The 38 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles | Eater LA

"What sets the San Gabriel Valley apart from other dining neighborhoods in Los Angeles is the availability of specific regional dishes from China, Taiwan, and more. Good Alley, a Chinese restaurant from the team behind duck specialist Ji Rong, has joined that lineup, serving guan tang bao: a soup dumpling that hails from the city of Kaifeng in the Chinese province of Henan, located 400 miles southwest of Beijing. In contrast to the delicate xiao long bao, which can be found across LA and has been further popularized at Din Tai Fung, guan tang bao comes with a thicker wrapper that cradles a mix of minced meat, like pork or chicken, and rich broth. At Good Alley, the signature chicken broth is the key; the broth is simmered for hours to remove impurities and has enough collagen to cool to a gel-like consistency. Four filling options for the soup dumplings are available on the menu at the restaurant, including Kurobuta pork and chicken. All meals at Good Alley should start with at least one order of the guan tang bao before adding in some mouth-numbing Sichuan-style Beef zhajiang noodles and an A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef Chinese burger, which is served on a flaky Shanxi-style thousand-layer pancake. Sip on a fresh-muddled lime or lemon tea to counteract the richness of the dishes, and don’t be afraid to order a bit too much — the food here packs up well as leftovers, especially when reheated in a steamer. Must-try dish: Kurobuta pork guan tang bao" - Mona Holmes