Fat Dragon

"When it comes to eating Chinese food in LA, you have several options. You can pack up the car and make the journey to the dim sum and dumpling palaces of the San Gabriel Valley, go all out with fancy classics in Beverly Hills, or stick to your local neighborhood joint because it’s Tuesday and your feet hurt and you need something fast. Fat Dragon in Silver Lake is here to provide another option LA could use more of: a casual Chinese spot worth traveling for. The people at Fat Dragon are making affordable, accessible Chinese food better than just about anyone within LA city limits. It’s technically order-at-the-counter, but at the same time, not at all fast casual. This cool, modern space is equally great for hanging out with friends, or housing your chow mein in under 20 minutes so you can get back to your Netflix queue. But Fat Dragon isn’t just about a flexible space inside an Eastside stripmall. It’s also about the food coming out of it. photo credit: Jakob Layman The best things at Fat Dragon are the wontons, the spicy eggplant, and the steak with broccolini, but it honestly doesn’t matter. It’s all comfort-laden, familiar Chinese food staples - and Fat Dragon hits each and every one out of the park. This spot is hardly some sort of moon juice health yurt, but none of the food here feels particularly heavy. Fat Dragon is that rare combination of fresh ingredients and the soul-curing flavor you need to get you through the rest of the week. Every neighborhood in LA wishes they had a Fat Dragon, and if this casual spot keeps playing its cards right, they just might get one. Food Rundown photo credit: Jakob Layman Szechuan Spicy Wontons Shrimp and pork wontons doused in homemade chili sauce, these are an absolute must-order. This is the kind of dish you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about. photo credit: Jakob Layman Eggplant With Spicy Garlic Sauce This plate isn’t going to win you over with curb appeal, but you’d be wise to order it. How they made a plate of eggplant taste this good, we’ll never know. photo credit: Jakob Layman Mushroom Fries Step aside, frickle. The frushroom has arrived. photo credit: Jakob Layman Steak With Broccolini The simplest dish on the menu is a standout because that steak is actually angus beef and that broccolini is fresh and cooked perfectly. Definitely order this. photo credit: Jakob Layman Dragon Fried Rice This is a house speciality at Fat Dragon and more or less a giant plate of fried rice. Except way better than most plates of fried rice you’ve had recently. Get this for the table. photo credit: Jakob Layman Orange Chicken The orange chicken isn’t our favorite dish here, but it’s still orange chicken, and if that’s what you’re craving tonight, you won’t be let down." - Brant Cox

"You and your ex-coworker finally found a night you both can do dinner, but you woke up this morning with a scratchy throat and you can’t tell if you’re getting sick or not. Don’t cancel - go to Fat Dragon instead. The modern Chinese comfort food here is great, and our favorite dishes like spicy wontons, dragon fried rice, and spicy eggplant hover around the $15 mark. The quiet space is exactly where you want to be when you’re not up for yelling over the people next to you all night." - brant cox

"Fat Dragon should be a go-to for any writers’ room, because they’ve got something for everyone - from double-cooked pork belly to excellent fried tofu with shishitos. The pork jowl fried rice is great, and will last the entire day, and the spicy szechuan wontons are perfect for splitting. Next time your team spends 45 minutes saying “I’m fine with anything” before shooting down every suggestion, just take the lead and order some Fat Dragon." - brant cox, brett keating

"With locations in Silver Lake and Highland Park, the utility of Fat Dragon is simple - casual, affordable Chinese food in neighborhoods where that’s sorely lacking. The best things on the menu are the wontons, spicy eggplant, and steak with the broccolini, but it’s all pretty solid, reliable, and exactly what you want while going on Twitter for eight hours (screen time is nothing but a man-made concept). Call the restaurant directly at (323) 667-9193 to place an order, or find them on most major delivery platforms." - kat hong

"There comes a point in most weeks when you want comfort food and you want your friends to be eating it with you. Fat Dragon is our go-to neighborhood Chinese spot on the Eastside, serving extremely solid classics that always taste really fresh. Delivery is never a bad choice, but dining-in at their Sunset Blvd. strip mall location is easy and affordable." - jess basser sanders, brant cox