Din Tai Fung Dumpling House

1108 S Baldwin Ave

Arcadia, CA 91007

(626) 574-7068

Best known for its juicy pork dumplings, or Xiaolongbao, Taiwan-based restaurant, Din Tai Fung, commands long waits at its Arcadia outpost every weekend. With restaurants located in Taipei, Shanghai, Sydney, and Tokyo, Din Tai Fung has established a reputation for its Shanghai style cooking throughout the Pacific Rim. As the only outpost in the United States, the Arcadia location has become a delicious mainstay for the Asian (and often non-Asian) communities of the San Gabriel Valley.

Upon entering the restaurant, a glass wall by the entrance reveals workers in full motion; mixing, folding, and steaming Din Tai Fung’s famous dumplings. Watching these workers pull long sheets of white dough, mix delicately balanced fillings, and pinch perfectly shaped dumplings, all at lightening speed, is a truly mesmerizing experience. The dumpling making experience at Din Tai Fung is both a calculated and refined process, with each step critical to the creation of a delicate, yet succulent Xiaolongbao.

Xiaolongbao are to Shanghai, as pastrami sandwiches to New York, or fish tacos to Ensenada. Steamed within bamboo baskets, these dumplings produce a juicy center that when bitten into, often scald the mouth. In fact, within many Western countries, Xiaolongbao have been dubbed as “soup dumplings.” A juicy filling, or “soup,” forms inside when a type of meat gelatin within the dumpling skin melts during the steaming process.

My favorite dumplings to order at Din Tai Fung are the pork and crab filled dumplings, which when fresh from the steamer, burst with delicious juice and flavor. These dumplings taste best when dipped in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and finely sliced pieces of ginger. Although the dumplings are often the main attraction at Din Tai Fung, the non-Xiaolongbao dishes are noteworthy as well. Specifically, my favorites are the garlic sautéed string beans, tofu and bean sprout appetizer, Shanghai rice cakes, and sweet sesame buns. For some people, the dishes at Din Tai Fung represent an exotic culinary adventure, but for others (like myself), a habitually satisfying experience in Shanghai style comfort food.

Yi Mei Chinese Pastries

736 S Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 284-9306

Sometimes I’ll wake up with a craving for some good old fashioned Northern Chinese style breakfast—a steaming bowl of sweet soy milk (dou jian), freshly pressed onion chive pancake (tsong yo bing), and a crisply fried Chinese doughnut (yo tiao). In Shanghai, street vendors often sell fresh soy milk and onion pancakes to the rush hour crowd as they wearily trek to their nine to five’s each morning. As a student studying Mandarin in Shanghai, I became immediately addicted to the oily morsels of fried dough and sweet cups of soy milk, sold for a mere 10 cents each outside the subway station. For my roommate and I, these simple street snacks became our on-the-go breakfast; a quick morning fix, which allowed us to temporarily “blend in” with the other Chinese commuters during the 45 minute subway ride across town to our school.

With my fond memories of dou jian and tsong yo bing, I took it upon myself to find a place in the Los Angeles area which served these deliciously nostalgic breakfast items. After some quick preliminary research on Yelp, it became clear that I needed to try Yi Mei Chinese Pastries, located in Monterey Park (aka Asian foodie’s paradise). I had high hopes for this place, and became enamored with the idea that the moment I tasted the perfectly fried pancake and sweet soy milk, I would be overtaken with flashbacks of Shanghai’s busy streets, with its seemingly steroid induced skyscraper communities and bucolic peasant street vendors hawking everything from the latest American movie releases to exotic fruits and vegetables. Yes, I had high hopes.

Upon entering Yi Mei, I gave my order to Chinese woman who nonchalantly barked the request into a microphone, just like a fast food restaurant. The menu in Yi Mei was written completely in Chinese, but luckily I knew how to pronounce the items that I wanted to order (sadly, the extent of my Mandarin these days). I sat down at one of the scattered tables and in about 10 minutes a lovely Mexican lady brought out my breakfast. “Dou jian,” “fan tuan,,” “tsong yo bing,” she mutters. Absolutely fabulous! I love Los Angeles! Even my traditional Chinese breakfast is prepared by Mexican chefs.

The dou jian was just as I had hoped. Subtly sweet, with a hint of the bean texture so reminiscent of the milk sold outside the subway station in Shanghai. The tsong yo bing was lightly fried, but a little less doughy than my typical Shanghai pancake. The last dish was a Taiwanese item, called “fan tuan” and consisted of a layer of rice, packed with Chinese pickles, dried pork, and a crisp Chinese doughnut (yo tiao). This dish in particular ended up being the most surprisingly delicious, and conveyed the right balance of salty and oily flavors. The Chinese doughnut was fried to perfection and when bitten into, cracked with a savory crunch.

Much of my experience at Yi Mei reminded me of Shanghai--cleanliness included. Despite the hygiene issue, this hole-in-the wall produces one of the best and most authentic versions of a Northern Chinese breakfast I've yet encountered…well, at least this far East of Shanghai.

*Last two photos borrowed from Yelp

Taron Bakery

Taron Bakery
4950 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Amid the shopping-cart transients, dilapidated liquor stores, and ambiguously advertised perfume parlors that populate the eastern end of Hollywood Blvd, a small bakery pipes out delicious beoreks, or Armenian meat and cheese pies. If not for the delicious wafts of savory pies, which seem to drift from the bakery ovens and assault the senses of those unwittingly passing by, one might miss this unremarkable looking brick establishment. When I first moved to my apartment in Little Armenia, I noticed many older generation Armenians making pilgrimages each morning to this tiny bakery at the corner of Hollywood and Kenmore. As is often the case with great ethnic eateries, the bakery boasts little to no advertisement, yet produces some of the most well crafted Armenian pastries in Los Angeles.

Taron Bakery’s simplistic nine item menu offers savory Armenian pastries ranging from spinach and cheese beoreks, to a seasoned type of flat bread, called Tahini bread. My personal favorite is the ‘meat’ beorek, which consists of perfectly crisp outer dough, filled with a marinated ground beef mixture. Another great flavor is the ‘spicy cheese’ beorek, which despite being labeled as ‘spicy,’ remains relatively mild, with its unique combination of feta and tangy red pepper. The consistency and flavor of these beoreks remind me of Latin empanadas and Russian piroshkies. Upon entering Taron Bakery, you will find racks of freshly baked beoreks, lahmajunes, and tahini bread lying on the counter and on cooling trays. Usually, the earlier in the day you arrive, the more flavors are available. These inexpensive, yet delicious pastries (ranging from $1.50 to $3.00) make for a great afternoon snack or light breakfast meal.

Dai Ho Restaurant

Dai Ho Restaurant
9148 Las Tunas Dr.
Temple City, CA 91780


Dai Ho Restaurant. Local Taiwanese expats and Chinese Americans pack this Temple City noodle joint every Saturday afternoon, most vying for a taste of the house specialty—a steaming bowl of “Beef Noodle Soup,” or Niu Ro Mien. As a popular Szechuan noodle dish, the spicy flavors of Niu Ro Mien have dominated the palates of Taiwanese locals for years. Composed of a mixture of chili paste, tomatoes and beef shank, the Niu Ro Mien broth serves up an aromatic combination of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors. The noodles are often served al-dente and topped with green onions, pickled mustard, and bok choy for extra flavor and garnish. Dai Ho Restaurant serves up a delicious version of Niu Ro Mien—one loaded with extra chili oil and garlic for a pungent and often scalding kick in the mouth.

During college, a Taiwanese American friend and I would make a monthly pilgrimage to Temple City (no pun intended), in order to satisfy our relentless cravings for Dai Ho’s “Beef Noodle Soup.” Needless to say, we would always leave satisfied and happy, ready to spend the rest of the day watching USC football in a proverbial food coma. During this period, we also became familiar with the establishment’s infamous proprietor, known lovingly as the Chinese “Soup Nazi.” The “Soup Nazi” would often insist on certain dishes and spice levels for customers, no matter the protest, and also shamelessly point to the “NO READING NEWSPAPERS” sign for loitering patrons.

Other key dishes to try at Dai Ho include the “Tofu with Jalapenos and Cilantro,” and “Soy Sauce Eggs.” These side dishes serve as an excellent compliment to the often extreme spiciness of the Niu Ro Mien broth. For more simple fare, the establishment’s “Dan Dan Mien” offers a straightforward, yet delicious combination of noodles, peanut sauce, and chili oil.

In conclusion, Dai Ho offers some of the best Niu Ro Mien in Los Angeles. If you’re interested in trying a classic Szechuan Taiwanese dish, Dai Ho should definitely be on your list of places to visit. Although non-Asian patrons are rare here, you don’t have to be Chinese to slurp some noodles!

Sunset Siam

5265 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 467-8935

Sunset Siam. Located adjacent to the Best Value Inn on Sunset Boulevard, one might easily bypass this nondescript Thai eatery. Upon hearing that they serve a sweeter version of the classic Chinese breakfast within a Los Angeles Times food article, I decided to venture the unchartered four blocks east of my apartment for the good of ethnic foodies everywhere. Interestingly, this area of Sunset lies on the border of Little Armenia and Thai town—an area peppered with Armenian groceries and famous cheap eat staples such as Zankou Chicken. The tiny establishment was packed with local Thai’s slurping savory rice porridge and munching on Chinese fried doughnut (youtiao), while a Thai television station blared local news from Bangkok.

Inside, we were handed menus with pictures of various breakfast items. We decided on the “Hong Kong Rice Porridge,” the “Chinese doughnut” and the “Tofu with sweet ginger syrup.” Growing up, my Chinese mother would make porridge (xi fan) with leftover rice from the previous night’s meal. This dish was especially great during the winter time and we’d “spice it up” with a salty pickled egg or dried pork. The “Hong Kong Rice Porridge” at Sunset Siam came in a large bowl with pieces of chicken, pickled egg, and scallions. The saltiness of the pickled egg blended nicely with the meatiness of the chicken and crisp, yet refreshing flavor of the scallions. The tofu with warm ginger syrup contained large pieces of soft tofu in a sweet and spicy ginger broth. The Thai youtiao was a bit heavier than the typical Chinese version, but truly delicious in the condensed milk dipping sauce.
Overall, I enjoyed the “Thai” version of this classic Chinese breakfast. Our meal came to a whopping total of $11. Aww, yeeaah.