San Gabriel Mission

  Mission San Gabriel is a historic landmark, Founded by Spaniards of Franciscan.  1 of the 29 Spanish Mission in California was built in 1771 that’s more than 240 years old!

  The Mission is consist of the church, museum and the grounds which are open to public but it closed time to time for remodel, is remarkable the shape of the mission is still pretty good after all this year.

  Not the Best mission in SoCal, that goes to San Juan Capistrano. However this is the mission to visit if you around the area, just across Mission 261 Restaurant, also are hot spot for many wedding photos.

Kiki Bakery

  Kiki Bakery is a typical HK style bakery shop in San Gabriel Valley.  Nothing there are too stand out, they use less sugar in their pastry, but hardly any whole grain one.  I got several items here, all not bad but is better than what you get from 99 ranch or Hong Kong market.  Their cake price is much closed to 85c and JJ.   The cake to pack with good amount of fruit, light sugar use, and the cake is fluffy.   They do not offer coffee or tea, so basically it stuck with the 90’s. Little has change all this years.

Rating ★★★

Rounds Premium Burgers

  Rounds Premium Burgers is a burger franchise in SoCal. It got pretty good rating in Yelp and elsewhere in other location.  So when it open on in Pasadena, in the same location that used to be Wolf Burger is a good news, this location lack any real burger restaurant.  So it make perfect sense to located here. Parking is a lot easier to manageable since they also got its own lots parking.  

 A Friend order the Western - $6.95 Which it got BBQ Sauce, Bacon & Onion Strings.  He like it a lot.

Mine was custom build $8.2 with bigger patty (1/2 LB) Garlic Aioli, Grilled Oinions, Fried Egg, Onion Strings and use Fresh Bun.  The buns is so soft! The egg was a bit overcook though, Onion Strings was excellent, the patty was medium cook which was very good.

The house large order of fries $3.50 is huge portion size, similar on what the Tops offer you, they didn't add any salt on it, but you get to pick many of its dipping sauce, the butter-ranch was very a perfect match.

The Regular Sweet Potato Fries $2.95 was one of the best, unlike most place.  This one was cook fresh and still hot when you get your hand on it, they add some salt at top make it more tasty !

The fountain drinks were $2 for regular size, and is self serve and refillable. They got 4 types of ice tea via touch screen is cool and the tea was good.

Service was excellent, friendly staff.  The food take sometime to come out consider the freshness of the food.

Decor is interesting  is still in remodel phase.  It felt a bit like a large house than a restaurant. It got 2 tv that show just about any sport channel.  If they add some speakers in the roof will be perfect.  Good amount of seating area.  

Rating ★★★★1/2

This place is better than Wolf Burger, much better burger and fries.  However it doesn't offer those Mexican dish.  For those who like nearby, there's no real need to head to old town for some good burger and watch the game.  This one is as good and better value. 

Men Oh Tokushima Ramen

Some called Men Oh Tokushima Ramen is the new Ramen King in Little Tokyo, I doubt this is  true, but I gave this a try anyway. 

Came in a weekday lunch time at noon, there were a line if you want tablets, but there were seating in the bars. The only TV in the restaurant also located there which also showing sport channel, included the Lakers game.  Serve was excellent, friendly staff however they speak mostly English. 

Their most popular dish is no doubt the Tokushima Ramen $8.95  

The Broth
- Soy sauce based at top with the pork bone base is a very strong flavor, more than what I like. 

The Noodle
- Similar to the Hakata Ramen, not as tasty as the Daikokuya one which is more chewy. 

Butabara Pork Belly and Chashu
- Typical yummy Chashu plus their the added big bonus tender pork belly which is standout from other place. 

Boiled Egg 
- The boiled egg was very good, on par with DK except is half of the egg.

Tips: 
- Aware that the price on the website is only for the bay area, different from the this location. 
- They do not serve raw egg in the ramen at this location. 
- Parking in the plaza can cost like $4 for 2 hours.

Daikokuya is still the Ramen King in this location.  But those who like Hakata ramen should definite gave this place a try, since it taste very similar except with added pork belly.  Hakata ramen gave you validating parking and is like $2 cheaper but with no egg or pork belly is a trade off.

Mikawaya

Mochi Time ! 

Who doesn't like Mochi or Gelato. This place got both ! Located in the Little Tokyo Village Plaza.  Definite a spot to stop by after a meal.   It was my first time and definite not my last time, here's the two items I order.

- This is a popular item according to the staff.  I can definite tasted the green tea and great texture of the Mochi. 

- Good chuck of pistachio but is not creamy enough, and was a bit icy. 

Mochi is what you should get here, as for ice cream is clearly not their specialty.  Staff is helpful, good value for what you get.  There is pretty of table inside.

RATING: 4 OUT 5

Daiso of Monterey Park

Daiso is basically the 99 cents store of Japan.  They have over 2500 locations in Japan and another 500 overseas. The last couple of years it started tot expand to the U.S.  40% of their items are made in China with most of their items being an in house brand.  

Thumbs UP: 

+ You find items here that you will most  likely not find anywhere else. 
+ Some item likes a $4 Fedora is hard to beat in any store. 
+ Majority of their items are actually useful in some aspect. 
+ The first Daiso opened in San Gabriel Valley. 
+ Some shoppers would like pink signs everywhere in the store, but they definitely add their own style. 

Thumbs Down: 

- The store felt more like a liquid store pack with 99 cents store customer volume. 
- Their return policy is like those found in Chinatown (NO RETURN OR EXCHANGE) 

Note: 

* Unlike typical 99 cents stores they do not carry fruit or vegetables here. 
* Avoid weekends when it's the most crowded to least avoid awful parking in the plaza. 
* Minimum of $10 required for all Credit Card Purchases (Visa and MasterCard Only) ! 

My 2 Cent 

* Everything from the store you can get elsewhere, but expect to pay a higher price.  You will not find Manga here, but it has really just a cuter and more upscale feeling than a 99 cents store with Japanese text despite it still being made in China.

Flour & Tea

Flour + Tea is the only kind that serve Asian tea and fresh barkery in Pasadena, that's good news for local resident, if

you crave for those no longer need to drive to Alhambra.

Nice decor, that display all their tea.  Didn't ask if they sell those but probably does.

Almond Whole Wheat Bread $2 - Excellent, good amount of Walnuts, there's raisin inside too, the bread was soft and baked almost perfectly fresh, well worth it.

Mango Slush Over $4 - Pretty good with good amount of Mango

Almond Milk Tea with Boba - Very soft boba which mean is good ! The milk was no good, too water-down with loads chuck of ice.

Their Boba is very softt and fresh one like you would get from Ten Ren.  But their milk tea is a bit waterdown, I tryt the almond milk tea it got way too much iced.

Their fresh made bakery is very goood.  Most of the bread are whole grain, their walnut whole grain bread is remarkable quality for $2 make this must try one. Best selling bakery is their mochi bread which contain got flavor like taro, red bean and many others.

Cool and unique decor, their trash can is sensor one, there's some seating inside.  Staff are friendly and offer free samples drinks. Don't come here if you are hungry cause there's most of the stuff here are light portion size.  Their bakery alone worth to visit but for drink is a nice bonus.  You do paid more here.

Tips:
* Don't bother find parking in the street, almost all meters, however there's a 90 minutes free parking from the Metro parking structure across the street.
* Bakery is tax free but not the drinks.

Rating: 4 out of 5

San Marino Seafood

San Marino Seafood is a hidden gem in Huntington Drive of San Marino.  If you want good seafood and live nearby, loo no further.  Is a combination of seafood market and a restaurant.  

Bowl of Claim Chowder $5.99 
Which was very gooood.  Portion size is about right, the cracker were some of the best out there.  Just aware is a bit spicy even the regular one.  There's more clams than potatoes in the is a good sign.

Love this area, cause is also near the bakery and ice cream shop.  Service here is not bad, but decor could be slight better.  Those beach restaurant in similar price range offer better selections, but for this area is a nice optio

Rating: 3.87/5

Dinner in Atlantic Seafood Restaurant

Nice decor and good serve won me over to try this place second, despite last time the food were mediocre.

Giant Chandelier ! 

Crab Meat With Fish Maw Soup $13.99 - Smaller portion but is good with real crab meats.

Staff cutting the Beijing Duck, everyone tablet got one.

Beijing Duck Skin is average quality.

Beijing Duck $9.99 - this alone worth to come here for dinner, 

Deed Fried Squid with Spicy Salt $11.99 - No as good as last time, average quality.

Fish Ball with Watercress in Wok $11.99 - Fish Ball was tender and the broth is good. 

Ong Choi Vegetable with Garlics $12.99 Good portion size, but tasted average.

Free Red Bean Soup with coconut, very good.

 The Deep fried squid and duck were the same items as last time, duck were miles better but the squid were not as good, the other dish were better than average. The service were far better than this time.  Food came out pretty quickly with the right order.  The steam rice were perfect.  Price is a lot less than King Hua and Sea Habour but you getting better decor and service, despite food not as good is worth the trade-off.

Rating - 4.38

Dim Sum in Atlantic Seafood Restaurant

As someone who grave for Dim Sum.  I know is a mix review from other yelper, but desire gave this a try after overall good experience from the dinner. This place isn't as crowded as most other dim sum place.  

Steamed Pork Shiu-Mai (A)  Good looking but isn't juicy .

Steamed Shrimp Dumpling (A) Falling apart, good amount of shrimp.

Steamed Spareribs (A) -Mostly fatty meats, not great.  

Steamed Beef Meat Balls (A) -Good portion size and tender.

Deep Fried Fish Balls with Curry Sauce (B) -Better than I expect but not hot.

Shrimp Rice Noodle (B) Pretty good, with good amount of shrimps.

Steamed Scallop (B) -Not good, hardly any Scallop. 

Roasted Pork (K) Delicious and great value.

Pan Fried Dumpling (B) Huge size and yummy.

Cruller Rice Noodle (B) - Avoid, look good but bad fit

Steamed BBQ Bun (A) Good value for this, good size and is warm.

Baked Salty Egg Yolk Bun (B) Good great, yolk is melting in your mouth
but not as good as other place.

The Eggyolks

Dim Sum Feast !

Baked BBQ Bun (A) Excellent.

The Dim Sum Shopping Cart, all the eye candy.

Yang Chow Fried Rice ($8.99) Very good ! 

There's 3 price for the dim sum dish, range from (A) $2.38, (B) $2.68, (K)$3.88 at top with 10% off daily.   Price are similar to New Capital.  Dim Sum is not on par with Sea Harbour or King Hua, but is far cheaper especially the fried rice, which would paid almost double in those locations.  

If you want good value and nice decor, gave this place a try.  But if you want the best dim sum quality look elsewhere.

Photo used with Sony RX100.

Rating: 4.1 out of 5

Review: Ten Ren ★★★★

Rating 4/5

Ten Ren's Tea Time is a SoCal Tea place that serves traditional Taiwanese food and many selections of tea drinks.

Chicken 3 Flavors Chicken Entree 
The chicken not as good as Uncle Yu, the meat is tender but isn't flavorful enough.  Those side is so goood The soup is tomato with eggs, no msg with light salt., not oily at all. The Broccoli was very fresh.  The rice were top with some mince pork, is perfectly cook,  The sweet corn, were the least favorite.

The Black Milk Tea is done it right this location, I can taste a bit of tea and the milk, sugar level little over my taste but is manageable. You can ask them to fix it for you as long you don't drink it too much.

I'll  been eating so many Taiwanese tea place lately,  I can said this one got the best food, on par with the Atlantic Square location.  But most important the location is a lot easier to find parking and slight better service. Decor is not as good consider this one been open for sometime.  Despite small interior, it does got 7 tables, plus another 5 or 6 outside.  Little bit pricey side, drink plus the food without boba will set you above $10 before tax and tips.  Food does take a bit time to come out but isn't too bad.

If you want good food in a Taiwanese Tea Place, look no further. This serve real food unlike AU79 which is total joke.

Tips:
Spend $1 more to get black/green milk or regular tea for the Lunch Menu.

UYE MooDaePo Rowland Heights Media Event

Thanks to Wendy C, that I got invited to the UYE MooDaePo Rowland Heights Media Event 

Kim-Chi Fried Rice - This one worth to visit this place alone !

Bulgogi Jungol - Nothing Special.

Kobe Boness Shorribs, hand cut by the chef - So Goood !

I always wanted to come back this place. Like their decor a lot but their service was pretty bad first time.  Thanks to Wendy for hosting the media event, that I got invited to try this place again. Parking no issue at all this time, I manage to find my spot closes to the restaurant too. The decor is just as nice as I remember before.  One new thing I did not notice before, they got a mouthwash machine with paper cups ! Bachan is important to KBBQ, they did it right this, almost all the dish were fresh. I have been to Gen House not too long ago, this place got better meat quality in comparison. There is a lot of choice which I overlook last time, book the VIP room if you can if you got big group is so cool, it got its own projector, flat screen TV.  This one no doubt got the best Decor of any KBBQ especially if you sport nuts, you will not miss the game with TV installed all over the place ! I never see a KBBQ got so many wines selection.

Little Tokyo

"A Must visit if you grave for anything that's Japanese"

Little Tokyo is an Japanese America district in downtown L.A.  Despite its small territory, it some of the very best Japanese restaurant in L.A. If you grave for Ramen, look no further.  Over 10 Ramen shops located here.  They also got some upscale one mostly is affordable price range.  Ramen and Mochi are alone worth to visit here.  There's some few landmark here like the Japanese American National Museum. There's a big Japanese Watchtower located entrance of the plaza. 

Parking is a problem here, all the street parking is meter, go there in Sunday it would be free.  Only 1 lot I know does validate parking for free, that's the lot with Office Depot, Yogurt-land, and Hakata Ramen.   There's lack of market and grocery here.

Crime rate is very low here, despite is kinda closed to skid row...  Littel Tokyo often get new restaurant and always something new to eat here.  I wish Chinatown also be more innovation which is clearly nothing more than a tourist trap there, while Little Tokyo isn't the case, local love to visit here.

Costco Very Berry Sundae

 Costco Very Berry Sundae for under 2 bucks after sales tax would make anyone falling love.  Non Fat but does got like 300+ calories and 40 grams of sugars, it tasted more like a ice cream than a yogurt, is so darn good !

Half and Half Tea Express

Rating: 3.65/5

Half and Half Tea Express got some character, which is unusual for a typical boba place.  Their regular serving size cup is huge ! The honey boba is very good, perhaps one of the best in the business.  However their milk tea is also no where as good.   Way too much sugar syrup added, sure is huge.  But you getting water-down milk-tea, not to mention large amount of iced, despite my drink said no iced ! The Honeydew Milk Tea I got it tasted a lot like a regular milk tea, hardly any honeydew flavor, if they fix the milk dept it would be easy 5 stars since the price is also reasonable.  The decor is nice, drink come out pretty quick.    Tips: * No outside food ! * They only server snack food. * Get a bag, cup holder won't fit this beast.

Starbucks New Drinks "Iced Hazelnut Macchiato"

Who doesn't want free drinks? Recently, I came across new free drinks from Starbucks (coupon required).  Go to a site like slickdeals.com and you will find the coupon. The promotion drinks were Hazelnut and Caramel Macchiato. You can choose either Iced or Hot.  I tried both, but I preferred the iced version. The taste of the hazelnut is more pronounce with the iced and the hot version tasted too much like white mocha.  Is worth grabbing a coupon and trying them out.