Mama Lu’s Dumpling House
Chinese restaurant · Alhambra ·
Seaweed fried fish, syrupy pork ribs, fried rice cakes
Seaweed fried fish, syrupy pork ribs, fried rice cakes
"Shanghai cuisine does not feature the bold, tongue-numbing sensations of Sichuan food or the rowdy energy of a dim sum house filled with roaming carts. It is its own style and celebrated happily so at Jiang Nan Spring. The menu is maddeningly long, but gracious servers are more than eager to point out regional highlights. Their guidance should take you down a road of sweet vinegars and fresh seafood, most apparent in plates like tender chicken with sweet wine sauce as well as an irresistible platter of tilapia fried in a tempura-like batter flavored with seaweed. The oddly named “smoked and fresh pork warm soup” bobbing with knots of bean curd is a sleeper favorite. With hardwood floors and high ceilings, the airy space befits this elegant cuisine." - Michelin Inspector
"Presented as a versatile Shanghainese spot worth seeking out, part of the broader range of regional Chinese offerings in the SGV and beyond." - Eater Staff
"Jiang Nan Spring — which translates to “south of the river” and refers to the areas south of the Yangtze River, including Shanghai — specializes in Zhejiang cuisine made with lots of seafood and seasonal ingredients. One of the most unique items on the menu is beggar’s chicken, which consists of marinated chicken wrapped in layers of lotus leaves, parchment paper, and dough baked on low heat. This dish rarely appears on menus because of its complexity and laborious preparation. Other house specialties include stir-fried crab with rice cakes, braised pork belly, lion’s head pork meatballs, eight treasure rice pudding, and osmanthus glutinous rice balls." - Kristie Hang
"Jiang Nan Spring is like many banquet-style Chinese restaurants in Alhambra: the portions are big, the round tables can fit a Nissan Rogue-worth of people, and the menu is basically small novel (this one being 100+ dishes long). But within that giant menu are a variety of delicious Shanghainese dishes that set this bright, modern-looking spot apart, like delicately braised meats, tender eggplant stir-fries, and seaweed-battered fried fish. Everything here arrives hot and fast, including delicate, shaoxing-simmered drunken chicken, chewy rice cakes stir-fried with cabbage and pork, and fried Shanghai riblets coated in a sticky-sweet red glaze. The servers here are experts at assembling a balanced meal, so put your trust in them when ordering." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"At a glance, Jiang Nan Spring has many of the same things as other banquet-style Chinese restaurants in the SGV: big portions, large round tables for the whole family, and a mini-encyclopedia of a menu (this one is 100+ dishes long). But within that giant menu are delicious Shanghainese dishes that set this bright, modern-looking spot apart, like delicately braised meats, tender eggplant stir-fries, and seaweed-battered fried fish. Everything here arrives hot and fast, including delicate, Shaoxing-simmered drunken chicken, and fried riblets coated in a sticky-sweet red glaze. The servers here are experts at assembling a balanced meal, so put your trust in them when ordering." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder