular: Kang Ho Dong Baek Jeong
Good luck trying to get in here. Kang Ho is insanely popular, known for being well-rounded with great service and great meats. It's part of a Seoul-based chain run by Kang Ho himself -- a comedian and former wrestler. Go for either the beef or pork combo. The former is galbi, beef brisket, sliced rib-eye, and boneless short rib. The latter: pork neck, pork belly, and short rib. Plan ahead for this and most definitely arrive early. 3465 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020; (213) 384-9678.
Cheap All-You-Can-Eat: Castle BBQ
If you're in it for quantity, consider Castle BBQ's $9.99 deal. We recommend targeting the sliced beef and marinated pork bulgogi. The quality isn't mind-blowing, but it will do if you just want ludicrous amounts of meat. There are six meat varieties to choose from, which includes pork, beef, and chicken. Word of advice from experience -- skip the intestines. 473 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90004; (323) 467-3813.
Duck: Dha Rae Ok
Forget Beijing duck. Dha Rae Ok specializes in Korean whole roasted duck, cooked in a clay oven and stuffed with sticky rice and various nuts and grains. It's worth planning for; you have to reserve the dish four hours in advance. The dish clocks in at $60, including ban chan. 1106 Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90006; (323) 733-2474.
Stone Grill: Hae Jang Chon
This is the Korean barbecue restaurant with the cartoon pig logo (but not Honey Pig). It's an all-you-can-eat place with crazy long lines. Most Korean barbecue places have metal grills. Hae Jang has a stone grill, which arguably creates better flavor for the meat. When things get too charred, the staff uses shredded radish to clean it up. 3821 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90020;
(213) 389-8777.
Banchan Champion: Genwa
It's not all-you-can-eat here, but the barbecue is pretty fantastic and the banchan selections are some of the best in town. Every table gets around twenty small plates, filled with pickles, bean sprouts, fish cake, seaweed, and more. It pairs well with the meat and, yes, seconds (and thirds) are included. 5115 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036; (323) 549-0760.
Best Beef: Park's BBQ
Park's has amazing meat quality, choosing to focus on ggot sal (Kobe-style beef), galbi (marinated ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork belly meat). It's a bit pricey here; each cut of meat racks up in the $30 to $40 range, but it's well worth it if you're picky about quality. 955 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90006; (213) 380-1717.
Great Cocktails: Quarters BBQ
Relatively speaking, Quarters is a newcomer in the Korean BBQ scene. They opened up late last year and already have quite a cult following. It's the decor and drinks here that stand out, complete with a patio and a sizable cocktail menu. We like the mango margarita and the whiskey lemonade. Quarters, which advertises their meats as tapas, also has fusion element. They have melted cheese dip for your veggies and galbi tacos for the taco fiends. 3465 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020; (213) 365-8111.
Private Booths: Gen BBQ
Gen is a Korean BBQ chain based outside of Koreatown and a great place to target if you're looking to eat at a place with private booths. Their locations are always large and roomy, washed in navy blue light. It's an all-you-can-eat experience, starting at $14.99 per person for lunch. 68 W. Main Street, Alhambra, CA 91801; (626) 407-2858.
Rice porridge is an ancient staple that's synonymous with comfort food. Also known as congee, it's been eaten since 2500 BCE and is one of those ideal dishes during a cold or a gnarly hangover. In parts of southern China and throughout Taiwan, porridge is the breakfast option of choice instead of buns and other dough-based dishes. After all, rice is more popular than wheat in the south of Asia.
Porridge is also a special occasion dish in China and is celebrated on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month. The festivity is called the Laba Festival, and it's when folks whip up a specialty known as "laba congee." The congee is usually made up of at least eight ingredients which include grains (glutinous rice, oats, corn), beans (soy beans, mung beans, kidney beans), dried nuts (chestnuts, pine nuts, almonds, peanuts), bean curd, meat, seeds (melon or lotus), and preserved fruits. Ingredients, which are based on preferences, are said to represent people's prayers for harvest.
Daily congee isn't as elaborate, though. It's easy enough to make it yourself at home. Throw rice in the cooker and add more water than usual. To make it Taiwanese-style, set the table with a wide assortment of vegetables, dried meats, fish, and eggs -- not unlike Korean banchan. The concept is simple. You get your bowl of porridge and add whatever you want to it.
It is probably because of that simplicity that porridge specialists are hard to come by. After all, it's easy to make at home. But for those who have a hankering for this ancient comfort dish and don't have the know-how to make it, here are five places where you can get it in Los Angeles:
Delicious Food Corner: Hong Kong-style
Delicious is a Hong Kong breakfast place that's so popular among locals that in recent years they had to close down just to expand the dining room. They're known for their hot Chinese pineapple-shaped buns and oily crullers. They have over a dozen different variations of congee on their menu; during breakfast hours, if you order the congee, you get complimentary noodles and caffeine (coffee or tea). The congee selections are quite diverse: stay conservative with pork and chicken, or be a bit more adventurous with pork blood rice, served with tripe, kidney, or liver. We recommend the chicken and abalone. While it's a couple bucks more than the others, it's a classic that comes highly recommended. 2327 S Garfield Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91754;
(323) 726-0788.
Lu's Garden: Taiwan-style
Lu's Garden is a San Gabriel Valley establishment and their porridge is a do-it-yourself affair. You get a bowl of porridge with chunks of yam, and you choose whatever toppings you want on top. Pan-fried mackerel is a common ingredient -- a beloved fish adored by the Taiwanese. And then there's the gently-stewed bamboo shoots, mustard greens, and sweet Taiwanese sausage as other options. 534 E Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, CA 91776; (626) 280-5883.
Bon Juk: Korea-style
Bon Juk is a fancy Korean-based chain. Juk is the Korean term for porridge and it's much more focused on grains and beans than its Chinese counterpart. Located in the heart of Koreatown with a 7 a.m. opening time, Bon Juk is a great place to head over to if you're feeling the beginnings of a cold. The menu is divided into two sections: sweet or healthy. We recommend just choosing whatever sounds delicious. They're known for comforting bowls of sweet pumpkin porridge with rice dumplings. The beef mushroom juk is salty and earthy, the chicken ginseng is medicinal and comforting. And if you're a big fan of fish, consider the salmon juk, topped with big flaky chunks of fish. 3551 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010; (213) 380-2248.
Sqirl: Sweet Rice Porridge
Sqirl is Silver Lake's brunch darling. Jessica Koslow does well with rice. Her Kokuho brown rice bowl with sorrel pesto is almost iconic. We also dig the sweet rice porridges. The brown rice porridge is made with the same Kokuho rice and drowned in Straus milk, toasted hazelnuts, and a choice of their signature jam. You can also get it vegan with almond milk. 720 N Virgil Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029;
(213) 394-6526.
Poke, pronouced poh-khay, is the Hawaiian word for "to chop" or "to cut crosswise." At its earliest form, it was simply pieces of raw fish and seaweed flavored with a relish made of roasted kukui nuts and pa'akai (fresh salt). It was a dish rarely seen outside the homes of fishermen and only started to gain wider popularity during the 21st century. The dish began evolving with the help of Japanese and mainland America influences. Red chilies and raw onions were added. Soy sauce, sesame oil, furikake, ginger, and garlic were also thrown in for good measure.
"In Hawaii it's usually eaten as an appetizer," chef Jay Terauchi of PokeMix says. "These days, it's evolved to become a main attraction."
In Los Angeles, poke places are most commonly DIY affairs. Patrons get to pick exactly what goes in their bowl. Though rice and salad greens aren't traditional per se, most of these places have those option anyway. It's hard for raw fish aficionados not to love these bowls. You can even argue that it's healthy. Here's a guide:
Sweetfin Poke
Sweetfin Poke graced Santa Monica in December and is well-received by the locals for its attention to quality and conscientiousness toward the inevitable pescetarian, gluten-free, and even vegetarian crowd. The bases include bamboo rice (a short grain rice milled with bamboo juice), kelp noodles with cucumbers, or a citrus kale salad. Fish is standard (salmon, snapper, tuna, albacore) and toppings range from coconut flakes to pickled shiitake mushrooms. 829 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401; (310) 395-1097.
Mainland Poke Shop
Fronted by chef Kayson Chong, Mainland opened in April on 3rd Street to cheers and lines of locals and those looking fish-centric lunch options. They have a wonderful variety of toppings like avocado, coconut sauce, mango, seaweed, and tobiko (fish roe). Luckily for the indecisive folks, they have suggested combinations that you can choose without breaking a sweat. The Lu'au, for example, is a mix of tuna, seaweed, chili flakes, and shoyu; or simply go for the So Cali, which is salmon, avocado, jalapeños, sweet onions, and Sriracha aioli. Wash it all down with their refreshing mint limeade. 8318 1/2 W 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048; (323) 452-9904.
Poke N Roll
Poke N Roll is Glendale's poke darling. You choose two types of fish, three sides, and one sauce. It gets cramped in here, but most people are ordering takeout anyway. Unique items here: the unagi, salmon skin, and escolar. 413 S. Central Ave., Glendale, CA 91204; (818) 265-3839.
Poke Etc.
Poke Etc. has two locations: one in Carson, the other in Long Beach. The poke is divided into flavors. Among the variations: shoyu, oyster sauce, spicy, kimchee, wasabi, seaweed, octopus, salmon, coconut milk, and mussels. It's refreshingly simple here and the owner, Ofelia Shively, who is a native of Hawaii, can also been seen making other island comfort food items like kalua pork (pork with cabbage and onions) and lau lau (steamed pork wrapped in taro leaves). 2292 Carson St., Long Beach, CA 90807; (562) 988-8488.
MYO Sushi
MYO stands for "make your own" and those three words sum up the restaurant concept perfectly. How it works: you select one protein, three other ingredients, and a sauce. If you're overwhelmed, just go with their pre-set selections. I recommend the sashimi bowl with cucumber, shredded cabbage, avocado, and poke dressing. It comes on a platter with sweet potato tempura, a small handful of salad with seaweed, and a miso soup. 3648 Nogales St., West Covina, CA 91792; (626) 810-5788.
Spinfish Poke House
Yes, you build your own bowl here, but Spinfish has a grid of nine flavor combinations to pick from if it all gets too overwhelming. The Sweet Heat (crispy onion, masago, green onion, and sweet onion) is a lovely option if you like contrasting flavor profiles, and you can never go wrong with the Aloha 808, which is a seaweed, sea salt, chilis, green onions, and sweet onions. Their grand opening was in April and already it's been a huge hit with the Pasadena crowd. If you're lucky, you might find their Spinfish nachos available, which is made with a glorious combination of spicy tuna, guacamole, crab meat, and furikake. 36 W. Colorado Blvd. Suite 7, Pasadena, CA 91105; (626) 585-0988.
Poke - Poke
This poke shack has prime real estate -- they're located right off the beach on the boardwalk. You order at their window and can get it while you stroll alongside the beach. They have different variations written on their chalkboard daily, as well as a generous handful of vegetarian ones (think acai bowls and edamame-based ones). Good news for locals: you can bypass the crazy lines and order online. 1827 Ocean Front Walk,
Venice, CA 90291; (424) 228-5132.
Jus' Poke
Located in Redondo Beach, Jus' Poke has several options to choose from: original, spicy, shoyu, wasabi, and California roll. Located in a former donut shop, this restaurant is consistently flooded with patrons around mealtime. It's no wonder why -- they pack their containers to the brim. Everything is served with a choice of brown or white rice. 501 N. Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277; (310) 379-1133.
Big Daddy's Poke Shack
Big Daddy's in Venice is known for their diversity in toppings. They do macadamia nuts, kimchi, pistachios, fennel, and watermelon radish for garnishes. They also have acai bowls for those craving something sweet and of course, a veggie kale bowl for the vegetarians. Ordering can be achieved online, which is a definite relief for folks who don't want to suffer through the lines. 79 Windward Ave., Venice, CA 90291; (310) 804-5734.
Get your cameras ready! Here's a guide to seven extremely photogenic Asian-inspired desserts in the area:
Cotton Candy Cloud: Plaisir D'amour Cafe
At first glance, Plaisir is a standard boba tea shop in the San Gabriel Valley. Until you realize they have fluffy cloud of spun sugar. Don't be fooled by the picture, the cloud is simple. It's essentially cotton candy, whipped to a large mass and held together by a stick. Put it over a cute drink and there you have it. The cotton candy cloud is available over any drink and makes for a lovely sweetener in the drink. Just pull off a piece, plop it in your drink, and watch it dissolve. 18340 E Colima Road, Rowland Heights, CA 91748.
Macarons and egg puffs: Puffect Bakery
Puffect Bakery specializes in macarons and Hong Kong-style egg waffles, also known as egg puffs. Macarons are everywhere in Los Angeles, but Puffect likes to distinguish themselves with a repertoire of cute character-shaped selections. The egg puffs are also something to write home about. Traditionally, they are simply an egg-based cake flavored with a hint of vanilla, but Purrfect Bakery is uniquely innovative with their flavors. Think red velvet with buttercream frosting and Thai tea with mochi. My personal favorite -- the churro egg puff flavored with a mad dash of cinnamon sugar. 385 S Lemon Ave., Walnut, CA 91789.
Customized Popsicles: The Ice Bar
The Ice Bar is a customized popsicle bar with a focus on high-end ingredients. The owner is Eugene Mar, who makes all the popsicles by hand. Try the blueberry and Korean pear pop, which is decorated by a whimsical blend of blueberry and Calpico icing. It's garnished with lemon thyme and Thai basil. Jasmine powder is sprinkled on last. And if you're into hazelnut chocolate (because c'mon who isn't?), The Ice Bar has a wonderful bananas and cream version doused with Nutella. 550 S Glendora Ave, West Covina, CA 91790.
Snow Shaved Ice: Class 302
Class 302 is a pioneer in the San Gabriel Valley dessert scene and the first to introduce snow cream to Angelenos. The difference between snow cream and regular shaved ice lies in the ingredients. Snow cream is made by freezing a block of flavored, condensed milk (as opposed to just a block of ice) and shaving it down into flaky ribbons of layered snow.Though it markets itself as a lunch joint, most people only go for their dessert. The green tea shaved snow, pleasantly earthy, is topped with a heaping of fruit and a thick chocolate drizzle. Other variations include mango and chocolate, but nothing quite beats the original. 1015 S Nogales St, Ste 125, Rowland Heights, CA 91748.
Brick Toast: Oh My Pan
The owner apprenticed at various bakeries in Taiwan and his creations reflect that. While the bakery faces competition from larger establishments like 85°C Bakery Cafe, the main draw here is the quality. Their brick toasts are gorgeous and there's a clear emphasis on fresh fruits and flavors. Start with the simple honey brick toast topped with strawberries and a scoop of ice cream, and if you're set on continuing your glorious dessert binge, peach and mango are solid options. They also have mini-toasts, pudding variations, and an epic one known as the Volcano, which is four layers high. 801 East Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, CA 91776.
Edible Art: Premier Dessert Art
Premier is wonderfully creative and has a strong tendency towards tropical fruits. The food is plated so well, you almost want to hang it up on the wall. They have lychee lava puddings and pandan mango pancakes. If you're into durian (the polarizing fruit that smells like stinky socks) then you'll love the options available here. They do a soft shaved ice with condensed milk, topped with fresh durian and black sticky rice. If you just want a fruit that's a little bit more conservative, give the mango lava pudding or mango rolls a whirl. 501 W Garvey Ave Ste 107 Monterey Park, CA 91754.
For those folks, vegetarianism is part of the religion and there are entire restaurants catered to their demographic. You won't find skimpy salads though. Chinese vegetarian restaurants are masters of the art of faux meat. You'll also be hard-pressed to find allium vegetables like garlic, onions, leeks, Chinese chives, and scallions at these places, too. It's believed that these vegetables stir up the passions and attract evil.
Vegetarian Chinese is not a cuisine for everyone, but if you're curious, or are vegetarian and have a strong hankering for Chinese food, here are five great places:
Bean Sprouts: Asian Fusion
Bean Sprouts is a Taiwanese vegetarian cafe with a bit of a Western flair. Noodles seem to be their specialty. Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the star dish here which is loaded with turnip, bok choy, pickled veggies, and beef-flavored seitan. Zha jiang mian is also available -- it's a dry noodle dish stir-fried with ground "pork" and flavored with fermented soy beans. You can barely tell it's vegetarian. Finish it all off with their signature rainbow roll, which is packed with lettuce, shredded carrots, and alfalfa sprouts. 103 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, (626) 254-8708.
Bodhi Veggie Cuisine: Best Value
Bodhi is perhaps the most popular vegetarian Chinese destination in the San Gabriel Valley. Lunch comes with soup and rice, which is ideal for a single diner or those who don't want an elaborate family-style affair. They're best known for their eggplant with tofu and the crispy fried "chicken" with basil. They're also a strictly no-MSG restaurant. 3643 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770; (626) 569-9888.
Fine Garden Vegetarian: Dim Sum
Fine Garden is known for their impressive repertoire of vegetarian dim sum -- a rotating selection of 30-some items. All the classics are there: har gow, siu mai, BBQ "pork" bun. The meat is made with soy and while you can tell the difference, it's the closest to the real thing you'll get in Los Angeles. They also have a patio for those who enjoy dining outside. Best of all, dim sum is available all day long. 841 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776;
(626) 282-2282.
Vege Paradise: Family-Style
Vege Paradise is the place to go if you have a large group of vegetarian eaters and want a more formal affair. It's family-style here and recently, they launched a Japanese portion of the menu with vegetarian rolls and even "eel" teriyaki. Opened in the early 1990s, Vege Paradise was one of the first Chinese vegetarian restaurants in town. Give the kung pao "chicken" a try. It tastes and looks exactly like chicken. 140 W. Valley Blvd., Suite 222, San Gabriel, (626) 280-5998.
The history of Chinese liquor dates back to the Neolithic period 9,000 years ago. Made primarily from grain, liquor was originally used for sacrificial ceremonies before evolving into a common beverage consumed warmed and usually before meals -- because it was believed that such a combination was good for the body.
While booze isn't as much a necessary accompaniment to a Chinese meal as it is to, say, a French one, the Chinese are still avid consumers of liquor. Spirits are usually reserved for special occasions and packaged in elaborate vessels. It is usually joked that the packaging is more important than the actual booze contained inside.
Today, China is the top beer producing country. The country's signature drink, baijiu, which is usually fashioned out of distilled sorghum, is the most consumed distilled spirit in the world.
In Los Angeles, Chinese liquor isn't consistently found on menus. At best, you might spot a bottle of Tsingtso on the back of a Northern Chinese restaurant menu, and the fancy Cantonese banquet rooms might have a vial of baijiu or two for your indulgence. You just have to know where to look. Here's a guide:
Types of Chinese Liquor:
Rice Wine:
Rice wine is used mostly in cooking and is made by steaming the grain, letting it ferment, and then filtering it under pressure. There are three main categories of rice wine: Shaoxing yellow wine, millet wine, and red fermented wine. Shaoxing yellow wine is perhaps the most popular of the bunch and is derived from yeast, glutinous rice, and water from the Mirror Lake in Shaoxing. It's mixed with herbs, then mud-sealed and stored in earthenware jars.
Popular brand:
Nu Er Hong: Stored in wine jars engraved with flowers and aged for 18 years. It has a mellow and sweet flavor.
Beer was popularized in China in the 1900s, when a group of Russians built China's first brewery in Harbin City. Today, China is the world's top producer of beer and as of 2011, Tsingtao, Yanjing, China Resources, and Harbin Beer all boast an annual production capacity of more than 1 million tons, according to the book Chinese Wine by Li Zhengping. In 2008, China produced over 41 million kiloliters of beer.
Tsingtao Beer: Brewed with water from the Laoshan Spring and made with barley malts, hops, and 25% rice. There's a moderate degree of fermentation. It has a soft and sweet flavor.
Yanjing Beer: Brewed with water from the Yan Shan Mountains, barley, and hops. It's highly fermentation, and it has a mild, bitter flavor.
Grape wine:
The practice of using grapes to produce wine dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE), but it wasn't adopted extensively throughout China until 1892, when a Chinese business tycoon by the name of Zhang Bishi founded the Changyu WIne Production Company in Yantai in the Shandong province. Zhang recruited wine specialists from Europe, gathered proper machinery from abroad, and is accredited to popularizing wine in China. These days, China is on track to be the world's top wine producer within the decade and the country has its own collection of vineyards throughout the country. China is known for its dry white wine.
Popular brands:
Changyu Cabernet: Changyu is the largest wine producer in Asia and in 1905, they created Asia's largest underground wine cellar and their rosé wine has won international recognition. They've also developed a unique variety of red wine called Cabernet Gernischt.
Great Wall Wine: They were the first to produce China's first dry white wine and as of 2011, account for over 40% of China's total wine exports.
Baijiu is the national liquor of China -- a strong distilled spirit that racks up to about 70% alcohol when fully aged. It's the world's most consumed liquor, usually made with sorghum and a starter culture known as qu that is typically stored in the form of dried bricks. Of course, not all baijiu is made the same. It can be divided into three categories: light aroma, strong, and sauce aroma.
Popular brands:
Maotai: Maotai is the most famous brand of baijiu and is produced in the town of Maotai in southwestern China. The spirit falls under the sauce aroma category, which means that it has an extremely complex flavor that's often difficult to pinpoint. In fact, scientists employed by the company have isolated over 1,000 aromas. The complexity gives it a smooth finish, which pairs well with a heavy meal. It isn't cheap; a 375 mL bottle costs $140.
Red Star (Er Guo Tou): Er Guo Tou means "second distillation," according to Shawn Shih, a representative at CNS Imports, the largest baijiu distributor in the U.S. "It has a light aroma and is great with salads or vegetables. There's a bit of a floral flavor and it has a pomelo-like aftertaste," he says. Red Star also has a strong foothold in Chinese history; it was the ceremonial drink for the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Shui Jing Fang: Packaged in a gorgeous crystal vessel with gold embellishments, Shui Jing Fang falls under the strong aroma category. "There's a pineapple and star anise taste to it," Shih says. "It's great with spicy dishes." Fun fact: the liquor is made in a 600-year-old fermentation pit.
Where To Buy Chinese Liquor:
Wing Hop Fung:
Wing Hop Fung is your best bet if you're looking to arrange a Chinese liquor tasting with all of the above selections. With locations in Chinatown, Monterey Park, and one to open at the Arcadia Santa Anita Mall, Wing Hop Fung is the go-to place to get Chinese specialty items from herbs, ginseng tea, and of course, liquor. You'll find items like dried deer tendon, caterpillar fungus, and an entire section dedicated to Chinese spirits. 727 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA; (213) 626-7200.
99 Ranch Supermarket:
99 Ranch is a chain with an extensive selection of imported goods from around Asia. Compared to Wing Hong Fung, it has a smaller selection of spirits, but the supermarket carries all of the baijiu brands. Of course, beer is readily available. 40 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776; (626) 307-8899.
Restaurants and Bars
Peking Tavern:
Peking Tavern is the baijiu expert in Los Angeles and have all of the baijiu brands listed above. They're the first bar in L.A. to have baijiu cocktails, crafted by bartender extraordinaire Cari Hah. There are ten baijiu cocktail varieties on their menu in addition to the pure stuff that you can get served in a miniature shot glasses. 806 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014; (213) 988-8308.
Hakkasan is a fanciful Chinese restaurant chain with an outpost in Beverly Hills. They have an extensive cocktail selection and in recent months, have launched a baijiu cocktail called the Eastern Elixir. It's mixed with Aperol, grapefruit juice, tarragon, lemon juice, and coffee syrup. 233 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; (310) 888-8661.
Most higher end Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley will have at least one or two Chinese liquor selections on their menus. Of note: Restaurants Hai Di Lao, 888, and NBC have baijiu; Beijing Restaurant and Beijing Tasty stock Yanjing Beer.
I don't remember much from my first trip to Thailand, except being in a room full of elephant products with a swarm of Chinese tourists. Perhaps it was because there was such a stark contrast in excitement levels between the rest of the room and me. My family, along with the busload of Chinese folks, had anticipated this visit for days. As a middle schooler at the time, I had no idea why people were so wired and ready to spend.
There were notebooks and purses made with elephant skin. And then there was the "white gold," the elaborate statues made of ivory. My parents gawked at a two-foot-long tusk with seven miniature elephants carved into it, linked together by their trunks and pulling, as if for dear life, on an engraved tree.
Elephant tusks have always been prized by the Chinese. China is the world's largest importer of smuggled tusks. The art of carving ivory dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1800 BCE - 1100 BCE) and later, during the Zhou Dynasty (1100 BCE - 256 BCE), when craftsmen were divided into eight groups according to the materials used. Ivory was one of eight, along with pearl, jade, stone, wood, metal, leather, and feather. According to the New York Times, in 2006, the Chinese government added ivory carving to its official Intangible Cultural Heritage register, along with opera, kung fu, and acupuncture. Today, China is the biggest market, followed by the United States. According to Traffic, a wildlife trade monitoring network, every day, an average of two Chinese nationals are arrested for smuggling it.
An estimated 30,000 or more elephants a year are killed for the trade. In February, China imposed a one year moratorium on the good and in the United States, the trade is coming close to a complete ban.
While it's mostly sold as jewelry or in statue form, ivory is also used as a Chinese medicinal ingredient. There are stories of emperors who believed ivory chopsticks would change color upon contact with poisoned food. Tusk powder is said to have detoxifying properties, giving skin a luminous glow when consumed. If you search ivory powder in Chinese, you might come across a list of the "healing" properties of the powder. "Clear heat and relieve convulsions, remove toxicity and promote tissue regernation [sic]," the site reads. "Epilepsy, convulsions, sores and boils, sore throat, anal fistula, consumptive fever."
On another site written in Chinese, the anti-epileptic powers of ivory are emphasized. The tusks have a good amount of calcium phosphate, it reads. It can be used as an anti-convulsant and to help heal sore throats.
Like most Chinese medicine, it's usually paired with other ingredients as a treatment. On that same website, there's an excerpt from a book called Yīxué Rùmén, a Chinese medicine textbook that dates back to the Ming Dynasty. There's a recipe to cure ulcers in there. The ingredients: ivory, turtle shell, and hedgehog skin. Ground it all up, it instructs, and shape it into a pill no larger than a cherry.
If you search patents, you'll find more modern formulas for ivory powder in China. In 2000, a patent was granted for a pill to supposedly relieve osteoporosis. The ingredients: angelica, Achyranthes (a medicinal plant), complanatus (a type of snail), and ivory. In 2006, a patent for pure ivory pills was granted to cure bone tuberculosis.
More troubling is this patent for hyperostosis, or excessive bone growth, that was filed in 2009:
"The invention relates to a traditional Chinese medicine for treating hyperosteogeny, which is characterized in that the contents of raw materials are as follows: 20-40 g of radix achyranthis bidentatae, 20-40 g of radix angelicae pubescentis, 20-40 g of tribulus terrestris L., 20-40 g of ivory powder and 20-40 g of root of common peony; all raw materials are grinded [sic] into 27 parts, 27 goose eggs are used, a small hole is dug on each goose egg, one third of the content of each goose egg is poured out, the machine power is added in the goose eggs to stir uniformly, the goose eggs are cooked by steam in a boiler; and a patient eats one goose egg before sleep every day. The invention has advantages of low cost of raw materials and good effect for treating hyperosteogeny, thereby reducing the financial burden of the patient."
That patent ended up being rejected.
Ivory in Chinese medicine form isn't popular in the United States. I asked my family's Chinese medicine doctor about ivory in medicine and she said she never heard of a case like that in her life. "We do use buffalo horns," she said, and promptly sent me a link to a site that explains the benefits. It's different though -- buffalo and even rhino horns (which are illegal) are made out of keratin, a protein found in hair and fingernails.
Ivory can still be found in Los Angeles, mostly as statues and as jewelry. In California, it is illegal to sell ivory that has been brought to the U.S. after 1977, but many people are still doing it under the table. It's easy to buy -- you just have to know where to go. Kristie Hang, a freelance journalist in L.A. working on an investigative piece on ivory, did just that.
"I went to several Los Angeles stores under the guise of looking for a birthday gift for my grandmother," she says. "I told them that I needed to shoot cell phone video of the ivory to show my mom to get her sign off on the gift. One of the stores went into the back room and got out a shoe box." Inside was an ivory necklace for sale for $290.
According to a 2014 study, L.A. and San Francisco have the largest ivory markets in the U.S. The study found, within a span of a month, over 1,250 ivory items offered for sale by 107 vendors in California, with 777 items and 77 vendors in L.A. and well over 473 ivory items and 30 vendors in San Francisco.
Last month, China announced a one-year moratorium on the import of ivory carvings after years of international pressure. But critics say that's not enough. In January, China crushed a pile of tusks reportedly weighing over six tons, but some of the crushed ivory powder was reportedly "preserved." Speculation was that it would be used for traditional Chinese medicine.
Does ivory used in the form of Chinese medicine actually work?
It all depends on who you ask.
"Perhaps the greatest damage that has come to [traditional Chinese medicine] in the past few hundred years as traditional remedies are being prescribed for ailments they were never meant to treat. Things like rhinoceros horn and elephant tusk are being prescribed for infertility as a [traditional Chinese medicine] cure, despite that this actually goes against the tradition," writes China Change, a news blog on Chinese issues.]]> It all comes down to this: ivory is a status symbol, embedded into Chinese tradition with a value that is driven higher by its rarity. To change the mind of the Chinese, it's all about awareness.
Steps towards this have already been taken. Former NBA player Yao Ming, for example, has spoken out against the ivory trade and is a wildlife activist of sorts appearing in numerous commercials against ivory and shark's fin soup.
Actor Jackie Chan, too, has been outspoken against the trade. The campaigns seem to be working. According to WildAid, in 2014, there was a 51.5% increase in those who believed that elephant poaching is a problem.
In my family, that awareness has definitely hit.
"Who eats that?" my Chinese father responded incredulously when I asked him about eating ivory powder. "Elephants are like pandas now. Almost extinct. No one eats pandas."
No. At least, not anymore.]]>
There are two factors that go into this: a growing Chinese population in the San Gabriel Valley and a declining Japanese population in the South Bay. Ever since automakers Honda, Nissan, and Toyota left all, or some, of their South Bay offices and headquarters, the Japanese community has been slowly dispersing.
The other week I met Yae Dobashi, the founder of J-Goods magazine, a bi-monthly publication focused on Japanese cuisine in Los Angeles. The interesting part? It's completely written in Chinese. According to Dobashi, the San Gabriel Valley is where the market is going and where the demand is at the moment. Japanese restaurateurs are looking to cater to a growing Chinese population that adores seafood and will pay a premium for it.
Here's a guide to the scene:
Yoshoku: Midoh Kitchen
Yoshoku is a word for a particular cooking style that describes the Japanese take on Western food. It's a style that originated from the Meiji Restoration and has since become an integral part of the local food culture. Think deep-fried breaded pork and curry and hamburger steak doused with a lovely and creamy layer of cheese. These are all things Midoh Kitchen does. They specialize in tonkatsu -- breaded pork cutlets served with a lovely assortment of sides. I also love the hamburger steak, which is a hamburger patty sans the bread, smothered with a sauce of choice. Don't forget dessert; all their sweets are made in-house. 1380 S Fullerton Rd, Ste 106., Rowland Heights, CA 91748; (626) 810-0590.
Bento: Sushi Aru
If you order the combination plate at Aru, you'll be served with a massive grid of nine compartments in a large box. In each is a bowl of food -- each completely different from the other. There's miso-glazed salmon, California rolls, slices of sashimi, marinated soft tofu, and crisp vegetable tempura. How it works: you pick two proteins and a frenzy of sides will come included. After all, the concept of a bento is all about balance and that's what Aru does best. 18359 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights, CA 91748, (626) 964-8686.
Sweet Shrimp: Sushi Koshu
Koshu is a generalist located in Diamond Bar. They have bento boxes, sashimi specials, udon, teriyaki, and hot pot. I love the gorgeous sushi boats which come with up to 24 items per order. But what sets this place apart from the dozens of other sushi establishments in town is the sweet jumbo shrimp sashimi. The shrimp is sliced and served raw, except the head, which is cooked in an earthy miso soup. 20627 Golden Springs Dr, Diamond Bar, CA 91789; (909) 869-7881.
Build-Your-Own: MYO Sushi
MYO stands for "make your own" and those three words sum up the restaurant concept perfectly. This place is essentially the Chipotle of sushi bowls. How it works: you select one protein, three other ingredients, and a sauce. If you're overwhelmed, just go with their pre-set selections. I recommend the sashimi bowl with cucumber, shredded cabbage, avocado, and poke dressing. It comes on a platter with sweet potato tempura, a small handful of salad with seaweed, and a miso soup. 3648 Nogales St, West Covina, CA 91792; (626) 810-5788.
Shabu Shabu: Mokkoji
Shabu shabu is Japanese-style hot pot and can be traced back to 20th century Japan. The name is an onomatopoeia for the sound ingredients make when they're swished around in a boiling pot. The difference between Japanese hot pot and Chinese hot pot? Japanese shabu shabu prioritizes meat quality. And that's what Mokkoji is all about. It's served as individual hot pots with a set vegetable platter and whatever protein you choose. I recommend the wagyu end rib, a buttery cut sourced from a farm in Oregon where cows receive a specific 18-month feeding regimen from a Japanese dietitian. 815 W Naomi Ave., Ste F, Arcadia, CA 91007; (626) 254-0018.
Chirashi: Akasaka Restaurant
The lines out of Akasaka Resturant are monstrous, and it's all for their crazy chirashi bowl -- a massive $35 heap of raw fish over rice. Yes the price tag is intense, but the portion sizes are large enough to share comfortably with two people. If you want to beat the lines, the best tip is to arrive ten to twenty minutes before the restaurant opens and know exactly what you want before you sit down. It's a battle getting in here, but the food is well worth the trouble. 14926 Clark Avenue, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745; (626) 336-0871.
Omakase: Restaurant Hayakawa
Hayakawa was opened up by one of the former chefs at Nobu and has been a San Gabriel Valley fixture for more than two decades. Wearing the toque is chef Kazuhiko Hayakawa, who trained at a renowned Tokyo restaurant that served the Emperor of Japan's imperial court, and was also classically trained in French cuisine. Traditionally Japanese and French ingredients and technique show up in the food: the monkfish is drizzled in butter, there's lobster with butter, and they have crepes for dessert. Omakase is priced at $75: six courses, prepared by Hayakawa himself. 750 Terrado Plz #33, Covina, CA 91723; (626) 332-8288.
Take-Out Only: Yama Seafood
Yama Seafood is a take-out-only grocery store that offers fresh cuts of sashimi by the pound. You can pick up pre-made rolls or bento boxes in their refrigerated section, but the main attraction is at the counter. Pick your fish and Mr. Yama will slice it up for you in minutes and hand it over, beautifully arranged. The main takeaway here? Things are dirt cheap. A tray of salmon sashimi will probably cost less than $15. Just come early. 911 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91775; (626) 281-8045.
Ramen: Yukino Ya
There's definitely not a shortage of ramen in the San Gabriel Valley. Ramen powerhouses Shin Sen Gumi and Daikokuya both have locations in these parts. But for something a little bit different, give Yukino Ya a whirl. The ramen joint is a local favorite -- the daily hour-long lines out the doors are testament to that. Customers have the option of customizing their soup base (shoyu, shio, miso, tonkotsu) and from there, additional toppings can be added and spice levels can be adjusted. I also dig the hot tan tan men, which is the Japanese answer to Chinese dandan noodles. The noodles are served in a heavy and creamy soup base with egg, minced beef, and bean sprouts. 8230 E Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748; (626) 581-8420.
Toro: OOtoro Sushi
OOtoro is most definitely on the pricier side of things. Owned by a Taiwanese restaurateur, it's omakase-focused and caters to a more luxury-oriented crowd. After all, their specialty item is the toro -- the fattiest and most expensive part of tuna. They have toro in hand rolls, in salads, and of course, by itself, served raw and with minimalist seasonings. They have over five different types of the cut. Try the snowy toro; you won't even have to chew. 1569 Fairway Dr, Walnut, CA 91789, (909) 598-8299.
A few hours later, (my dad does the slaughtering and my mom the cooking) the crustacean is on the dinner table, freshly steamed and bright red with a small saucer of Kewpie mayo on the side for dipping.
Lobster is beloved by the Chinese and is especially popular in southern China, as well as in neighboring Taiwan. In Mandarin, it's called long xia 龍蝦, which means dragon shrimp.
In China, spiny lobster was the most popular crustacean variety up until five years ago, when demand for international lobsters suddenly skyrocketed. By 2010, there was exponential growth of live lobster imports internationally. It went up 400% to $1,308,401 from $74,651 in 2008 and then to almost $3 million in 2011. Maine lobster, in particular, became extremely popular and beloved for its softer meat and finer flavor. And according to BBC News, for some lobster retailers in the United States, Chinese New Year has become the busiest day of the year -- even busier than Christmas Eve.
At Los Angeles Chinese restaurants, the lobster is decidedly American-born, usually of the Maine variety. They're huge and cost more than $80 for a plate. You can find it on the menu at most Cantonese seafood restaurants in town, plucked straight from the tanks and sautéed immediately in a frenzy of aromatics.
Here's a guide to the different lobster styles that can be found in Chinese restaurants around the greater L.A. area:
With Mayo: Cafe Fusion
Cafe Fusion has become a recurring family favorite. It's where we go for special occasions and reunion dinners. The name is deceiving -- it's by no means fusion at all. Cafe Fusion is entirely Taiwanese and is one of the higher-end Taiwanese restaurants in town. While most Taiwanese restaurants in the area specializes in small eats, Fusion does not. It's family-style. The star dish is almost always the $100 lobster salad: drizzled with Kewpie mayo and paired with slices of seasonal fruit. Lately, it's been mango and apple slices. 510 E Live Oak Ave, Arcadia, CA 91006
Classic Chinese Lobster: New Port Seafood
The New Port brand has long been the gold standard for elaborate Cantonese/Southeast Asian seafood in Southern California. Chef Ly Hua opened the very first location in Orange County in 1988, and eventually opened two other restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. Last year, opened a location in Beverly Hills. The menu is a mixture of Chinese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Thai elements. The House Special lobster is the main draw: it's sautéed with garlic, chilies, scallions, and clarified butter. 50 N La Cienega Blvd Suite 130, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Lobster Sashimi: New Bay Seafood
New Bay is a well-regarded Chinese seafood powerhouse in Alhambra serving up all the typical classics. Lobster is done nine ways on their menu, but of note is the lobster sashimi. This delicacy has Japanese origins, but is adopted and embraced by the Chinese. The lobster used for the sashimi comes from Europe. 203 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801
Cheese Lobster: New Bay Seafood
This isn't on their menu, but you can request it. The lobster is baked with butter and cheese, which adds an extra touch of luxury to the already-pricey crustacean. This is a common method of preparation in Malaysia and in vogue in China in recent years. The cheese is baked to a golden brown color. 203 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801
Minced Garlic: Capital Seafood Arcadia
Capital Seafood in Arcadia has six different methods of lobster preparation, currently at $14.99 a pound. The steamed lobster with garlic is a simple option for those who don't like the chile-and-pepper-heavy sauce that's typical in most House Special lobsters. Garlic is chopped up and wok-fried with the lobster. 333 Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006
Black Soybean Sauce: Capital Seafood
If the garlic sauce isn't your thing, black bean is another popular seasoning. Capital Seafood does a solid version smothered with fermented black soy beans. Fun fact: black soybeans are the oldest-known prepared food made from soybeans; the first record of it existing dates back to 165 BCE. 755 W Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91754
With Garlic Noodles: Boston Lobster
Boston is the current darling of the San Gabriel Valley Chinese seafood scene. Rumor has it that the former executive chef of New Port Seafood opened up Boston, bringing with him his customers. The daily lines out the door are proof. The crustacean isn't cheap though. Sautéed with garlic and pieces of jalapeño, it rings in at $15.95 a pound and if you want garlic noodles with it, that's an extra $5. 727 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
With Egg Noodles: Spring Bamboo
Spring Bamboo does lobster over buttery yi mein, which is also known as egg noodles or e-fu noodles. It's cooked with corn starch flavored with chicken stock and just a dash of scallions. The seasoning on the noodles is light so it absorbs the flavor of the crustacean. 1271 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
There are various theories as to why there isn't a stronger Filipino food scene in L.A.: a common one is that home-cooked Filipino food is better than restaurant food. While that may be popular reasoning, that doesn't explain why restaurant chefs can't cook better than mom.
"A lot of the Filipinos who immigrated here became nurses," Marianne Aranda, a Filipino-American heavily involved in the Angeleno Pinoy community, told me over dinner. "They integrated quickly into the working class culture in the States so it was easier for them to assimilate because they knew English very well."
This makes sense. The Chinese, Japanese, and Korean communities, on the other hand, were forced to develop their own self-sustaining communities because of stark language and economic barriers. Opening restaurants were not only their way of feeding their community, but an entrepreneurial move. The Filipino community didn't need that; by applying for the H-1B temporary work visa which allows trained nurses to enter the country and work right away, they were able to assimilate more easily.
But that doesn't mean there isn't a Filipino community. During dinner with Marianne in Historic Filipinotown, I realized that the Pinoy community in L.A. is strong. They seem better organized and much more established than most Asian immigrant communities.
They just don't open as many restaurants.
The cuisine of the Philippines is a true hodgepodge of international flavors with Malay, Spanish, Chinese, and American influences, and is generally big on stews, roasts, and meats with a distinctive sour element.
There are regional distinctions as well. "In the North there are more bitter flavors," Marvin Gapultos, the author of the Adobo Road Cookbooks, says. "Bitter melon is common and there are a few dishes that have bile, specifically goat or beef digestive juices. The South has less pork dishes. In the Central region, there's a lot of coconut used in both savory and sweet dishes. The Bicol region is the Philippines' main coconut growing industry. There are also a lot of dishes with chilies in them and it works well because the coconut balances out the spices."
And while there aren't enough Filipino restaurants in Los Angeles to represent all of the above, we most definitely have a diverse mix of different Filipino food in in our city. Here's a guide:
BBQ: Park's Finest
The folks at Park's Finest don't like to market themselves as a Filipino barbecue joint, but prefer the term Filipino-inspired instead. The menu is a variety of meats like pork shoulders slow-roasted for 16 hours, sweet Filipino longanisa (a spiced sausage), and thinly-cut crusted sirloin beef paired with homemade horseradish sauce. They also have their own take on cornbread, which is made with rice flour and baked on a banana leaf for flavor. If you make it there on Wednesday, they have a Worker Wednesday special where customers get a little bit of everything. 1267 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Post-Drink Food: Belly and Snout
Belly and Snout is the place to go for a no-frills, fast, and casual Filipino food experience. The food quality is top notch here and though at its core it's thoroughly Filipino, it's presented in ways completely approachable to those with less adventurous palates. Think hot dogs, french fries, and grilled cheese sandwiches. But the french fries are topped with fried egg, garlic crema, and chicharron. The hot dog is a peanut braised oxtail, smothered with cotija cheese, garlic creme, beans, and cilantro. And the grilled cheese is sandwiched with house-made sweet sausage and American cheese. Located in the heart of Koreatown, Belly and Snout is the ideal place to end up after a long night of drinks. 974 Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
Tastes Like Home: Max's Restaurant of Manila
Max's is a Filipino food chain straight from the Philippines. They've been in operation since 1945 and has become the place to go for Filipino fried chicken paired with garlic rice. The menu is mostly traditional: kare kare (stewed oxtail), pork sisig (chopped pig's head), crispy pata (fried pork knuckles), and chicken adobo (a vinegar-based stew). "Max's is the place to go if you've never had FIlipino food and want a basic introduction to it," Avanzado says. 313 W Broadway, Glendale, CA 91204
Iconic: LA Rose Cafe
LA Rose is perhaps the most visible Filipino restaurant in Los Angeles, and it's one of the few Pinoy eateries where presentation is a priority. The crowd favorite here is most definitely the lumpia shanghai, which is the Filipino answer to a Chinese-American spring roll. It's deep-fried and stuffed with ground meat and various spices. For that classic sour element, the sinigang (sweet and sour soup) is a good thing to try. It's cooked with pork belly and ribs and balanced out with chunks of taro and greens. Folks on the more adventurous side can pursue the dinaguan -- blood stew with beef. But if you just want meat, give the Cebu-style lechon a whirl. "Lechon" means roasted suckling pig and Cebu is an island in the Philippines. Their lechon is distinguished by the stuffing -- a combination of lemongrass, leeks, salt, pepper, and garlic. 4749 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Street Food: Dollar Hits Food Truck
This food truck is a ton of fun. Perched off to the side of a very rundown strip mall, it's truly a party on wheels. Music is blasted as a group of Filipino aunties manage crowds and sell $1 skewers off of their truck. There are grills set up all around the sidewalk where patrons can heat up their food. Menu items are offal-heavy and include blood, pork and chicken intestines, liver, and hearts. There's even balut (fertilized duck eggs). Most customers are Pinoy who come for a taste of Filipino street food. If you're clearly not Filipino, the owner, if she's in the mood, might ask you for your country of origin and proclaim it loudly and proudly on her microphone for the crowd to hear. 2422 Temple St
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Lechon is one of those classic Filipino dishes that everyone has to try at least once. It's an entire suckling pig, roasted and glazed, and Eva's is one of the few places that get it right. Banana leaves are usually used to brush the roast and the key to a good lechon is the skin, which should be a crunchy caramel brown. It's almost glassy when bitten into and the meat is tender and full of juice (no doubt a result of hours of slow and low roasting). This is most definitely party food. Their largest pig is $260 and can feed a grand total of 80 people. 4252 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Farm-to-Table Pop-Up: LASA
LASA is truly where the future of Pinoy dining in Los Angeles lies. In Tagalog, "lasa" means taste or flavor, and brothers Chase and Chad Valencia are raising the bar for Filipino fine dining, creating a pop-up that merges cuisine from the Philippines with the seasonality of the local farmers' market. As with events like these, menus rotate regularly, but past items have included pork rillette paired with sugar cane vinegar pickles and duck longanisa (sausage) with chickpeas and kale stew. 5010 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
East SGV: Pondahan
There's a thriving Filipino community in the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Valley, particularly in West Covina. The star restaurant of those parts is a place called Podahan, which means "hang out" in Tagalog. They market themselves as a place to taste home cooking and if you have a group of friends with you, I recommend the crispy meat platter
which is a combination of crispy pata (fried pork), lechon kawali (crackling pork belly), and a whole fried chicken. 535 W California Ave West Covina, CA 91790
Desserts: Crème Caramel LA
The eatery specializes in Filipino-inspired treats and the cornerstone of the menu is the namesake dish -- the lovely crème caramel. Presented in a pool of caramelized syrup, it has just the right amount of resistance so it doesn't fall apart at the touch of a fork. In fact, the discs are just firm enough to divvy up among your friends. The caramels are creamier than most, but that's just because the recipes are based off of the owner's Filipino aunt's rendition of leche flan. Gently cooked in a Bain-marie, Filipino flan traditionally has a heavier egg ratio; and Crème Caramel LA has taken it upon themselves to color the dessert with the flavors of their heritage. They always have French custard, coffee, and chocolate varieties on tap, but if you you happen to stumble in on a good day, you'll spot some of the most colorful flans to ever grace the Valley. Lavender and bright neon green color variations sit side-by-side. They're made with fresh ube (purple yam) and buko pandan (young coconut and pandan, also called screwpine), respectively. True to its tubular roots, the ube has an earthy, heavier taste -- a clear contrast to the sweeter dewy flavor profile of pandan. Try them both or order in advance for an eye-popping addendum to any dinner party or Instagram feed. 14849 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
A brief history lesson: Brick toast originated in England, where at its most basic form consisted of a piece of toast dipped in a thick sauce made with milk, salt, butter, and water. That soon spread internationally and these days, especially in Asia, the brick toast has taken the form of a glorious sweet meal in itself, sometimes topped with ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream.
In the San Gabriel Valley, there are legions of dessert houses -- most of them Taiwanese -- dedicated to the brick toast. So impress your date with some of the best sweet toasts in town, just in time for Valentine's day.
Oh My Pan
Located on the corner of Valley Boulevard and San Gabriel Boulevard, Oh My Pan is a relatively small operation. Free Wi-Fi makes it an idyllic study spot, but the main draw is really the smorgasbord of flavors on tap. The owner apprenticed at various bakeries in Taiwan and his creations reflect that. While the bakery faces competition from larger establishments like 85°C Bakery Cafe, the main draw here is the quality. Their brick toasts are gorgeous and there's a clear emphasis on fresh fruits and flavors. Start with the simple honey brick toast topped with strawberries and a scoop of ice cream, and if you're set on continuing your glorious dessert binge, peach and mango are solid options. They also have mini-toasts, pudding variations, and an epic one known as the Volcano, which is four layers high. 801 East Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Milk and Honey
It doesn't get much cuter than this. The topping on Milk and Honey's toast is shaped like a bear, sandwiched with bananas and topped with a vanilla wafer. They have four toast variations on their menu and drinks, from your standard boba milk tea to Italian sodas. Note: they've also rolled out a ramen burger on their menu. 534 E Valley Blvd #1, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Factory Tea Bar
Tea Bar is where all the cool kids hang out. Graced with chalkboard walls, plenty of board games to entertain, and cushy sofas to snuggle up -- they pay very close attention to their brick toast presentation. There are two thick slices of bread, stuffed with ice cream and a glorious drizzle of chocolate and chocolate powder. 323 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776
MJ Cafe & Teahouse
MJ is a generalist. It's where you can get Taiwanese steak, noodles, boba, fried rice, and of course, dessert. The honey toast is adorned with a combination of matcha and red bean and for a couple of extra dollars, you can get Haagen-Dazs ice cream on top. Brick toasts are usually a feat best attempted by a group of people, but if you're there by yourself, MJ has something called Little Square: three mini-toasts stacked up on top of each other topped with chocolate. In their Rowland Heights location, they launched a new toast variation called Bow Tie Toast, where the bread is shaped like bow ties. 17521 Colima Road, Rowland Heights, CA 91748
Sno-Crave Tea House
Sno-Crave has 11 different variations of toast and the highlights on that menu are some of the most unique in town. They do a macaron variation with a handful of macarons, a wafer, and ice cream. There's another structured like Jenga blocks, and for $13.95 you can get the Sno-Crave Tower, which is essentially a stack of toast on toast with lots of sweet adornments. 18938 Labin Court, Rowland Heights, CA 91748
I-Sweet Dessert House
I-Sweet is very refined. They focus on flavored snow ice, shaved into beautiful folded sheets. Their brick toast is just as classy. They do a tiramisu version, where the toast is cut into bite-sized pieces, stacked, sprinkled with soft powder, and decorated with seasonal fruits. 17501 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights, CA 91748
Tea Bar Starry
Starry's toasts are rather simple but its cheaper price point is most definitely one of the main draws. There's one called The Jurassic, which is a mix of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate. They do another one just with Oreos. Starry is also adjacent to Din Tai Fung, which makes it a perfect place for a post-soup dumpling snack. It's also relatively quiet and unfrequented compared to some of the other options in town, which makes it an ideal option for those who want a calmer environment. 1108 S Baldwin Ave #6, Arcadia, CA 91007
As one of the earliest developed regions in Northeast China, Liaoning has a strong agricultural history. Shenyang is the capital of Liaoning, a coastal province bordering North Korea. Like its northeastern neighbors (Beijing and Shandong), it's heavy on meat and dough with a considerable amount of Manchu and Mongolian influence. There are also strong parallels between Korean cuisine and Shenyang food. Koreans make up a sizable chunk of the population and there are many intersecting dishes between the two cultures. Zha jiang mian (pork bean dry noodles) is cooked Chinese-style and the liang mian (cold noodles) resembles Korea's naengmyeon. Pickled vegetables such as pickled cabbage are common -- vinegar is used generously and the cuisine as a whole leans toward sour and salty. And then there's Dalian, a seaside city in Liaoning. Dalian cuisine features quite a bit of sea cucumbers and jellyfish.
Popular dishes: Cold noodles, jellyfish, double-cooked pork
Where to get it:
Shenyang Restaurant: 137 S San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Tasty Noodle House: 827 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776
The food is defined by a heavy use of salt, soy sauce, fermented bean paste, and vinegar. (In fact, Shandong is one of the leading provinces for soy and vinegar production in Asia.) It's one of the only areas in China that uses a variety of grains like millet, wheat, oat, and barley. Fun fact: Over 1,600 years ago in Shandong, local chefs were expected to be able to prepare more than 200 types of dishes.
Popular dishes: Shandong chicken, fish dumplings
Where to get it:
Earthern Restaurant: 1639 S Azusa Ave, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
Qingdao Bread Food: 301 North Garfield Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91754
Located next to Beijing, Tianjin is a coastal city in China that capitalizes on its abundant seafood and river fish. Like its northern neighbors, the dishes from this province are inundated with dough. Noodles are plenty, but unlike its neighbor Beijing, the noodle dish's ingredients are often served separately and you're expected to mix them up yourself at the table. Signature dishes include guobacai, a gravy-like soup littered with mung bean flakes and the wonderful Tianjin bun, a thick, doughy bao stuffed with meat. It's akin to Shanghainese soup dumplings, but it's the size of a fist and the skin is much thicker. Tianjin also has an interesting selection of breakfast foods that can't be found anywhere else.
Popular dishes: Tianjin bun, yellow croakers served with fresh cornbread
Where to get it:
Tianjin Bistro: 534 East Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Garage Restaurant: 123 North Lincoln Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91755
Beijing has been the capital of China for centuries and its food reflects the dynasties that reigned there. Mongolian rulers of the Yuan Dynasty were reportedly fond of mutton, and the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty loved roast pig and offal. Accordingly, Northern Chinese food as a whole leans toward rich and salty notes; the cuisine is strong on meat and dough. Dumplings, noodles, and meat pies are common items, as are once-imperial delicacies like Peking duck and bird's nest.
Popular dishes: Peking duck, meat pies
Where to get it:
Tasty Duck: 1039 E Valley Blvd, Ste B102, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Beijing Pie House: 846 E Garvey Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755
Shanxi (not to be confused with Shaanxi) is a northern Chinese province not all that far from Beijing. The cuisine is famous for handmade noodles -- hand-pulled, hand-kneaded, and knife-shaved, among others. In fact, it is said that Shanxi is the home of the Chinese noodle, and it's the province Marco Polo visited before he allegedly took the recipes back to Italy.
Popular dishes: dao xiao (knife-shaved) noodles
Where to get it:
New Mandarin Noodle Deli: 9537 Las Tunas Drive, Temple City, CA 91780
JTYH: 9425 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770
Shaanxi was the home to 11 dynasties, making it one of the earliest developed regions in Chinese history. Xi'an is the capital -- a place best known for its terracotta soldiers today. The cuisine takes advantage of pork and lamb, and there's a liberal use of garlic and cumin. Noodles are a recurring theme. There are hand-torn ones, decorated with lamb, and liang pi, a bouncy noodle dish drenched with a substantial dose of vinegar and chili.
Popular dishes: pao mo, bian bian noodles.
Where to get it:
Xi'an Kitchen: 8213 East Gale Avenue, City of Industry, CA 91748
Shaanxi Gourmet: 8518 East Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, CA 91770
Shanghainese cuisine is fundamentally light in flavor. It's not inundated with spices, preservatives are used sparingly, and while soy sauce is a common ingredient, dishes tend to veer towards the sweet side. The food will leave a clean taste in your mouth. For Chinese food novices, Shanghainese food is a gateway into the wonderful world of various Chinese regional cuisines. Because of its proximity to the Yangtze River, the chefs tend to take advantage of freshwater fish and crustaceans. Steamed carp and deep-fried fish are common dishes, as are juicy pork buns, braised pork, and rice cakes (not the American diet food kind). There's nothing all that "bizarre:" It's simple, it's accessible, and most importantly -- it's scrumptious.
Popular dishes: Sheng jian bao (pan-fried bun), savory rice cake
Where to get it:
Southern Mini Town: 833 West Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Shanghai No. 1: 250 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
The Jiangsu region of China is commonly nicknamed "The Land of Fish and Rice." The Yangtze River is a prominent feature of the region and so there's an array of freshwater fish and crustaceans on menu. Soup is also a prominent feature. The Jiangsu region encompasses Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi (all cities in the Jiangsu province). The flavor profiles are sweet and light. Braising is a common cooking method. Head over to San Gabriel to Wang Xing Ji for a taste of Wuxi. They specialize in soup dumplings. It's much sweeter than the Din Tai Fung or other Shanghainese renditions, and for the novelty factor, try their "juicy crab and pork bun." It's so large in size, it requires a straw to suck the soup out.
Popular dishes: soup dumplings, sweet spare ribs
Where to get it:
Wang Xing Ji (Juicy Dumplings): 140 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
The food in Taiwan, a separate country also known as the Republic of China, is a fusion of different regional Chinese flavors. In 1949, a great number of military and political members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) escaped mainland China to Taiwan and brought with them the culinary cultures of Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and Beijing. There's also a heavy Japanese influence because of colonization. A lot of the unique dishes on the island were cobbled up as a result of poverty. There's also a lot of seafood of the menus.
Popular dishes: oyster omelette, stinky tofu
Where to get it:
BeBe Fusion: 201 East Bay State Street, Alhambra, CA 91801
Jurassic Tea Spot: 15309 Gale Ave., City of Industry, CA 91745
This is the most well-known Chinese cooking style outside of China. It's Cantonese food, and that means dim sum plus an extensive repertoire of seafood. Yue-style chefs are extremely versatile and there's also quite a bit of Western influences in the cooking by way of Hong Kong. Our top pick for Cantonese dim sum is Lunasia. They combine quality with massive portion sizes. Other pluses: the decor is beautiful and the servers are bilingual.
Popular dishes: dim sum fare (har gow, shu mai, chicken feet)
Where to get it:
Lunasia: 500 West Main Street, Alhambra, CA 91801
Sea Harbour: 3939 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770
Guilin is a city in Guangxi, known for picturesque scenery and sprawling rural landscapes. The cuisine tends to be spicy and sour; the land is rich in rice terraces and freshwater fish. There are restaurants in Los Angeles dedicated to their specialty noodle dish -- Guilin rice noodles. What it's made out of: rice noodles, peanuts, peppers, pickled vegetables and a protein of choice (usually fish or horse meat in Guilin).
Popular dishes: Guilin rice noodles
Where to get it:
Dandan's Guilin Rice Noodle: 600 East Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Hainan is an island off the coast of China that used to be part of the Guangdong province. While there aren't any Hainan specialists in Los Angeles, there are plenty of places that have Hainan chicken. That dish comes from Wenchang City in Hainan and has spread past its Chinese sphere of influence into Southeast Asia. What it is: Poached chicken over rice served with a scallion-ginger sauce.
Popular dishes: Hainan chicken
Where to get it:
Savoy: 138 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801
Green Zone: 534 E Valley Blvd, Ste 4-5, San Gabriel, CA 91776
The Sichuan province of China, located in the southwest region of the country, is known for its bold use of chili peppers, garlic, and the elusive Sichuan peppercorn -- a spice that will literally numb your tongue. As one of the most intricate and complicated sub-cuisines within China, there are 20 different types of flavor profiles in Sichuan cooking, including dry, spicy, sour, garlicky, and sweet. Chengdu Taste in Alhambra is one of the best place for traditional Sichuanese right now. And not far is Szechuan Impression, where they're serving more modern dishes.
Popular dishes: water-boiled fish, toothpick lamb
Where to get it:
Chengdu Taste: 828 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91803
Szechuan Impression: 1900 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91803
The food is marked by a liberal use of spices, wild vegetables, and a mind-boggling array of wild mushrooms that are able to thrive simply because of the nearly pollution-free landscape. Yunnan is also the home to over 20 ethnic minorities groups so there's quite a bit of minority cuisines.
Popular dishes: crossing-over-bridge noodles, cured ham
Where to get it:
Yunnan Garden: 545 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776
Spicy City: 140 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Hunan is the home of Mao Zedong and the province is known for their spicy dishes. Dishes are inundated with fresh chilies in various hues of red, yellow, green and orange. They look like by-products of the holiday season but rest assured, these chilies are regular features of Hunan dishes and available year-round. Hunan food is often compared to that of Sichuan. Both provinces have humid climates, so chilies are often used to cleanse the palate and cool down the body. While they're both similarly spicy, the differences are rather distinct. Sichuan cuisine uses tongue-numbing peppercorns; Hunan food does not. Sichuan dishes use a large number of preserved and dried chilis; Hunan chefs capitalize on fresh chilies. A single bite will have your taste buds gasping for relief. Have a bowl of white rice handy, or better yet, milk. (Not water. Oil and water don't mix, so a tall glass of it won't cure the burning sensation.)
Popular dishes: Red-braised pork, fish filet in chili peppers
Where to get it:
Hunan Mao's: 8728 Valley Boulevard #101, Rosemead, CA 91770
Hunan Chili King: 534 East Valley Boulevard #2, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Hubei is a province in central China, dotted with thousands of lakes and known affectionately as the "Land of Fish and Rice." Internationally, the region is most well-known for its Three Gorges Dam -- the largest operating hydroelectric facility in the world. Water seems to be a recurring theme in its food. Because of its central location and proximity to a series of waterways, Hubei is a champion of freshwater dishes. The cuisine also skews to the spicy side; after all, its neighbors are Sichuan and Hunan, areas with cuisines that are synonymous with spice.
Popular dishes: Wuhan doughnuts, hot dry noodles.
Where to get it:
Happy Tasty: 140 W Valley Blvd., Ste 209, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Tasty Dining: 301 West Valley Boulevard, San Gabriel, CA 91776
The term 'Himalayan cuisine" is awfully broad. It's used in reference to type of food made by the countries hugging the 1,500 mile-long mountain range. That includes Tibet, Nepal, and the northern edge of India. Even so, the cuisine is hard to come by in the Southland. There are only a small handful of Himalayan cafes -- most of them owned by Nepalese immigrants. Defining characteristics: an abundant use of yak, barley, mutton, and spices. While yak may be unconventional, it's more sustainable than cows: The animals require less food than cattle and the taste isn't too far off from beef.
Popular dishes: Yak dumplings, yak curry
Where to get it:
Tibet Nepal House: 36 E Holly St, Pasadena, CA 91103
Xinjiang, an autonomous region in China, is the home of multiple ethnic groups including the Uyghurs and Mongols. (An autonomous region is similar to a province, but it has more legislative rights. These regions often have a high concentration of ethnic minorities.) In Xinjiang, those minorities are mostly Muslim, so naturally, restaurateurs abide by halal standards and omit pork from their menus. The region also takes culinary cues from its neighbors: Russia, Afghanistan, and India. In fact, the cuisine has more in common with Central Asian and Turkic cuisine than typical Chinese food. What that means: lots of mutton, hand-pulled noodles, spices, dairy products, eggplant, and various meats. Pilaf (a rice dish cooked in seasoned broth) is also abundant.
Popular dishes: Cumin lamb noodles, lamb skewers
Where to get it:
Silk Road Garden: 18920 East Gale Avenue, Rowland Heights, CA 91748
Omar's Xinjiang Halal Restaurant: 1718 North New Avenue, San Gabriel, CA 91776
It's a shame, really. There's an entire art behind tea and a good cup is an experience in and of itself. The ceremony and brewing process also differs depending on region and culture. While doing research for this piece, I spent an afternoon at the studio of Yoko Isassi, who teaches Japanese tea workshops in downtown Los Angeles. She brewed for me a cup of gyokuro tea -- a variety that is shade-grown and never exposed to direct sunlight. The tea tasted like soup; it was full-bodied and rich with a heavy umami flavor and far different from the Chinese varieties I'm personally accustomed.
Not all tea tastes the same -- even if it comes from the same bag of leaves. Here's a basic guide:
Different Classes of Tea
All traditional teas are made from the leaf of the Camellia sinensis bush and its different varieties. The six different classes of tea (green, yellow, white, oolong, black, and pu-erh) are determined by the levels of oxidation they undergo and the maturity at which the leaves are plucked. Green tea, for example, undergoes no oxidation and the leaves are plucked when they are young. On the other side of the spectrum is oolong. Mature leaves are used for oolong and there is high oxidation involved.
The permutations of blends are endless and the tea industry is huge. In 2007, China produced 1,165 metric tons of tea. Japan, Sri Lanka, India, and Taiwan are also major tea-producing countries. As for the West, tea spread to England in the 16th century, and the Dutch were the first to bring the custom over to North America in the mid-1600s.
In Chinese there's a saying: "Kāimén qī jiàn shì: Cháimǐyóuyán jiàng cù chá 開門七件事:柴米油鹽醬醋茶." which translates to: the seven necessities in life are rice, oil, salt, sauce sauce, vinegar and tea.
Tea has always been a part of Chinese culture. After all, the oldest stories about tea started in China. The earliest record of the drinking practice dates back to 5,000 years, documented by a mystical figure named Emperor Shennong who spent his life experimenting with different plants and writing about it. Legend said that he had a crystal stomach and could observe how his organs reacted to different herbs. In his experiments, he depended on tea for detoxification.
Though it originated as a delicacy in imperial settings, the art of brewing leaves soon spread to the ordinary citizen. In the Song Dynasty, tea competitions became a common pastime on the streets; folks would gather together and see who could brew the best cup of tea. Winners were judged on fragrance and smoothness. Water quality, water temperature, tea leaf quantity, and tea ware quality were also important factors in these contests.
Los Angeles Tea Scene
Chinese/Taiwanese: Ten Ren was one of the first tea chains to open in the L.A. area and is probably the best place to go if you want a crash-course in traditional Chinese tea. They're a chain from Taiwan and though they mostly specialize in "boba" tapioca teas, their San Gabriel and Chinatown locations have a section dedicated to the gongfu tea ceremony. The ceremony that is practiced today originated from the Ming Dynasty of China, and is a ritualized process that involves a teapot, a brewing vessel, a tray, and tea cups. If you ask kindly, the workers will explain and perform the process for you. They also have a selection of over sixty teas, sourced from their farms in Taiwan.
Indian: While Chado Tea Room in Little Tokyo calls itself a Japanese tea house and has a thick book of teas from around the world -- they put a heavy emphasis on their Indian tea collection. India is the world's largest producer of black teas and their tea can be categorized by its three main production areas: Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri. Chado has roughly 45 different types of Indian teas available. You can buy the leaves to take home, or enjoy it in the comfort of their tea room with scones and sandwiches.
Japanese: Japan specializes in green teas and Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance is your best bet for getting high quality green teas in Los Angeles. There's a vendor called Yamamotoyama that sells all different types of green teas including sencha, roasted green tea, gyokuro, and matcha. But if you're craving a more in-depth explanation of the Japanese tea ritual, Yoko Isassi of Japanese Food Story does a tea-brewing and sweets workshop at her studio in downtown L.A.. She focuses on matcha, sencha, and a roasted caffeine-free tea called hojicha.
Korean : The Korean tea scene is unique in that there's an emphasis on teas brewed from grains, dried fruits and ginseng. Hwa Sun Ji in Koreatown does all of that. They're an adorable tea shop with a water fountain inside and a seating section with low tables and bamboo mats. Conversation is usually hushed here and the tables are divided by bamboo curtains. The menu is four pages long, but it meticulously breaks down the ingredients and characteristics of each tea. For starters, I recommend the barley tea -- an earthy brew made from toasted barley. Every cup of tea comes with a complimentary plate of crackers.
Generalists: Whereas the above are specialists, there are a handful of places in town that are tea generalists and have a rotating selection of teas from around the world.
In Santa Monica, there's Funnel Mill, a shop that boasts a collection of 30 different teas. They have a repertoire of white, green, jasmine, red, milk, chai, oolong, and pu-erh leaves mostly originating from Taiwan and China.
Downtown L.A. has G&B Coffee, and although they're mostly known for their coffee selection, owners Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinski have taken great care in curating a high-quality tea menu. Teas include black, white, and oolong teas from China. Rest assured, their award-winning baristas put as much care into their tea as they do to their coffee.
At Pasadena's Copa Vida, teas are brewed with heavy machinery. They have an Alpha Dominche Steampunk (which reportedly costs around $15,000) to help with the brewing process. The Steampunk helps with extraction, temperature control, and thermal stability for each cup. Teas are sourced through Art of Tea Sun and Garden Teas.
And finally, there's the bourgeois-but-thorough American Tea Room in Beverly Hills, where they're using a $40,000 machine to assist in the brewing process. It's called a Bkon brewer and it uses reverse atmosphere pressure to suck up the oxygen, create a vacuum, and push carbon dioxide out of the tea as the water comes in.]]>
I've eaten jellyfish my entire life. It's a common dish in Cantonese cuisine, usually thrown into the colorful mix of appetizers preceding full-blown seafood dinners. Taiwanese restaurants will sometimes have it too, served next to the cold cuts of bean curd and curled seaweed tossed with vinegar and a hint of chili. But while it has been a consistent part of my diet, I've never given much thought to it. After all, jellyfish by itself is mostly tasteless.
And then I met Kim and Clement, a couple who actively craves jellyfish on the regular. "You need to go to Earthern Restaurant in Rowland Heights," Kim tells me.
"I think about it all the time," Clement adds. "If I don't have it for a week, I will have cravings. We'll go in just for the jellyfish."
And so I went.
At Earthern, the jellyfish is served cold, heaped over a plate of lightly-pickled cucumbers and marinated evenly with vinegar. It's a darker hue than the light-beige variations that are common in Cantonese places. Earthern, after all, is a Shandong-specialist and the use of black vinegar is a recurring element. They were right -- the jellyfish is amazing there. It's crunchy, balanced, and not overwhelmingly bland. It's a dish that carries itself, a rare accomplishment for an ingredient that is mostly overlooked.
While jellyfish isn't exactly in the diet of the average American, it might be a good idea to start incorporating it into our meals. The creatures are reportedly invading the world's oceans and could soon ruin the ocean's ecosystem. The most common edible variety is called Rhopilema esculenta and it has been a part of the Chinese diet since the Western Jin Dynasty -- more than 1700 years ago. Back in the day, they were eaten after being preserved with wood ash and salt water. The jellyfish soon evolved to become a banquet delicacy and today, more than 900 million pounds of it is netted for human consumption annually.
Where to get it? Here's a guide:
Easy Earthern
There's Earthern Restaurant and Easy Earthern. Same owner, similar menu. Easy Earthern is the fast-casual version of the former. There, you can get an entire heap of jellyfish covered with minced garlic in a take-out container to eat at home. The jellyfish texture at Earthern is a delightful mix of crunchy and slimy, and the cucumbers tucked underneath add a fresh element to the heavy vinegar dressing. Cilantro is put on top for color. 18303 Colima Road, Rowland Heights, CA 91748.
Tasty Noodle House
The food at Tasty Noodle House is a tribute to the oceanside city of Dalian in the Liaoning Province, and they do jellyfish three ways. I recommend their house special: jellyfish head marinated in vinegar, served cold and lightly tossed with diced ginger, chilies, and carrots. The head is the crunchiest part of the sea creature and Tasty's rendition is most definitely one of the best in town. They also have a warm jellyfish dish -- tentacles served with thinly sliced pork belly and baby bamboo shoots. I prefer the first version. The pork belly with jellyfish just doesn't have same amazing crunch as the jellyfish head. 827 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776.
For those too lazy to make that trek to the San Gabriel Valley, Honda-Ya in Little Tokyo has what you need. They do a cold jellyfish salad served over raw cucumbers. The portion size is small, so this is a great gateway opportunity for those curious for jellyfish but too nervous to commit to a whole platter. The jellyfish is marinated with rice vinegar, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and served cold. 333 Alameda Street, Suite 314, Los Angeles, CA.
For more on regional Chinese food in Los Angeles, click here.]]>


text:
Episode 5x9
Freamon finally has what he needs to take down Marlo and his crew, however McNulty isn't jumping up and down with joy. He feels both guilty and stuck dealing with the loose ends on a case that really didn't exist in the first place.
Marlo suspects someone is snitching and pretty quickly points the finger at Michael. Michael catches on quickly, and when Snoop asks him to take a ride with her to kill someone else of snitching, the boy doesn't take any chances. Down goes Snoop.
City Editor Haynes still is uneasy about the Templeton homeless vet story. He enlists the help of a displaced Sun Reporter, Robert Ruby, from the now closed down London bureau. The goal: to vet not only the homeless story (which ironically may have a shot at the Pulitzer), but also every other story Templeton's written. Haynes says he needs "fresh eyes on the fellow". We'll see how that plays out next week.
Bubbles is at one year of being sober, and finally mentions Sherrod's name. This was a big step for his recovery.
We have the first appearances of Namond Bryce and Bunny Colvin this season at an Urban Debate function, which Carcetti attends as well. Later on, Carcetti attempts to apologize to Colvin for how the whole Hamsterdam thing went down last season. Colvin blows him off.
And finally Greggs ends up telling Daniels everything about the homeless case, while at the same time warning Carver to cover his ass.
This may have been one of the best episodes of the season. Next week fireworks are going to soar.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Toilet Wax Ring & Horn
I'm trying to help a brother finish a bathroom that a contractor left undone. The toilet will not set back in place properly.
The horn of the new wax ring will not drop into the floor flange. It seems the new pvc flange is about an 1/8th inch smaller than standard--small enough that the horn won't go inside it.
My questions are can I just set the toilet on a wax ring without a horn? Can you buy them this way? OR can buy a wax ring with a smaller diameter horn?
(We did try setting the toilet with a standard wax ring and horn combo, but the toilet leaked, and when we removed it the horn was mangled.)
You can use a ring with out a horn.They are cheaper and work fine.
Install just a plain wax seal with no horn. I ran into this once. It seems the pipes inside diameter was too small to accept the horn. Not sure why though.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:09 PM.


text:
Mexican Treefrogs or Smiliscas (Smilisca) are frogs in the Hylidae family, and are found in Mexico, southern Texas and Arizona, Central America and northwestern South America. In a recent revision of the Hylidae family the two species of the genus Pternohyla was included into this genus.
|Binomial Name and Author
|Common Name
|Smilisca baudinii
|Common Mexican Treefrog
|Smilisca cyanosticta
|Blue-spotted Mexican Treefrog
|Smilisca dentata
|Upland Burrowing Treefrog
|Smilisca fodiens
|Lowland Burrowing Treefrog
|Smilisca phaeota
|New Granada Cross-banded Treefrog
|Smilisca puma
|Nicaragua Cross-banded Treefrog
|Smilisca sila
|Panama Cross-banded Treefrog
|Smilisca sordida
|Veragua Cross-banded Treefrog


text:
The New National Health Plan Is Texting 191
Posted by timothy
from the how-is-babby-formed dept.
from the how-is-babby-formed dept.
theodp writes "With a gushing press release, Federal CTO Aneesh Chopra announced the launch of Text4baby, 'an unprecedented mobile health public-private partnership' designed to promote maternal and child health. Expectant women are instructed to 'Enter the date of the first day of your last menstrual period' to start receiving 'timely and expert health information through SMS text messages' until their child reaches the age of 12 months (limited to 3 free messages/week). The White House Blog has more information on the 'historic collaboration between industry, the health community and government.' Separately, the White House announced plans to spend $3,000 on 'Game-Changing' Solutions to Childhood Obesity. Once again, Dilbert proves to be scarily prescient."


text:
Just upgraded to WP3.5 which appearantly was a bad idea an need to upgrade Gridlocked, but I cant find the download anywhere.
Am I blind or could anyone direct me?
Download it again from your downloads list in your account – same place as originally
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text:
JTAG Repair For Samsung I9000 Galaxy S (Unbrick, Repair)
What do you think about this video?
Giovanni Mannitato: That red cable behind the box, how kind of cable is it? What is his
Mohd Jaffer: my samsung s3 mini stuck on samsung logo
juan tamad: Hi, where i can buy the adaptors for samsung, htc, lg and other phone? I need tools for jay tag with video. sorry, i'm a new to this kind of repair;)
uawsux: ok, can you send me the wiring schematic, where to put wires? thanks, also, i cannot connect to server,, thanks
uawsux: Please tell me where to solder the wires where to solder of a tiny wires where to solder them to the phone and what order
Cristian Herrera: Could you show us what items do we need? Because I wouldn't know where to find most of this stuff.
AlexTheLionHeart: Hey I want to JTAG my LG Optimus G can I get away for something like http://www.amazon.com/Digilent-JTAG-HS1-Programming-Cable/dp/B005CETF64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386434575&sr=8-1&keywords=Jtag Insted of using Riff Box
Steven Trocino: What does that little black box do? What does JTAG mean? This is a new theme for me. I accidentaly flashed my samsung galaxy young (s5360) with a stock Rom for Galaxy ace, now the screen is white, it does sound at the start, but i can't get to use odin i can't get the download mode, what can i do?
Elmer G Lussardi: Hi i want unbrick T959 Riff Jtag need help me please?
uawsux: i wish jtag jig for galaxy s2 s3 s4 will i9000 be same as i777 i747?.. same solder jig,,,,??
1levmax: HI Open serial port...OK Connecting to the RIFF Box...OK Firmware Version: 1.37, JTAG Manager Version: 1.55 Selected Resurrector: [Samsung I9000 V1.00] Connecting to the dead body...OK Detected dead body ID: 0x1BA00477 - CORRECT! Set I/O Voltage reads as 2.80V, TCK Frequency is RTCK Adaptive Clocking RTCK Sampling is: [Sample at MAX] Resurrection sequence started. Establish communication with the phone...OK Initializing internal hardware configuration...OK Uploading resurrector data into memory...OK Starting communication with resurrector...FAILED ERROR: No response from the RIFF Box. What does this mean
syberscapeplus: hi there, i have an i9000, it is totally dead, I mean TOTALLY, am from Algeria, so no way to send you up my phone, i have sent it to be repaired, and i doubt so( there are no professionals in my region) if you could help please , I'll be grateful ps; my phone have no warranty already !
MultiCOMPL: Red and Black clamps are power source - it's 3,6V so you can take it from battery or as we do from external DC power source. Jig need to be connected to PCB of phone - in outr movie phoen was already dissabled
Michael Anderson: hey my samsung vibrant needs that repair... im how can I send you my phone... and how much is it? pleeeasee i need your help
eulz siete: hellu sir :) can you give me a link on how to make a jig :) thankyou here's my email : email@example.com
MultiCOMPL: Yes - we can repair witthou any problems,
MultiCOMPL: Original one you can get on our Internet store at multi-com.eu
MultiCOMPL: contact me overal e-mail
uhaish gupta: @DriZ01 you can use odin only when its possible to switch to "Download Mode" . This JTAG works independent of all such conditions .
PiaruBellu: My usb doesn't work :(
elboaman: i need help with my galaxy s1. It will boot up but will not go after the samsung galaxy s boot. What can I do. I am able to go to the downloading mode my problem is if I connect it to any computer it doesn't recognize the device. I have been looking for a solution for this online for sometime now. Can you help me?
MultiCOMPL: Contact with us over e-mail with your location - you will recive information about costs
Aniruddha Damle: Sir i too have my cell hard bricked! actually i flashed a wrong rom nd messed up my bootloader! at frst ma cell was in a bootloop nd now its dead wht shud i do? plz reply! ty!
Christian Orozco Orozco: @MultiCOMPL I just got my Riff Box, JIG adapter too and want to resurrect an i9000 and a Magic. Is the use of DC supply strictly necessary? If yes, what voltage do you use? Any manual I can find in your page?
Diego Santana: i need the jtag adapter for htc glacier (t-mobile mytouch 4g). Do you sell it?
shell bac: where can i buy my own riff box in the us to fix my s3 and my galaxy s i9000
MultiCOMPL: You can take it from Riff directyl - there are VCC cable for Riff in our offer that enable to power on phoen directyl from Riff Box
Adliyana Nor: I guess my phone was totally bricked because the phone wont turn on at all. Can you help me with this?Seriously I need your help :(
missysilentnz: @lumag052 i have the same thing just happen to me sux anyway to fix ?
MultiCOMPL: Yes - it will fix your problems
DriZ01: @uhaish I know but what are the chances a costumer clears or damages those partitions?
syberscapeplus: yes yes this is exactly my case, I tried to flash my i9000 to a newer firmware but it stuck not booting at all ! so you say there's at least hope with that J TAG thing ? unfortunately am far away from you or any professionals , any idea how to get that JTAG box ?
ਸ਼ੇਰ ਸਿੰਘ: creepy mouse :O *shivers*
BMaximus: i have exactly the same prob, what you did? how solved??
Ivan Sanchez: where can I buy one of these?
CHINMOY1993: I flashed wrong rom in my galaxy s m110s.bootloader failed and now the phone not getting on.when switching on nothing shows in display.also not geting in download or recovery mode..plz help me
Andre Martin: where can i buy jig adapter?
Andre Martin: do i need to install drivers ive install a zues driver..
uhaish gupta: @DriZ01 yes I agree with you on it but that works only when your device switches on a screen with image of computer , mobile and error symbol in between . If it did not even start (black screen of death) then the only solution is JTAG with Riff Box.
mommymommom: can u do my Epic 4g for me? ill send it to you
Mario Chavarria: My phone is dead and da screen will not turn on at all all i can see is my blue notification light on but da phone will not do anything at all what can i do please help
MultiCOMPL: It's not possible to help you remotely.....
MultiCOMPL: Yes - you can fix totally bricked phones usign this methode so JTAG
sirgroovington: yeah great because i got all that freaking crap to hand!
MultiCOMPL: It's connected to PC - it's only for keeping CPU in ON state so you dont need press power ON phone all the time that process are in progress
Vertebra: and mantains my old photo and video or delete them?
MultiCOMPL: This are NOT TRUE - USB JIG will NOT helps to enter into bootloader mode if bootloader area are completlt demaged - in this case JTAG are only possibility to rewrite bootloader area in flash and then you can use JIG to enter into Boot mode
MultiCOMPL: @Scottso53: I dont know what you expectef to learn ? This movie only shows how easily it's to repair phone by connectign JIG and usign Riff box so not soldering. @zezima130: you dont need any JIG Mode... if you got bricked phone then you can repair it as shows here
mommymommom: where do i buy all of that from?
dominex128: would i beable to send my phone to you and have you do it for me?
JTAG repair for Samsung I9000 Galaxy S (Unbrick, repair) 4.4 out of 5