I really like the lady that runs this place and makes me feel like I'm eating right in her dining room. When she opened up Lucky Noodle King, she gave me a call and invited me to come check out her new food. At Chuan Yu Noodle Town, I would always buy her fantastic chili oil and use it to make beef noodle soup at home. Great review by one of SGV's true hounds.

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Lucky Noodle King
534 E Valley Blvd #10, San Gabriel, CA 91776

d_doubleyew thanks for posting my link. Mien Nghia has a special place in my belly.

Chandavkl, love that you know Chinatown ha! Wonder if we've eaten at the same places.

In any case here are some of my thoughts:

Aubwah, I've been driving through Chinatown nearly everyday for 7 years because of my commute to work. I can help you with the noodle department at least. Chinatown usually just does the trick, it can't replace Little Saigon or SGV. Chinatown has a large population of Chiu Chow/Chao Zhou/Trieu Chau Chinese. They love to eat rice/egg noodle soup with various meats such as beef/pork balls, fish balls, fried fish slices and five-spice duck legs. I typically go back in forth between:

New Kamara - Cambodian/Chiu Chow couple. Try their chiu chow special noodes with or without soup. Wontons are not HK style but still very slippery and enjoyable. Also Beef loc lac rice. I go here twice a week because it's comforting and free parking too.

Mien Nghia - Chiu Chow run. One of three locations, but I believe one of them has recently closed. In any case, the one left in SGV is probably the best since the owner runs it. I'm thinking he's based at the Rosemead location on Garvey. This is the only location that you can buy the famed satay chili sauce that makes their sometimes bland soup turn into liquid magic.

Pho Pasteur - this place replaced Au Pagolac. And when I'm craving Bun Bo Hue, Vietnamese pork bone lemongrass noodle soup, I'll go here. It's nothing like what you'll get at Ngu Binh in Little Saigon, but it does the job. And I like their fried bean curd shrimp paste (tom dau hu ky).

New Dragon Seafood Restaurant - another typical $4.99 lunch special place but I go here for their wonton and beef brisket noodle soup. The chef is actually from Hong Kong and makes a tasty, but not true to Hong Kong, bowl of wontons. It just hits the spot for $5. Try with red vinegar and their really good chili oil sauce. No complaints here.

Pho 87 - may be the better pho restaurants in Chinatown. They always give a good amount of beef in their bowls. I used to go to Pho Hoa, which isn't bad either.

Nam Thai Vietnamese Hot Truck - this truck has been on the corner of Spring/Alpine for decades. I remember eating here as a kid in the late 80s. They've been owned by over 4 different people and sell the same Vietnamese snacks like banh mi, banh cuon (ground pork/woodear mushroom crepes), nem nuong (cured pork balls) and various desserts. It's good when you're in a hurry, but they only show up after 10 am I believe.

Buu Dien - J. Gold loves their banh mi, I think their ok but I love the couple. I go here for their $4 bun rieu (vietnamese tomato and dill, crab patty soup noodles). Very homey food here. Their cured meats are so so.

Hoan Kiem - before it was passed on to the owner's cousin, this place made some really decent chicken noodle soup (pho ga) and fresh banh cuon. It's gone down over the years but you can try it out.

Wu Ha Thai - this sweet lady used to run a small noodle shop in Thaitown called Thai Town noodles haha. She offers a variation of the popular Thai Boat noodles called "nam tok". Her food was so good before but has gone down drastically. I still go there to support her as much as I can. But give it a shot.

Yum Cha Cafe - their beef brisket noodle soup isn't bad. Again does the trick. I also like their fried shrimp paste balls. But for the most part their dim sum doesn't even taste right and I don't like that they only offer soy sauce and Sriracha as condiments. Good dim sum doesn't need soy sauce.

Hope this helps!

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Hoan Kiem
727 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Pho 87
1019 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Ngu Binh Restaurant
14072 Magnolia St, Westminster, CA 92683

Pho Hoa
818 N Spring St Ste 103, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Pagolac Restaurant
14580 Brookhurst St, Westminster, CA 92683

Buu Dien
642 N Broadway Ste 5, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mien Nghia Restaurant
7755 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770

Pho Pasteur
8821 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770

Kamara Restaurant
709 N Hill St Ste 14, Los Angeles, CA 90012

thanks bewley!

Hi, we're looking for any recs on solid Portuguese food in Providence? Thank you.

I'm going back again next week and the first thing i'm asking for anything off the menu. the whole 'ahogado/a' (drowned) thing – i've been paying attention to it more since i first ate a torta ahogada. definitely sounds great. i also tried a few other shrimp dishes, which i will add to my posting once i get the chance. loved the pepper/oil shrimp and the fresh garlic one (checo). thanks for the compliments! and again, appreciate the knowledge you pass on.

do you write for wikipedia? ha. that's stellar.

Streetgourmet, that is fabulous – you always have tasty information. I do want to try the new items. Yes I have written about it as well, and I have not encountered "problems". The only problem was the 2nd time when they ran out of octopus (pulpo) for the cevice – and to me that is a good thing, it tells me they probably don't use frozen octopus.

Das, I've been looking for TA as well too. Tried one at this place off Adams Blvd. – http://www.losanjealous.com/2009/02/2... . also saw one on Huntington Drive (El Sereno). Thanks for reviewing.

love love love El Sereno meat market. I go there for beef cheeks (cachete).

I came here back in early December and was confronted by the manager. But I told them the truth, "for a blog, no flash" and they granted me access. Besides Andres was too busy talking to some cougars, while Marcel was busy on his laptop replying to fan email. Definitely want to go back for the updated menu, after I eat a 3-lb burrito of course.

why is that weird? i think it's even more fun to have freshly shucked oysters at a place that typically sells fruits and vegetables. i just picked up 4 types on Sunday: catalinas, lunas, endless summers and carlsbad blondes. just wrote about it on eatdrinknbmerry.com .

i'll try out mirabelle and king's very soon. going to Quality Seafood this weekend! any recs besides oysters and live sea urchin?

i haven't had the time yet. For sure it is on my laundry list of places to eat. I would probably do the places in SGV before venturing out towards The Heights area b/c i'm in SGV every weekend.

Like I said, you are a machine ErikM. I knew you weren't human from Day 1 haha.

my only question is... where do I even begin??? I'm liking the up and coming South El Monte area since it's so close to my parents place. I think i'll go for the nem chua/bun bo hue places b/c yes, i agree that NNNH/NNKH dump boat loads of MSG!

Wow nsxtasy. Thank you for the super-detailed response. North Pond sounds amazing. If you don't mind, how about casual/wine/beer scene restaurants under $50-$100?

How is Spring Restaurant?
For beer, I'm probably going to check out either Map Room, Hop Leaf or Clark St. Alehouse? Anything else you would recommend.

Thanks again, super-helpful.

hi, i'll be here for work for just 2 days max. if i could pick one restaurant to eat/drink at under $150 pp... where should I go? I eat everything, but am looking for something Chicago CHounders absolutely love. sorry i can't specify an area I'll be in, but I'm willing to go long distances for good food. thank you in advance.

Just had OB Bear's fried chicken and I think i'ts great. On this day, it was definitely not as dry as Prince's. But with friedchicken, it could just be an off day. I have to say that Soju Town actually has a decent fried chicken too (tong dahk). I didn't encounter any dry parts at all.

Find a Korean market... for sure there you can find the scallion rake there.

Thanks TonyC. that food at Uncle Chen's looks great.

i've been wanting to try the steamed stinky tofu. i'd love to have the really dark fried tofu as well... super fermented kind. thanks exileK.

Jerome, i had tried to eat at Ma Lan noodles about 2-3 years ago and it was gone. they only have the HH location open.

re: 101, doesn't matter to me if they are hand-pulled or not... the texture is really great!

For Chinese, I know Heavy Noodling used to make good knife-shaven noodles. It may be what you're referring to? I just went to 101 Noodle Express on Valley Blvd and ordered the beef noodle soup... the soup/beef itself were forgettable but the noodles had the exact consistency i was looking for in hand-pulled noodles. i think they are hand-pulled?

For Korean hand-made noodles... i just went here:
http://eatdrinknbmerry.blogspot.com/2...
Other reviewers here on CH also talk about Olympic Noodle and Myung Dong Gyoja for their fresh noodles. hope that helps.

hi, i'm really missing the night markets in Taiwan. and i'd like to do a food hop one weekend when i get the chance. what snack foods do you recommend at the following places... love stinky tofu, sausages, pork blood cubes, soup noodles, oyster pancakes/omelettes.

Old Country Cafe in Alhambra
Mama's Kitchen in San Gabriel
QQ in Temple City
Won Won's Kitchen in Temple City
Ay Chung in San Gabriel
Sin Ba La in Arcadia
Pa Pa Walk
Ding's Garden
The Indian
B20
Lee's Garden

I'm not familiar with Rowland Heights, but I know i've been to this one taiwanese restaurant. think it's called Q-something? not in the HK Plaza. recs in Rowland Heights/Hacienda would be great as well.

Thanks!

Night market photos from Taiwan... http://www.flickr.com/photos/hecookss...

I had these in Hong Kong as well and actually, I could smell them a mild away. I could see them just soaking in the fermented liquid in tubs. They were tasty.

The guy at the HK Supermarket Plaza in Rowland makes it pretty good - love the pickled cabbage (pao tsai) that comes with it. mmm.

Ips, went to Won Won last night. Was really bummed they didn't have Stinky Tofu anymore. The owner said that he just stopped making it not too long ago. But i had the minced pork rice, friedchicken, meatball soup (love!) and i was more than content. such a homey place. posting will be up on my blog soon. thanks for the recs.

A&J Irvine actually made a great bowl of beef noodle soup and ja jiang mian. that was in '97 when i last ate there... i'm sure the chefs have been changed around.

i'm with you on Library Ale House. They were super tasty. Also one of the few places I heard of that do a salmon version. i can't resist the calamari there – nice batter.

chandavkl, funny. i just had a discussion with Ipsedixit on Guilin rice noodles the other day. this photo was from Yangshuo, China... near Guilin. i think about their noodles all the time. http://www.flickr.com/photos/hecookss...

jerome, been trying to go to 101 for a while – but i scurry away when i see that line outside. what do i get? i'm dying to try the scallion pancake "nachos".

Ray, i'm with you on all of those. Tasty Garden just does the HK style cafe food so well. In addition to their noodles, it's their claypot rice dishes that get me back there (bo zai faan) – mm salted fish/chinese sausage.

Everytime I've been to Garden Cafe (baldwin avenue in arcadia) and Cafe Spot (valley blvd... west of Garfield) - they make a great crispy beef chow mein and beef chow fun. and for $5.95 - no damage is done.

definitely try the oysters – always fresh when I GO. had the mussels last time which were ok. all of their mixed cocktails are quite fresh. i didn't see the lobster roll on the menu when I went 2 weeks ago – what a pity.