A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - A Melting Pot of Asian Cultures

Monterey Park prides itself on being the first suburban Chinatown in the United States. Chinese immigrants first came to the city in large numbers during the 1970s, transforming a formerly white bedroom community into a thriving Asian enclave. Today, over two-thirds of Monterey Park's residents are Asian. But calling it just a "Chinatown" doesn't do justice to the incredible diversity found here.

Within just a few miles you'll find multiple Asian cultures blending together in harmony. Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Mandarin mix with the sounds of Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean. It's a true melting pot that gives you a taste of all that Asia has to offer without the need for a passport.

For many immigrants, businesses in Monterey Park offered a chance to bring their native food and culture to America. Walking these streets lets you immerse yourself in their stories. At Nouvelle West Bakery, a French-trained Chinese baker handcrafts pastries using Asian ingredients like matcha, black sesame, and taro. Yamazaki Bakery is a Japanese legend that opened its first overseas location here in 1980. Delicious hopia pastries with mung bean filling now beckon from their window.

The strong Vietnamese presence led to a "Little Saigon" sprouting up along Garvey Avenue. Lee's Sandwiches originated here before spreading across California. Their French-inspired Banh Mi sandwiches perfectly capture how cultures blend, with pâté and pickled carrots joining traditional Vietnamese meats. Even major Vietnamese chains like Pho Hoa Noodle Soup opened early locations in Monterey Park to serve freshly-arrived immigrants.

Koreatown may be in Los Angeles, but Monterey Park boasts its own lively Korean community along Garfield Avenue. Korean barbecue restaurants like Oo-Kook draw hungry diners craving meat cooked over real wood charcoal. Korean-Chinese fusion dishes highlight how cultures collide, such as jajangmyeon noodles topped with black bean paste.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Authentic Chinese Restaurants That Rival Hong Kong

Monterey Park boasts some of the most authentic Cantonese cuisine outside of Hong Kong. Walking into establishments like NBC Seafood or Ocean Star feels like you've stepped into a bustling Hong Kong restaurant, with seafood tanks brimming with live catches and refined yet relaxed dining rooms. Signature Cantonese dishes like honey walnut prawns, Peking duck, and xiaolongbao dumplings are executed impeccably. You'll never have to board a 15 hour flight again to experience true Hong Kong-style fare.

For those craving late-night noshing, Sam Woo BBQ stays open until 3am and serves up piping hot moo shu pork and Peking duck wraps well into the night. Ocean Star is renowned for its live seafood and 10-course lobster dinners. Reserve one of their VIP rooms to be surrounded by ornate golden dragon statues as you feast. Down the street, Hong Kong Station impresses with dangling roasted ducks and tender, flaky char siu barbecue pork. Their expansive menu covers every Cantonese staple like congee rice porridge and egg custard tarts done right.

NBC Seafood takes up a full block along Atlantic Blvd and draws big crowds for weekend dim sum. Their expansive dining room bustles with carts doling out har gow shrimp dumplings, rice noodle rolls, and other dim sum delicacies. Every dish tastes freshly made instead of sitting for hours. For off-the-menu specialties, ask for their crab claws, salt and pepper squid, or pan-fried chive and shrimp dumplings. Just save room for the mango pudding dessert.

New Capital Seafood also shines brightly for Cantonese dim sum, executed with finesse by Hong Kong-native chefs. People line up an hour before opening to snag seats for weekend dim sum. Must-try dishes include their shrimp and leek dumplings, turnip cakes, and tender braised beef short ribs. Balance the rich proteins with bright, crunchy dishes like preserved mustard green fried rice. Their desserts like egg white custard tarts taste as good as those from famed Honolulu Bakery.

For late night noshing, Phoenix Bakery sells hot, fresh Cantonese egg tarts and pineapple buns into the wee hours. Their egg tarts boast the perfect ratio of buttery, flaky pastry and lightly sweetened eggy centers. The pineapple buns feature a topping that resembles the fruit's bumpy exterior. Bakeries like this offer snacks just like those found on the bustling streets of Hong Kong.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Sampling Dim Sum, Dumplings, and Other Cantonese Specialties

Dim sum defines the Cantonese dining experience. These small, tasty bites make for an ideal shared meal where everyone can try a variety of delicacies. Just as important as the food is the experience of ordering from roving trolleys and watching skilled cart pushers pivot with towers of steamer baskets. For first-timers, the dim sum experience can prove overwhelming with so many options. Let’s explore must-try dim sum dishes and how to approach ordering at Monterey Park’s excellent venues.

No dim sum meal is complete without shrimp dumplings, known as har gow. Expect to find plump whole shrimp inside thin rice dough wrappers. Well-made har gow shouldn’t stick together, and the shrimp should have a nice snap when bitten into. The steamed dumplings make a light start to your meal. Also popular are shrimp and chive dumplings. Their green speckled wrappers give way to a vibrant mix of minced shrimp and chives.

For some crunch, fried dumplings like potstickers and shrimp toast fit the bill. Potstickers feature delicately pan-fried wrappers enveloping pork or veggie fillings. After a quick fry, they get steamed to perfection. Shrimp toast sandwiches a minced shrimp mix between thick toast, which fries up crispy. Other classics include siu mai dumplings with pork and crab roe and cheung fun rice noodle rolls with beef or shrimp. Lu wei, tightly wrapped rice dumplings, are always a treat.

Beyond dumplings, consider turnip cakes. Shredded turnips get combined with rice flour and Chinese sausage then steamed in cakes. The savory, salty flavor makes them irresistible. Baozi are pillowy steamed buns stuffed with roast pork, beef, or vegetables. Cha siu bao with sweet BBQ pork is a dim sum MVP. For a sweet twist, custard buns feature crushed egg custard in a soft dough.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Vietnamese Pho and Banh Mi With a California Twist

Vietnam’s French colonial history led to some unexpected collisions between cultures that resulted in delicious Viet-Franco mashups. Two prime examples are pho noodle soup and banh mi sandwiches, which took Vietnam’s flavors and combined them with French ingredients and techniques. In Monterey Park, these classics get a fresh twist with California-inspired ingredients and fusions.

Pho originated in northern Vietnam, where beef is more common than in the south. The French later brought their flair for stocks to the dish, transforming pho with aromatics like onions and star anise. Pho Hoa added pho to Monterey Park’s culinary map back in the 1980s. Today, their broth balances beef bones with spices for a deeply layered base for rice noodles and sliced beef. Their pho tai (rare steak pho) takes an indulgent turn with bone marrow and tender beef that melts from the steamy broth.

For a California twist, Phoenix Food Boutique offers pho topped with salmon or five-spice chicken. Their pho also swaps in chewy udon noodles or spinach fettuccine for a heartier bite. Broth flavors range from intense beef to ginger chicken to tom yum coconut. It’s pho unfettered by tradition while keeping its soul intact. Across the street, newcomer Lime N Bean takes fast casual pho to the next level with grass-fed beef meatballs, wild-caught shrimp, or ube purple yam swirled into the comforting bowls.

Banh mi also arose from Vietnam’s contact with France. Wheat-based baguettes replaced rice flour rolls, though the fillings remained Vietnamese. Sauces like liver pâté and mayonnaise reflected French tastes. Lee’s Sandwiches is renowned for fantastic takes on this sandwich, from five-spice chicken to grilled pork with eggplant. Their baguettes get baked throughout the day so they stay crispy.

For a creative spin, Spice Alley’s food court features Banh Oui making banh mi on squid ink buns. Their fillings range from shredded pork with pickled radish to five-spice chicken thighs with chili lime sauce. Grain House serves banh mi on English muffins and includes hash browns within the sandwich. Savory California ingredients like avocado and oven-roasted turkey breast also find their way into modern banh mi.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Spicy Korean Barbecue Joints for Meat Lovers

Korean barbecue has earned a cult following for good reason – it delivers an interactive and indulgent meaty feast. The tabletop grills create an energetic atmosphere where the sizzling meats become the star of the show. Monterey Park excels at this Korean specialty with restaurants that import premium meats and let you control the grilling. The banchan side dishes and spicy staples like kimchi and gochujang sauce complete the experience.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ is a local legend that has been packing in diners since 1985. Their charcoal fires ramp up the flavor you just can’t replicate on an electric grill. Only natural wood charcoal imparts that irreplaceable smokiness into kalbi beef short ribs, bulgogi marinated beef, and samgyeopsal pork belly. Unlike many Korean BBQ joints, they also include shrimp and scallops for excellent seafood options to throw on the grill.

Every table gets stocked with the classic banchan of kimchi, bean sprouts, julienned cucumbers, pickled radishes, and chilled tofu. Their meat plates come with white rice and hearty soups like yukgaejang spicy beef broth. Balance the fiery meat with ice-cold Korean beer or soju. Late nights will find Oo-Kook buzzing and filled with the infectious energy that Korean BBQ brings.

For premium quality meats, visit Quarters Korean BBQ just down the block. Their Angus ribeye and Iberico pork belly deliver next-level flavors and textures. The beef bulgogi gets marinated for 48 hours to reach the pinnacle of tenderness. Set meals include crowd-pleasing combos like ribeye with spicy pork. Must-try banchan highlights are the thick potato pancake and the marinated lotus root. They even offer soju cocktails if you want to get creative with your pairings.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Pan-Asian Grocery Stores Packed With Exotic Ingredients

The markets and grocery stores of Monterey Park offer a treasure trove of exotic ingredients imported directly from across Asia. For adventurous eaters, these specialty stores provide everything needed to stock an Asian pantry and cook authentic dishes at home. With roots in many countries, the diversity of ingredients represents the diversity of cultures that call Monterey Park home.

Stepping inside these markets immediately transports shoppers to Hong Kong's bustling wet markets. Live seafood like crabs and lobster can be hand-selected from bubbling tanks. The butcher counters overflow with whole Peking ducks and glistening cuts of pork belly. Produce aisles burst with bitter melon, yard-long beans, and choy sum. With a little exploration, even novice cooks can source everything needed for restaurant-quality meals.

For Chinese cooking essentials, menus Seafood City and Ranch 99 Market have you covered. Bundles of rice noodles, chili sauce options galore, and exotic mushroom varietals not found elsewhere in LA fill the shelves. The freezer section hides special treats like taro and red bean ice cream mochi. Shoppers can discover bok choy, napa cabbage, and other vegetables key to Chinese dishes. The meat counter carries essential fatty cuts like pork belly and duck. Even chicken feet and other oddities make an appearance for adventurous cooks.

Over at the Japanese markets like Nijiya and Mitsuwa, the ramen aisle stuns with row upon row of instant noodles. Flavors range from creamy tonkotsu to spicy miso to dry Sapporo-style noodles. Japanese curries, furikake rice toppings, and panko breadcrumbs deliver that authentic flavor. Sweet treats like mochi ice cream and Takenoko no Sato capture iconic Japanese flavors. For maki rolls at home, stands sell seasoned seaweed sheets and pressed rice molds.

For the Korean pantry, H Mart and Zion Market have the hook up. Stock on gochujang and ssamjang chili paste for spice. Instant ramen like Shin Ramyun provides an authentic noodle fix. Banchan side dishes like seasoned seaweed, kimchi coleslaw, and japchae glass noodles are ready to serve. Korean barbecue marinades and sauces let home chefs replicate the restaurant experience. Don't forget Korean pears, milkis soda, and Orion chocolate pie for snacks.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Teahouses, Bakeries, and Markets That Feel Straight Out of Asia

Between the smells of incense and buns baking, the sounds of milk foam whirring and tea steeping, and the sights of red lanterns and steaming food carts, Monterey Park’s teahouses, bakeries, and markets truly transport you across the Pacific. For immigrants yearning for the tastes and traditions of their homelands, these spots are a small slice of comfort in this new world. For visitors, they offer total immersion in authentic Asian food culture.

At Tea Station, mainly Cantonese flavors feature in their extensive drink menu. Classics like chrysanthemum, oolong, and pu’erh teas provide pure flavor alongside dessert and milk options. Their preserved plum tea infuses white tea with sweet and salty plum, an East Asian specialty. For a snack, custard tarts and pineapple buns emerge fresh from the kitchen. Or try their salty egg yolk and shrimp paste buns – definitely an acquired taste but authentic down to the color and texture.

Down the road at Tasty Garden, Taiwanese bubble tea prevails. Ice-cold matcha, taro, and honey milk tea formulas cool you down as you stroll the neighborhood. Their signature custard topping adds creamy richness similar to the beloved Chinese egg tarts. Outside Hokkien Street Temple on Garvey, street food carts hawk snacks just like night markets in Taipei and Hong Kong. Crispy stinky tofu with pungent fermented flavor is a shock to unsuspecting newcomers!

No stop compares to the action and sensory overload of Wholesome Bakery though. This humongous market and warehouse supplies Asian baked goods and groceries to a huge swath of LA. Inside, the crackers and candy aisle beckons for a pre-meal snack. Then wander past tanks overflowing with live seafood destined for restaurant kitchens that night. Steamers unload trays straight from the oven with fluffy egg custard tarts and buttery pineapple buns. Lines snake out the door for their renowned char siu roast pork and soy sauce chicken over rice. Just snagging a parking space in their jam-packed lot feels like an accomplishment.

A Taste of Asia: Exploring the Rich Food and Culture of Monterey Park's Historic Chinatown - Upcoming Lunar New Year Festivities Not to Miss

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Monterey Park's Chinatown comes alive with festive celebrations honoring Asian traditions. Marking the arrival of spring and a fresh start, Lunar New Year represents the most important holiday in many Asian cultures. Monterey Park pays tribute with parades, performances, food festivals and family-friendly fairs that capture the holiday's spirit. Visitors can embrace the uplifting new beginnings and hopes for prosperity that Lunar New Year brings.

The two-week celebration kicks off with a Flower Market and a Miss Chinatown Pageant. Vendors at the market sell orchids, lilies and peach blossoms, considered lucky flowers that signify new beginnings. Beauty queens compete for the role of ambassador to bring good fortune at events. A parade along Garvey Avenue follows, filling the street with elaborate floats, lion dancers, and marching bands. Thunderous drums and clanging cymbals ward off evil spirits. Little red envelopes with money get handed out for even more luck.

For tempting Asian treats, don't miss the Sunday Market Food Fair. Asian food vendors dish out holiday specialties to energize crowds. Steamed rice cakes symbolizing advancement, longevity noodles promising long life, and beautiful glutinous rice dumplings adorn the food stands. Shiny tangerines and pineapple cakes bring sweetness to a new year of prosperity. People flock to try new foods and gather with friends over familiar comforts.

At night, the Chinatown Firecracker Run lights up Garvey Avenue with neon glow sticks. After honoring traditions all day, young locals get to let loose with live music and street food. Friendly competition unfolds as runners race down the avenue amid blasts of firecrackers. The excitement of the run embodies starting a new year off at a sprint. Later in the festival, cultural performances gracing the main stage express the community's wishes through traditional song and dance.

For families, hands-on activities teach children about Lunar New Year customs. Kids can learn puppet shows retelling the story of Nian, the beast defeated by loud noises and the color red at New Year's. They get to make their own firecrackers with red envelopes, foil and popsicle sticks. Lantern crafting and calligraphy lessons also connect kids to parts of the celebration. Trying dumpling wrapping and beating mochi rice let them also make traditional foods. These interactive experiences plant the seeds to pass traditions down to the next generation.