Message: | Get a hold of Jonathan Gold's "Counter Intelligence", whose Chinese picks are pretty dependable. There is a huge Chinese mall in San Gabriel on the corner of Valley and Del Mar (get off at the Del Mar exit on the I-10.) There's a place on the second level called "Wu's," which had great hand-pulled noodles the last time I was there; unfortunately, the last time we were at the mall, the place was closed; hopefully, temporarily. Gold mentions a place on Valley, just west of the mall, called Mei Long Village (301 W. Valley, 626-284-4769). My wife and I have been going there for years: it's authentic Shanghainese: try the steamed vegetable dumplings; the braised fish in a brown sauce; the jelly fish; and this incredible, nearly basketball-sized, glistening side of pork called "pork pump" -- a house specialty, and well worth getting, if you have at least three others joining you. This is a very reliable place: we've never had a bad meal there in four years, although if you're not Chinese you'll get seated in the back, given a fork, and may be neglected until you've demonstrated to the waiters and waitresses that you know what you're ordering. Just south of Del Mar, on Valley, is a superb Sichuan place. See my comment to a piece on this message board a piece on Hua Garden. |