Category Archives: Food

“That little restaurant”- Bistro Na’s

07 Tuesday Mar 2017

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“That little restaurant” was what I originally thought is the English translation of the name of this fairly new Peking restaurant in Temple City. However, I read somewhere  that “Na” is actually a Manchu surname, so therefore, literally, the name translates to “Na’s little restaurant”.

Enough about the name. I stumbled across this place after finishing dessert at “Meet Fresh”, which is just a few doors down. The outside does not reflect what one would expect to find inside. It is actually quite a large restaurant. The decor is very elegant, since the cuisine is focusing on Chinese “Imperial court” cuisine.

I was told that I would need to make a reservation even for lunch. I did some research at home regarding the menu and its prices. The price did not seem too extravagant, so we made a reservation for lunch on a weekday.

I arrived when the restaurant just opened, so I was pretty much the only one there. So I had a chance to inquire about the food with the waitress. The main dining room was open and comfortable, while the decor is classy and not overly opulent.

We ordered the highly recommended “Crispy Shrimp”, the “Stewed Fish Combo”, “Traditional Beijing Noodle”, the “Vegetable in the Box”, “Dry Cooked Stuffed Mushroom”, and “Stuffed Lotus Root”.

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Originally, I did not want to order the shrimp, but it turned out that the shrimp dish was the best overall dish. The flavor was very distinctive, and the shell was fried to perfection, and I ended up eating a lot of it.

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However, all the rest of the dishes did not impress me. I did like the “Stuffed Lotus Root”, it is more like a dessert since it was a bit sweet.

I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. While I really enjoy the atmosphere of this place, I wish the dishes can be as good as one would expect given that it is supposed to be “Imperial Court” cuisine.

Bistro Na’s: 9055 E. Las Tunas Dr. #105, Temple City, CA 91780  Phone: 626-286-1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Din Tai Fung – Chinese Food at its Best

23 Monday Jan 2017

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wp_20161215_004While this is not the first time I have eaten at Din Tai Fung,  it is, however, at this Torrance location, that I finally gave more attention to the food. I was able to truly appreciate how well the food is being executed at this famous eatery.

This particular Din Tai Fung has just recently opened at the Del Amo Mall in Torrance, The decor and atmosphere is outstandingly different than the one that I had been to in Arcadia.

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The interior is modern and airy, which is rather different than the traditional Chinese restaurant. Perhaps somehow that enabled me to appreciate the food even more.

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The dish that started my appreciation for this restaurant was the Sauteed String Beans with Garlic.  I had ordered it because they did not have the Bok Choy that I had wanted on that particular day. I am not a big fan of string beans, but the plate of string beans was perfection at its best. Every single strand of bean was cooked evenly and impeccably. Not one of them was charred, as it is with most of the string beans that one gets in other Chinese restaurants. Not one of them had a black spot on them. To me, that is the mark of attention to details that distinguishes itself as a great restaurant.

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Another detail that I noticed at this particular Din Tai Fung is that the food is not salty, as most restaurant food tends to be. To be honest, the food hinges being a tad blander than what one would expect from a restaurant. However, it is precisely because of this, that I find so appealing about this place.

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The chef has enough confidence, control, and belief in the freshness of his food that he does not feel it necessary to add extra seasoning. It allows people like me to feel that I am eating somewhat healthier, instead of the usual heavy tasting restaurant food.

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I tried the Sticky Rice & Pork Shao Mai for the first time. It was well executed and quite filling. The Fish Dumpling, though good, did not have much fish taste. The Noodles with Sesame Sauce was extremely flavorful, but the serving size was rather small. The Wonton with Spicy Sauce was quite good as well.

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I like anything made with sticky rice, so I ordered the Eight Treasure Sticky Rice. Being that my friend does not care too much for sticky rice, I ended up eating the whole dessert. Fortunately, it was not too sweet.

Din Tai Fung:  21540 Hawthrone Blvd.Unit 519, Torrance, CA 90503  Phone: 310-214-1175

 

 

Wonton Noodle and a Day in Downtown

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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My son had a project in downtown LA, so I got to be the chauffeur and tourist for the day. I thought it would be a good idea to have lunch in Chinatown beforehand since the sights were very closed by.

I remember that there was a Sam Woo BBQ in Chinatown from way back, and I figured that my son might enjoy a nice bowl of Wonton Noodle. We found parking not too far from the restaurant.

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The place was not too busy, and service was brisk. I did not see Wonton Noodle on the menu, so I asked the waiter whether they serve that. He said that the Wonton Noodle is their signature dish. Great!

It must have been less than 3 minutes from ordering to getting the 2 huge bowls of noodles to arrive at our table –  that was the fastest delivery of food that I had ever encountered from a sit down restaurant (probably even faster than any fast food order)!

What was even better was the fact that these wontons were BIG, and there were at least seven of them in the large bowl, with very thin noodles at the bottom. My son commented that the noodle tasted a lot like his favorite place in Milpitas, so he was quite happy about that. And I was delighted that there were ample fresh Chinese vegetables floating on top.

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Afterwards, we visited Olvera Street, the Chinese America Museum, and Union Station. I had never even known about the existence of Union Station – such a grand structure.

I did not realize the amount of walking I was going to be doing after years of minimal walking in Los Angeles. I did not have the right type of shoes and there was a blister at the back of my foot when I got home.

Sam Woo BBQ: 803 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012  Phone: 213-687-7238

 

Sunday Bistro

30 Monday May 2016

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Hong Kong style cafes have always been one of my favorites because one can order both the western style dishes as well as tradition Chinese favorites, in addition to a wide selection of drinks such as the popular Hong Kong Milk Tea, YuanYang (HK style milk tea with coffee), Red Bean Drink, …

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Instead of going to the same ones over and over again, I decided to visit Sunday Bistro, one that I have not been to for years. It is situated in a strip mall on Valley Blvd in Alhambra. The restaurant is fairly roomy inside with comfortable booths on one side.

The menu is quite extensive just like many of the HK cafes. But the one dish that caught my attention was the Braised Sea Cucumber with Mushroom at the price of $10.95. Sea Cucumber has always been one of my favorites, and the dish is usually rather pricey in restaurants. I did not hesitate at all in ordering that.

I was ready to accept a small plate with just a few thinly slices of sea cucumber at that price. Needless to say that I was totally, pleasantly surprised when the plate came with more than 10 good size pieces of sea cucumber and ample mushrooms and very fresh mustard greens at the bottom. Both my companion and I were incredulous as to how they could serve so much of the sea cucumber at such as price, and the dish was executed really well with everything cooked perfectly.

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The other simple dishes that we had ordered such as the Wonton Noodles and Porridge were all fairly decent. Despite some criticism of poor service at Yelp, I thought the staff was quite attentive, and the waitress actually listened to my request of not adding extra salt to the food.

The only complaint for me would be that the patrons are allowed to smoke in the front outdoor patio area, and the smoke can be smelled even inside the restaurant.

Sunday Bistro: 1032 E. Valley Blvd. Alhambra, CA 91801   Phone: 626-282-0238

 

Marmalade Cafe

08 Sunday May 2016

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Somehow I have managed to visit this eatery three times already in the past month. Once with my son when they sent us an email for a free entree for his birthday. And the two other times with the Groupon deals that were too good to pass up.

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The atmosphere of this place is casual and relaxed. The outside of the restaurant actually looks more modern than the inside. My son, as well as my dinner companion all had the Filet Mignon and Shrimp all three times that I was there. The filet mignon was executed really well every time, tender and flavorful.  I tried the Lobster and Shrimp Linguine during the first visit, but found the portion size to be small and without much lobster. For the subsequent visit, I had the Braised Petrale Sole which was served in a deep elongated dish covered with a pear tomato sauce. This dish had so much sole inside that I was not able to finish the entire serving.

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The Roasted Mushroom and Bacon Flat bread that we ordered as appetizer was a tad salty for our taste, but quite ample in portion size. We tried the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes during our third visit, and found that to be moist, tasty and not too heavy. Our dinner came with cocktails of our choice so I tried the Cadillac Margarita, and Raspberry Lemon Drop during two of the visits. Being that I am not a frequent drinker, I felt buzzed after just a few sips, and did not finish the drinks.

Marmalade Cafe: 2014 East Park Place, El Segundo, CA 90245  Phone: 310-648-7676

 

 

A Very Filling Afternoon – Ganache and Coffee Zone

25 Monday Apr 2016

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Had a pretty good lunch at Tasty Garden in Alhambra before going to a job.

The job finished quite a bit earlier than expected so I had some time before my other assignment in Chinatown. So I decided to have some coffee at the Coffee Zone in Monterey Park. I wanted a quiet place to sit and relax, and I remembered that Coffee Zone offers such an option. I ordered the Cappuccino while my friend ordered an Americano.

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The cappuccino came with a little frozen cream puff on the side. I must say that the cappuccino was one of the best that I have had for a long time. Even though the espresso was not very strong, I found that the overall presentation and taste to be excellent, especially with the fine chocolate powder sprinkled on top.

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Although the time was around 5:00pm, we decided that perhaps we should have an early dinner. We chose a place called Ganache Patisserie and Cafe by Nicol on Atlantic since it was close by, and one that I have not tried before.

The restaurant is small and empty since it was not quite dinner time yet. The menu has numerous pasta options. The wall had photos of delicious looking desserts even though the waitress said that some of the desserts were not available, and that some did not really look like the photos.

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I chose the Vegetarian Pasta with a tomato base sauce, while my companion ordered the Seafood Pasta. The servings of the pasta were not huge, but given that I was not that hungry, it was just the right size.

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The chef did a good job on the pasta itself since it was still al dente. The taste was a tad sweeter than I would have preferred. The pasta came with sun dried tomatoes and mushroom, but I did not get too many mushrooms.

I wanted to try the desserts but was too full to do so. Overall, it was a decent place to try if one is not in the mood for Chinese food in that area.

Coffee Zone: 328 S. Atlantic Blvd. Ste. 107, Monterery Park, CA 91754  Phone: 626-521-5880

Ganache Patisserie and Cafe by Nicol:  141 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste 102, Monterey Park, CA 91754  Phone: 626-943-8688

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Special Brunch at Tres

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

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Last year on New Year’s Day, there was a special brunch at Tres with the best roasted pig. I was so looking forward to that at the beginning of this year. To my dismay, there was nothing special on New Year’s Day, in fact, there was not even a brunch, just a regular breakfast buffet.

So when it was suggested that we go to Tres for V-Day, I was really ready for a special brunch buffet.

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Tres did not disappoint on this occasion, there was a special Roasted Lamb in addition to the regular Roasted Prime Rib. The Smoked Salmon was great as usual, and I enjoyed the small, but fine selection of cheeses, and caviar.

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I finally tried their Aguas Frescas, which was truly refreshing and tasty, and not too sweet. I especially liked the little plates of salads with beets and varieties of root vegetables. The Greek Yogurt Parfait was my number one favorite of everything in the buffet – so creamy, and amazingly delicious.

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There were also the freshest shrimp and crab claws in addition to the regular items. The croissants were not as incredible as I remembered them to be, but the desserts were still the best among all the buffets that I had tried in the LA area.

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Tres:  465 S. La Cienaga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048   Phone:310-247-0400

 

Great Maple – The best in this town

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

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After not having been successful in finding a parking space on the opening day of the new section of the Del Amo Mall back in October, I did not really try to go back. But a friend mentioned to me over lunch that both the restaurant inside Nordstrom as well as the one right next to Nordstrom were really good, and that got me interested in trying them out.

I did my usual research online before going, and found the menu to be quite enticing. Made a reservation for a Saturday night dinner and plans to visit some of the shops afterwards.

Fortunately parking was not as difficult as I anticipated – got a space right outside the restaurant. I did a little bit of shopping around Nordstrom and other stores, and got quite hungry, so we went a little earlier to the restaurant.

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The decor and the ambiance of the place felt more like a restaurant on the west side rather than one in Torrance. The waiters were tall, young and handsome, while one of the hostess looked like she could be an actress or a model working part-time here.

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We ordered the Salted Caramel Pork Ribs, Baked Curry Cauliflower, Great Maple French Dip, and the Mushroom Pasta.

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The pork ribs were cooked perfectly and tasted incredible, easily the best. The baked cauliflower was huge and so flavorful. The beef in the french dip was tender and delicious, and my mushroom pasta had plenty of mushroom, rich yet not heavy.

I really wanted to try the Maple Bacon Doughnuts, but was rather full. I am sure I will be ordering that next time, and the next time will be very soon.

Great Maple: 21434 Hawthrone Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503  Phone: 310-542-1001

Koi Palace – Dim Sum at its best!

01 Friday Jan 2016

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I was really looking forward to meeting a great friend of mine of whom I have not seen for so many years. I grew up in the Bay Area, and it is always such a warm feeling to go back there and visit and see old friends.

The last time I was at Koi Palace was at least 10 or more years ago. I know it is extremely popular, but I did not realize that it was going to be so busy on a Monday afternoon past 1 pm.  We must have waited ait least 50 minutes or more before we were seated, but it was all so worth the wait the moment I sat down with my dear friend.

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The attention to details in the restaurant is admirable. The tables have Chinese drawings and calligraphy laminated on top. The teapot sat atop a porcelain stand. There were koi swimming in a small pond next to our table.

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The colorful dim sum menu is quite extensive, and I must applaud my friend for picking some of the best  dim sum for me to try.

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The Whole Abalone Minced Chicken Tart stood out as the most outstanding –  there was a whole small abalone that was cooked just right atop a delicious pie crust with chunks of tender chicken inside – easily one of the best dim sum I have ever tried.

There is no doubt that the Xiao Long Bao here is the juiciest, tastiest, and best texture of all, and the presentation of the dumplings in a flower shaped tin made it so much more appetizing and appealing.

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The Shrimp Dumpling Topped with XO Sauce was another excellent selection – the topping must had been dried abalone with XO sauce, which blended well with the perfectly steamed dumpling.

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The Tofu Skin Roll that I chose came inside a soup that tasted like soy milk, of which I found comforting to eat. The Durian Roll had the most(quantity) and flavorful durian filling inside a crispy pastry shell.

The pork filling inside the BBQ pork buns were lean and delicious, unlike some places where the pork can be fatty and of inferior quality.

I had such a marvelous time with my friend and the food that I wish time would stand still for that afternoon. Afterwards, my friend invited me to her newly renovated house to look at the incredible transformation – the tiles and some of the materials used in the bathrooms and kitchen were undeniably some of the most artistically designed. I would love to take a shower there.

I was debating whether I should stay one more day in the bay area so that I could go back to Koi’s for another awesome meal. After much serious contemplation, I opted to leave with a good memory, but Koi will definitely be the top of my list next time I am up there.

Koi Palace: 365 Gellert Blvd. Daly City, CA 94015  Phone: 650-992-9000

 

Sage Bistro

03 Tuesday Nov 2015

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A friend and his daughter decided to try this place called Sage Bistro on Main Street in Alhambra. Once inside, they realized that the owner and chef were once their neighbors from way back when the kids were still small.

It was a happy reunion, but what made it even better was the fact that he thought that the food was really great! Though the chef is Chinese, the cooking and the menu is western style with the stellar dishes being the Roasted Duck Breast, and Duck Leg Confit.

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Since the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, it took a while before I was out there on the right day to try the place. I got there rather early so the place was still empty. The lady owner asked if this was my 1st time there, and I said “yes, but my friend who is on his way was your former neighbor.” I told her the name, and she exclaimed “what a small world!”, and started to tell me how the daughters from the two families were good friends when they were younger.

I was torn between the Roasted Duck Breast and the Duck Leg Confit, but chose the duck breast since it was highly recommended, while my friend ordered the Pork Chop Casserole.

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The duck meat was extremely tender and flavorful, indeed as good as my friend had described. While  I did enjoy my plate, I wished that there were more food since I was still hungry afterwards. The Pork Chop Casserole, on the other hand, was definitely substantial and came with 2 huge pieces of chops.

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If I were to go back, I would probably order the Duck Leg with another dish such as the Cajun Seafood Pasta in order to get filled.

Sage Bistro – 521 Main St. Alhambra, CA 91801  Phone: 626-289-8713