I love San Gabriel Valley
and you will too if you eat at these gems (all for under $25)!
Well, here we are. Another week of living to eat, or eating to live - whatever resonates most with you. But you don’t come here for my existential musings - you just want to know where to get your next cheap eat in LA.
There is SO much juicy delicious abundance in SGV (San Gabriel Valley) and the below are just a small smatterings of the ones I really enjoy.
I have a long list of eats and treats I’m trying to make my way through before I jet off to the East Coast and Europe for a month, so keep your eyes on your inbox for a few extra write-ups this week and next.
As always, if you want to see something specific, have a listicle request, or want to run around and nosh with me, leave a comment!
In love and food lust,
Carly
Kang Kang Food Court - San Gabriel Valley, CA
What to order: the pan fried pork soup dumplings and ONLY the pan fried pork soup dumplings
I’ve been blessed by many a soup dumpling over the years, but nothing really gets close to these. They are a true flavor bomb and I promise you’ve never seen so much soup squirt out of a dumplings in your life (just look at the photo on the wall above!).
My friend Vera taught me how to properly enjoy these little gems.
Step 1: poke a hole in the top of the dumpling skin to let steam out
Step 2: blow into that hole to cool it down
Step 3: pour a dribble of the sauce it comes with into the hole (or don’t, Mo prefers it straight up)
Step 4: pour some of the soupy-saucy mixture onto your spoon, slurp it up, and throw the dump back into your gullet
I’ve tried other dumplings here, and I’m always disappointed. You go to Kang Kang for these and nothing else, but I promise it is SO worth it.
*An order come with 8 dumplings, is around $15. This place is CASH ONLY
Mogu Mogu Onigiri Shop - Rosemead, CA
What to order: hands down the best one was the Mentaiko Caviar mixed with Japanese Mayo
I love onigiri, and I have a hard time justifying buying one for more than $5. I know that this here land is no Japan, but once you’ve experienced conbini culture (Japanese word for a convenience store), where your fresh onigiri options are abundant at a price point of $2 USD, it’s really hard to go back!
Mogu has some of the best for less than $5 that I’ve had stateside. The rice is the right texture and the filling-to-rice ratio is on point.
Is it the best thing I’ve ever had? No. Is it a good pitstop for a hiking snack? Absolutely.
My friends Lauren and Drew though that the Mentaiko Caviar mixed with Japanese Mayo was the best, and I agree, though I would get the tuna again as it felt reminiscent of the ones at a Japanese 7/11 (but twice the price at $4.50).
Huge Tree Pastry - Monterey Park, CA
What to order: Purple rice fan tuan with pickles
Just looking a this photo has me craving a purple rice fan tuan. Fan tuan is a Taiwanese rice roll. It can be filled with anything, but it’s traditionally filled with savory ingredients (pork floss, youtiao - fried dough stick, pickled radish, and mustard greens). The ones at Huge Tree include egg.
Honestly, not much to say here. Just try it - it’s incredible. They are pretty big so if I’m not starving I’ll get one to share.
*This spot is also cash only, and the fan tuan are around $12
Golden Deli - San Gabriel Valley, CA
What to order: Fried vegetable eggroll, fresh springroll, any Pho, any banh mi
If you care about food and live in LA, this one wont come as a surprise. Golden Deli is a Vietnamese institution, and on the weekend, you’ll wait up to 90 minutes for a seat.
We went on a Tuesday night for my friend Charlotte’s birthday, and we walked right in! It’s just really solid Vietnamese staples. The menu is huge, and a lot of the dishes are variations of each other, just with noodles instead of rice or beef instead of pork.
You can’t really go wrong, but I would try to mix it up between soups, apps, and rice-based dishes to get a little try of everything.
*A special note today is that, as I write this, my friend Nilofer is next to me and tells me that they have a juicy juicy salty plum and lemon soda. Who is going back with me to try it!?
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