David C.
Yelp
Okay, so while the food is very, very good, they really got the 5th star because of the young male server, who had me and the missus in tears laughing the whole night because of his funny (or maybe bizarre answers to some of my questions regarding food, drink, and using the bathroom).
The restaurant is small, and there were a good amount of people inside, but there was no wait. I have tried one of the last restaurants that was in this location years back and didn't love that one, but this is good authentic Chinese food. Looks family run and operated, with a tiny staff - I think dad cooks, mom does the register, and son is the waiter.
There may be street parking out front, but there is also a tiny lot in back. It is cramped back there, though, and the spaces are made way too tiny. When we went to leave, I had to get in the passenger seat and climb over, because the car now parked next to us was too close (even in their spot). The bathroom is another issue. We went in, and my kid had to use it. Unfortunately, it was locked and no one was coming out. It was so long, we asked the waiter to do a wellness check on whoever may be in there, in case they had died on the can. Turns out the door is broken and sticks, so if you go there, you're gonna have to fight the door to get in the bathroom. Don't assume someone is in there.
So, in the Yelp pictures, there were some good looking pictures of ribs. I showed the waiter and asked what dish this was, because there was one rib dish listed on the menu. He said to me they don't have it anymore cause it's a white dish. I was like, what? (I'm white-ish and the missus is Chinese) He explained it was the kind of dish white people like, so they took it off the menu. That was hilarious moment #1. Then, every dish we ordered, he warned was too spicy (I assume for a gwei-lo like me). We assured him we liked spicy and ate authentic szechuan food all the time. He still seemed worried for us. That also had us giggling, especially when he kept trying to get us to not order the spicy pork noodles. He suggested every other noodle listed. Hilarious moment #2. Then I asked about the "noodle pot stickers". Were they actually pot stickers with noodles inside? No. He informed me that the people who printed the menu were lazy and made mistakes and they were too cheap to fix them. Hilarious moment #3. I asked if they had beer. He explained they did but couldn't sell it. I asked if they were waiting on a liquor license, and he said no. They were just too lazy to apply for one. I wondered if it was something like I had to order something and they would then give me a beer for wink-wink free. No. I could go across the street to 7-11 and buy some beer if I wanted to bring it in. So, I asked what they're doing with the beer in their fridge, to which he responded they drink it with friends. I had tears rolling down my cheeks from laughing so hard.
Anyway, NONE of the dishes were spicy at all. A lot of times I suspect they see me and think I can't handle it, so they refuse to make it spicy like they normally would. I usually order everything extra spicy at other places, and it still never comes out spicy. The waiter was shocked at the end when I told him nothing was spicy. So, we had the pan fried pork buns, which were some of the best I've had in the SGV. Wish there were six instead of 4, but the pan fried bottoms were so nice and extra crispy, and the meat was delicious. We asked for white vinegar to make a dumpling sauce with soy sauce and chili oil/paste. The waiter said they didn't have it, so I asked his mom, and suddenly it appeared. We had the fried spicy chicken, which was really good. The shredded pork with garlic sauce was a large portion and very good in flavor. The stir fried string beans were fresh and good. Wish they had minced pork, but still good. The spicy pork noodles were enjoyed by everyone else more than by me. I wish they were actually spicy, and the sauce wasn't my favorite. Still, we were pleased by all the food and will definitely be back soon.
I strongly recommend giving this place a try. Good for the belly and good for belly laughs if you ask too many questions. Go!