Lucas eats Chinese food in the San Gabriel Valley: dumplings, Taiwanese breakfast & more | Off Menu
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- In this week’s episode of “Off Menu,” host Lucas Kwan Peterson heads east of Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley, a 20-mile-wide swath that is the biggest and best Chinatown on the continent. Whether it’s hot pot or Taiwanese breakfast or northern Chinese dumplings, it’s possible to find almost every kind of regional Chinese cooking in the SGV.
Lucas heads to the restaurant Hui Tou Xiang to chat with David Chan, an amateur historian and Chinese food enthusiast who has eaten at more than 7,500 different Chinese restaurants in his life. Afterward, he meets up with some friends and colleagues at Huge Tree Pastry, a Monterey Park staple known for its excellent Taiwanese breakfast. Genevieve Ko, The Times’ cooking editor, Frank Shyong, a columnist for The Times, and Danny Chau, formerly of the Ringer, sit down and talk about growing up Asian American and how it has shaped their relationship to food.
Finally, Lucas heads to West L.A. to visit Jon Yao at Kato, a modern Taiwanese fine dining restaurant that was recently named the top restaurant on The Times’ 101 Best Restaurants list. Yao reflects on his childhood growing in Walnut, a small city in the SGV, and how it affected the development of Kato, as well as what lies in store for the future of Chinese cuisine.
In this episode:
Hui Tou Xiang
www.huitouxiang.com
Huge Tree Pastry
/ hugetreepastry
Kato
www.katorestaurant.com/
You can find David Chan's blog at:
chandavkl.blogspot.com/
For more food coverage, restaurant reviews, recipes, and the latest food news subscribe to the L.A. Times. www.latimes.com/subscribe
Connect with us:
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Hey everyone! I’m super excited for this week’s episode, which features a couple of colleagues and friends and, of course, some great Chinese food in the SGV. Thanks to David Chan, Frank Shyong, Genevieve Ko, Danny Chau and Jon Yao! Thanks again for watching and make sure to tune in next week for another episode!! 😘 LUCAS
Lucas Peterson, you’re the man 🤙🏽
You're killing it with these videos Lucas. Keep it up man!
I loved your interview with David Chan. What a wealth of knowledge. SO interesting!
Amazing work per usual!
hungry
the history recap by David Chan was insightful, never realized that was why there was such a concentration of Asian Americans in that area for the reasons he stated.
the accent part at the end is a real af Asian moment.
Right??? Someday!
@@lucaskwanpeterson2010 omg senpai hi how are you big fan of yours i follow you on twitter also okay goodbye now
Was a hilarious moment because next to no one thinks an italian accent is sexy lol
As if that would ever happen 😅
@Yamashita Maki They only hate it cause of the stereotypes and mocking that comes with it.
I've been missing Lucas in my life. His pieces are so well crafted, approaching food and its significance from so many different angles. Quality choice snagging him for this series. Can't wait for more.
This was such a great episode and I was very moved at times. The deed restriction history of LA doesn't get talked about enough (I love LA, I was born here but we can't ignore our history) and when Chef Yao talked about the Chinese accent, he was wonderfully vulnerable to the yearning of all immigrants and their descendants: to belong, to be prized and of communal value to the whole culture. Food is the beach head and that time will come chef. Hell, many of us of various types are in Hollywood, NYC, SF, Chicago getting on stage and in front of cameras to make that happen. Kudos to Lucas for this.
The conversation between Lucas and John was the interview equivalent of “chill lo-fi hip hop beats to study to”
As much as I love Koreatown, 626 is the true culinary heart of LA. There’s just so many scenes going on here it’s impossible to catch up.
the 818, 323, 213, 626....it's all delicious..
My home area. You’re spot on.
@@conni70 couldn't have said better myself. I love Los Angeles!!!
8:22 OMG! The strip mall of Kato’s location used to be a Persian (Jewish) kosher market. The market was so successful that it moved to a bigger location a few blocks away 10-some years ago - it is still successful. The family who owns it is astute and very nice. My friend and I were surprised and extremely happy to get there a special kind of mandarin oranges that are only available in China, Taiwan and northern Italy but nowhere else in the U.S., including Chinatowns in U.S. cities and SGV. Maybe through the ancient Silk Road, there have been for centuries many cultural connections between Chinese and the Middle East, such as agriculture, other than commerce, for example: Chinese and Persians grow similar varieties of agricultural crops. Northern Italian and traditional Chinese cuisines actually share quite a few ingredients, starkly, such as rice, produces, curing techniques for meat, etc., except dairy (because most Chinese were in the past vegetarian and are still lactose-intolerant today).
Being a Chinese origins born in Italy this was so interesting to read, thanks for sharing! I've never noticed these similarities but they make sense now :D
i feel like the best food videos bring together the actual dishes and how those dishes and the neighborhood came about, and Lucas does it all
A great video, guys! We ARE just 8-year olds trying to recapture memories and tastes from childhood. I could no agree more. I'm Chinese-Canadian and find myself going back to the culture I grew up in as a child as I get older.
thanks :)
I grew up around LA and we used to go to Monterey park every weekend. Thanks lucas for talking about it!
every episode puts a smile on my face Love it!!
Really enjoyed the historical perspectives in this vlog, Lucas!
Lucas always enjoy watching. Your very informative and you do bring your passion thru the way you present the foods and topics.
Lucas is still one of the best and this sgv episode is gold
so good to see Lucas again.. subscribe to this immediately when i see Lucas
Such a great episode Lucas! LITERALLY Love these so much. Can't wait until next Tuesday.
Jenn Harris wow thanks Jenn!
This episode is great! Love SGV and these amazing restaurants. Glad it is being shared so people know where to get authentic and delicious food in the SGV!
thanks for watching!
Great video Lucas!!! You gained a sub! I'm Mexican-American, living in the San Fernando Valley. As a kid my parents would take us to the San Gabriel Valley for Dim Sum. I would say 90 percent of the Mexicans I know love Chinese Food! Keep up the great vids.
This was so informative and useful. Thanks! More restaurants to add to my yelp SGV list. Happily.
Keep up the great work, you're on to something here. The perspective and conversation about food and culture this channel presents is interesting and unique. Like what I am seeing.
Lucas, you're back 👍🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Lucas!!!
Excellent narrative! Thanks for creating this!
Used to live in San Gabriel, the Chinese foods are mind blowing up there.
These videos are so great, they need more views!
They do!! Tell everyone!!
Great video Lucas. Really enjoy your videos.
Living in japan now but being from the 626 and having lived in ktown, I love and miss LA so much
Nice vlog Lucas! Keep up the good work.
Oh wow...i haven't seen fan twan sold in the US outside of super small mom and pop shops or outside of Taiwanese homes. That was really nostalgic and refreshing to see.
Also those rectangular dumplings in the beginning were really interesting! The conversation you had with he owner was stimulating in the way that I wasn't aware of the housing discrimination for many Asians at that time. It makes sense now, how our Chinatowns or Koreatowns or Japantowns have formed, and I'm glad you're spreading awareness of these social issues while still maintaining the positive impact these communities have on sharing their cuisines with us today :)
David Chan is actually not the owner but apologies if we made it seem like that! I agree, the history of the area is super interesting. Thanks for watching!
Fan Tuan were originally a Shanghainese thing, not Taiwanese, so I’ve seen them at other places.
@@haruzanfuucha Fan Tuan simply means rice ball, not something special in Asian cuisine we call onigiri, "fan tuan" in Chinese too. Different home towns have their own versions of fan tuan with different fillings. My Cantonese grandmother made fan tuan with jasmine rice or glutinous rice whenever there was leftover, she didn't put any fillings, just rice. Shanghainese call rice ball 粢飯ci fan (tuan), the fillings Taiwanese using now can be very different than what shanghainese are using.
i have learned a lot from this vid even though i'm from vn in 1975 & living in nychinatown for all my life...chinese exclusion! thank you!
I love this video and how it highlights the Chinese-American community and cuisine of the San Gabriel Valley, which is where I grew up and lived most of my life. But I think it feeds into this growing narrative that leaves out and erases certain communities of historical context. It fails to recognize the large Japanese and Japanese-American community that was present both in Boyle Heights/East LA before World War II. After the war, most of those families then moved into cities on the Eastside, mostly Montebello AND Monterey Park. This also serves to hide the fact that cities/communities like Montebello, City Terrace and East LA are in fact part of the San Gabriel Valley. I appreciate the shoutout by Frank Shyong, where he highlights the exchange and hybridization between the Latino/Mexican-American and Asian cultures, which has been occurring in the San Gabriel Valley since early 1960s 😉
You can really see Lucas cared about this one.
SGV REPRESENT 🥺💞✨
San Gabriel HS alumni ❤️ There’s nothing better than getting out of school and walking around with your friends to eat whatever your heart desires. Pho, shabu, boba, dumplings, Asian deserts, etc. There’s also a large population of Hispanics and no shortage of El Salvadoran, Mexican, Cuban, etc. food as well!!!
Pretty interesting. Great research and information :D
This is a great informative episode.
that was a good chat about authenticity
I love the history part!
I grew up in the SGV and came back to live here now as an adult, and while I love it to death and love the food scene here, there's a lot to say about seeing how it's changed and continuing to change via gentrification from wealthy foreigners and this weird wave of 'boba politics' sweeping through the mindset of the people inhabiting this area, especially the youth. Is it a win for 'authenticity' that a longstanding cornerstone restaurant like Wahib's on Alhambra Main Street was forced out of business to be replaced with something that was felt would appeal more to the people living in the area? A lot to think about and talk about when it comes to this area of LA County, I appreciate this video a lot and hope it opens up more thoughtful conversation in the future.
What exactly are the politics of Boba? I know there's a cultural scene around it, but I'm not familiar with the political implications.
No offense but I always thought Zankou was way better than Wahib. Personal preference tho. Although it did always look empty at least whenever we went 🤷🏽♀️
was just at huge tree pastry yesterday. i always love that place and i love the owner/cashier. fan tuan for life!
Super interesting! Keep it up...
Jon Yao is awesome!
wow nice one, thanks for sharing your video
Well done!
You know I used to watch Lucas' video on youtube frequently but then somehow I couldn't find new video from him on my feed anymore... till now!
same!! got so excited
Wrong info At 05:43. The "Ba Wans" that come in twos with different colored sauce are from Hsin-Chu, and the single ones that we see in the States are mostly the Chang-hua style. It has nothing to do with authenticity or presentation. (There are 10+ varieties of Ba Wans depending on the region.)
Interesting, I've heard of redlining against other ethnicities, but didn't actually hear anybody say happened to Chinese Americans, until now. I originally thought my relatives moved into El Sereno a long time ago because MPK and ALH were too expensive to new immigrants, not that they were restricted at that time.
I don't necessarily think it was racism, but it was xenophobia. It's just part of the culture. Asians have been xenophobic for years and still are in their countries. Xenophobia is not on the same terms as racism, but it can lead to negative relationships among races. But we have to look at the positives and the fact that so many Chinese, Koreans and Japanese people were able to make an impact in L.A. makes me proud as a Korean-American and East Asian myself.
Non chinese cannot own property in China.
Those houses you showed at 4:12-4:14 are definitely not houses in Monterey Park, and are probably houses in Arcadia. Arcadia has more affluent neighborhoods compared to Monterey Park.
So true!
Huge tree pastry is so good! A true hole in the wall but fantastic Taiwanese breakfast
This is a fantastic video! I am 626 for life.
Another channel to watch!
Glad to see a publication separate Chinese and Taiwanese dishes and recognize them as separate countries. Everything else is thought provoking. I hope this video reaches further and further.
Chinese dishes more traditional compared with the Taiwanese fusion of Fukinese , Shanghainese and Japanese food style cooking....➡️🤫 and I not recognize them as separate countries ➡️👎➡️ Taiwan are a separate Province...🤔
The Japanese left Boyle Heights to go to other cities in LA. Being a Mexican who grew up in Boyle Heights, I love the Japanese restaurant we have here and also the big temple and also the cemetery is full of Japanese tombstones.
Danny!!Come back to the ringer please!
Dang, I didn't know about all these great asian places when I lived in LA.
I love you Lucas!!!!!
Taiwanese cusine is very luxurious! It's not just street food. Taiwanese banquet at weddings is very elaborate and sophisticated. Maybe Lucas and that young man are just too Americanized to know about it.
With all due Respect.
*Jon Yao looks like Caillou*
Yes 8 is the year that authenticity is formed.
Lucas was back!
I miss Lucas!
This was such an informative video with a nice and quick breakdown of the history of la neighborhoods and Chinese and Taiwanese roots! Hoping for more in depth content~👍
🙏Always well done, nice job Lucas. 8^}
Thanks :)
CITY OF GOLD
oooOoooo looks super delicious 🤤 😭 😭 love your mukbang ❤️😍 😍 made me super hungry 🤤
It might be interesting to look into cerritos which has also has a large Asian population but is surrounded with cities with lower populations: Lakewood, Bellflower, etc.
I’m not a fan of sea cucumber. I’m Alaskan Native. My mother loves it and she makes sure my dad goes and gets her 20 or so to have In the freezer.
My favorite is geoduck clam. The best is walking down to the dock and giving one of the captains $30 and he gives you two HUGE geoducks. Sometimes depending on who I run in to the captain will just give me a couple- and I’ll give him prawns when my dad comes in with it.
Asian foods rock
🌺🌺🌺Aloha🌺🌺🌺
Almost thought Lucas lost his hair from sickness or something from the thumbnail.
4:28 I chuckled. Give the videographer/video editor a raise
CULVER CITY BABY!
look at the picture in the left corner at 5:23. I zoomed in 10X . it's a picture of David Blaine!
4:46 been here a few times...cheap and authentic
Should have definitely went and checked out Arcadia big Asian culture and good food
Can you guy tell me where is good Taiwanese food in San Gabriel???
weird, just watched a different video showing the Kato restaurant
I started watching this video expecting it to be just a guy eating chinese food but it turned out to be this whole other thing and I feel like I learned a lot. Great vid thanks I am going to try and watch it tomorrow when I'm not high anymore.
New Yorker: L.A doesn't have good Chinese food...
Angeleno: have you heard of the San Gabriel Valley..?
New Yorker: the what..?
Haha even some people in LA are like, “Where is that... again?”
L.A definitely has great Chinese food!!!
As New York does...
Sea cucumber is now sold at Costco. I’ve tried it once, and I don’t think it’s very good. Maybe it was the chef.
I need to go here. I've always hated Chinese food, but I have a very strong suspicion I've just never had good or real Chinese food. I love Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese food, and like Mongolian Stir-fry but I'm sure that's not real Mongolian either. Chinese food looks so delicious every time I see it, and then just ends up disappointing me. I need real Chinese food.
Hope you get to try! I just posted a video with some really great spots
agree. SGV should be called Chinatown.
This show is real shit. Lucas is G
9:00 Aang has found his life's calling after saving earth from the Fire Nation.
Sweet... Sour... Salty... Umami... Only the avatar, master of all four flavours could stop them...
Noticed the first guest David Chan was eating dumplings with a folk...🤔
It's true! chandavkl.blogspot.com/2013/04/why-i-dont-use-chopsticks.html
lucas peterson! what happened to this. best food show host.
Jon Yao is so cute
The comment about the accent at the end...as a Chinese American, yeah, that will never happen lol
whos here after two michellin star restuarant>?
Lucas is so Truman Capote in this episode.
0:43 I've seen this young lady many times at her restaurant
Same! Lol
I went there like two months ago and she was working too! Lol
Is this where lucas is now? With LA Times?
this feels weird watching considering i eat at all these restaurants regularly
In the US they always have the 'official' (Disneyland) Chinatown and then a place where the real Chinese ppl live and where you can find good Chinese food (I saw this in NYC- Flushing etc, SF, and here in LA), somehow a strange phenomenon.
1:15 I've dined here at least 50 times over the years...solid but not great
why did you go 50 times then
NOT ENOUGH FOOTAGE ON THE FOOD AND EATING
Food (and culture) is a story. It's ongoing, it develops. There are callbacks to things that have come before, allusions to other narratives, but it's all moving forward. Authenticity is being true to your experiences and feelings, not necessarily to "tradition." Make something that makes you feel the way you did when you first had that experience. Try to recreate it in something new.
He looks like Kim Jung
he looks like an asian Johnny Knoxville
How funny he's literally looking at himself and eating with his 65 year old self. Lolz