The signature char siu barbecued pork uses Duroc pork and is marinated in a family recipe that’s been passed down for more than three decades. Chef and co-owner Leo Lee uses only organic produce, as well as ethically-sourced, sustainable, and hormone-free meat. Diners can create custom rice boxes, choosing from the signature char siu (barbecued pork), black soy-poached chicken, crispy seven spice pork belly, or a vegan special. Rice Box is the first hip and modern Cantonese restaurant in Los Angeles that really hits the mark. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns: for updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the Los Angeles Public Health website. Here now are 16 Cantonese restaurants to try in Los Angeles.Ī number of LA restaurants have resumed dine-in service. But even with stiff competition, many Cantonese restaurants have been able to stand the test of time. In the past two decades, the Southland’s Cantonese restaurants have gradually been replaced by Sichuan, Shanghai, and northern Chinese establishments due to an increase in mainland Chinese immigration.
Another hallmark of the genre is wok hei (wok breath), which is a distinct flavor imparted on dishes as the result of sugars and oils caramelizing in a blazing-hot wok. Characterized by roasting, boiling, steaming, stir-frying, and deep-frying techniques that incorporate fresh ingredients and ample seafood, Cantonese cooking is as diverse as it is delicious. In the following years, Cantonese cooking rose to prominence in LA and America. The San Gabriel Valley’s Chinese food explosion began in the 1980s and 1990s when Cantonese and Taiwanese immigrants settled in the area. There are two other Richmond District spots that often get mentioned in magazines and newspapers, but I haven’t been to them for the earlier mentioned reasons, but I thought I’d list them here for your reference: Hong Kong Lounge (5322 Geary Blvd between 18th Ave & 17th Ave) and Ton Kiang (5821 Geary Blvd between 23rd Ave & 22nd Ave). Location: 3319 Balboa St (between 35th Ave & 34th Ave), San Francisco When I don’t feel like dealing with it I go to Yank Sing which probably serves the second best! The restaurant is divey, not so clean and the service is on the rude side, but the dumplings…ah well, that makes it worth it….sometimes.
Known as “xiao long bao”, meaning soup dumpling, it is made with a circular base and pinched at the top prior to steaming. As the name suggests they are known for their Shanghai dumplings (although they serve other items as well). This is the one place in the Richmond I would go out of my way to visit.