Too bad Seoul Tofu didn't get a good painter to redo the facade that faces Atlantic Blvd. Remnants of the name of the previous restaurant still remain.

Perhaps someone should inform the author that almost all Chinese restaurants offer takeout. :-)

Elite: phoenix claws.

Thanks for the review.

Many people in the Bay Area make a careful distinction between "The City" and everywhere else. But they see everything south of the Grapevine as "LA".

Perhaps they don't have the space or money to install the proper equipment for washing and sanitizing silverware and dishes.

I visited Hong Kong and Guangzhou before 1997. Back then, *some* HK restaurants were clearly influenced by the West--HK fast food in single person serving sizes. This was also true of the HK cafes.

In Guangzhou, the food I had was a bit more exotic--civet, snake, cats, etc. My HK friends thought we were crazy to try those things. However, HK cooking has very strong roots in Cantonese cooking. We had many meals in HK restaurants that were nearly identical to ones that we had in Guangzhou and the surrounding countryside.

We thank you in advance for exploring the cuisine. Happy journeys!

Congrats on your new abode! I think there's a Farmer's Market on Main Street on Sunday that specializes in Asian fruits and veggies (I don't know if they're organic).

Most of the Chinese restaurants are not Westernized at all. It helps if you speak Chinese, but it's not required. For starters, take a car or bus and drive a few miles on Valley Blvd. from Atlantic Blvd east to Rosemead Blvd. There's nothing quite like that in the Bay Area.

Your options are limited, but if you want to improve the odds, talk with the manager/owner at the restaurant you choose. Inform that person that your Chinese family wants *authentic* Chinese food, not the Americanized versions. Either ask what they can prepare or choose the items yourself. If it's not on the menu, just ask if they can cook it. Order in advance so they can prepare the ingredients properly.

Go to any Hong Kong-style cafe. They serve their version of Western dishes, such as spaghetti, sandwiches, drinks, etc.

California does have its own agricultural inspection stations on the Arizona border. I passed them on the Oregon border as well, but they were closed at that time.

There are some dim sum places that have nearby stand alone store fronts for takeout orders. Do those qualify as stand alone joints?

Thank you for the clarification.

Humor. It is a difficult concept at times. :-)

Which laws do they enforce?

I wouldn't go that far. Perhaps they look similar to non-Asians, but I don't think Vietnamese generally look like Japanese.

I doubt US customs would enforce a California state law.

The training of the cooks is the most important part of the issue. However, it can be difficult to train non-native cook to prepare a dish that isn't on the menu but an expected part of a cuisine.

For example, I've been to certain faux-Chinese restaurants where Latino cooks make pretty good renditions of a fixed number of dishes. But I can't order off the menu like I could in an "authentic" Chinese restaurant. A good Chinese cook would understand pretty much what I'm looking for in a dish based on years of experience in cooking regional specialties. While you can certainly train a non-Chinese cook to do this, it is not an easy task because it would take years of practice--far more than what you get in faux-Chinese restaurants.

Where are you from in Canada? If you're from Vancouver or Toronto, I'd recommend avoiding Cantonese restaurants, but other types of Chinese regional cuisines might be good.

Their dim sum is okay, but they use much of the same ingredients for a lot of their dishes. Here's some more info:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/829869
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793422

Sounds like a success story!

You are in luck because you will be close to the San Gabriel Valley (SGV), which has a high concentration of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants.

Try Thien Tam in El Monte. It's about as cheap as it gets, but the food is very good. While there are numerous vegetarian Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, this one serves Vietnamese food--not hybridized Chinese.

You can also get fresh tofu in Rosemead from VK Food Products.

Thien Tam
10345 Garvey Ave
El Monte, CA 91733

VK Food Products
9210 Valley Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770

There are also numerous vegetarian Chinese restaurants in the SGV. They almost always distinctly Chinese, not Chinese-American or Chinese-Indian.

When they try to cut, stick your arm out to stop them or step in front of them. If that doesn't work, cut in front of them, and don't be afraid of body contact.

Seafood Village does NOT serve dim sum. I'm pretty sure you can order the same items for both dinner and lunch, but I don't have their menu with me to be 100% certain.

I recommend the Temple City one--parking is easier, and it's a bit bigger. Park in the lot behind the restaurant and enter through the entrance there. That's where the waitstaff will greet you. If you go through the front door on Las Tunas, they'll ignore you, and you'll need to walk to the parking lot entrance anyway.

Elite in Monterey Park.

Nem nuong from Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa.

If I ever see you in a restaurant, I'll do my best not to startle you. Heck, I might even try some Toisanese to break the ice.

For Chinese:

Cantonese steamed rock cod with ginger and green onions
Beijing duck
Stir fried scallops

One of my relatives was a cook at Limehouse. One of our family friends was a part owner of Tai Hong. In fact, a large number of my family friends and relatives worked in restaurants. The food was always very good at family gatherings. :-)