Happy Valley Village/ Shanlitun

The 23 Essential Chinese Restaurants in Los Angeles

"Happy Valley Village specializes in Dongbei/Northern Chinese cuisine, specifically their iron pot stews. Every table comes with an iron wok built in. The Kang-style bed stoves are traditionally used to retain heat during the cold winter months and allow for the slow cooking that tenderizes meats. The star dish is the braised goose stew iron pot. Diners can add tofu, which soaks up the broth, corn, vermicelli, and bean curd. The stew is accompanied by freshly made cornmeal pancakes, which are prepared tableside by sticking them to the side of the pot and cooking them with the steam of the stew." - Kristie Hang