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Tsukiji has good sushi in Gardena. This is a good site to look at if you want info on Japanese food: LA Japanese restaurants

I heard there is good Chinese food in Torrance. They cater to the Chinese people who live in PV.

I like meltykiss. The gummies are good too. I also like the chewy milk candies. I forgot the brand, but the packaging is red and has a big face of a little girl in pigtails.

It tastes a little like daikon, not as sharp. But it's really this slimy textural thing I find interesting.

Plain spinach, sauteed in evoo. And fingerling potatoes are great!!

What kind of liquor are you supposed to use? Do most people agree on vodka?

I had the best watermelon in Taiwan. The flesh was yellow and it was smaller and round.

I like sauteed spinach too.

Most of the stuff sold in the U.S. is nagaimo I think. It's quite expensive. Like $6-7 a pound.

Fish tacos rock!

Smoked salmon pizza... thai chicken pizza, bbq chicken pizza.... New style Japanese food...

Soups should either be hot or cold. Anything in between I really dislike.

I heard they eat guinea pig, it's called qui or kwee...

Get the rice noodle soup. It's the house special. In Chinese, it's called over the bridge noodle soup.

I like the rice yaki niku burgers because it sort of reminds me of a grilled rice ball and it soaks up the juice from the meat...

I love MOS burger but it has been only a memory.... Wish they would open a branch in LA.... heehee, maybe I should open one. Wonder if they franchise? Ubon in the Beverly Center used to do a pork version of MOS burger but they took it off the menu.

Is this the place north of HK market with the rice noodles and chicken broth poured over it?

wrap chunks of swordfish in pancetta, drizzle with olive oil.

Question! Years ago when I went to Vancouver, my friends took me to a place where they specialized in seafood hot pot. They had live prawns and fresh fish fillets. It was one of the best hot pots I have ever had in my life. I can't remember the name.

egg white, shreded dried scallop, scallion, shrimp, peas, I always use cold rice.

Skill level of food in LA still below HK and Taiwan. But some come very close. I've been to banquets in Vancouver that coudl rival Taiwan or HK's.... but that was a long time ago. Recently, presentation and ambiance have been very important in Taiwan, sometimes more important than the food. If you have ever been to the Shanghainese restaurant called Lan Ting at The Regent in Taipei you will know what I mean. Don't get me wrong, the food happens to be good there. But it's one of those places where the decor is so nice you are surprised by the food. Lan Ting has a lot of glass panels with calligraphy carved into it mixed with seats upholstered in cream and modern Chinese dark wood. Very chi-chi. Haven't really found a Chinese restaurant in LA I could call beautiful, I mean, Mr. Chow doesn't really count. And the decor at Yujean Kang's is okay.... You are right, Herbacidal. Giving a banquet, whether large or small, is mostly about face. Until I'm old enough to be giving them myself, for now, I'll just tag along for the food. I think the best things about banquets is the chance for me to have something that is not on the regular menu.

Yea, there's less of that in Philly. The banquet givers don't have as much money to dump into the dinner. Probably hafta have a banquet in HK or Taiwan to check stuff like that out. Lots of places in LA do stuff like this. They range from $100 per table the cheapest to $700 and up depending on what you order. You can eat REALLY WELL for about $300 a table, which is a bargain if you divide by 8-10. All you have to do is talk to the manager ahead of time. Harbor Seafood in Rosemead probably jacked up the prices for everyone else on the high end HK style seafood level. That place is expensive for dinner! The same way ADNY made other high end French places in NY seem less expensive just by comparison. But I think competition is good. Keeps everyone from being complacent. I agree with Eddie though, that the chefs usually make the best food when there is some type of special occasion or VIP and there are only 2-3 tables max. Don't know why, that's what I've observed. I've been to wedding banquets in Taiwan where there are, like, 100 tables and the food quality just suffers. But hey, sometimes the size of the banquet is more about face than for the food. They also treat you better if you book a private room. The really big places are always prepared to section off the restaurant for you if you have more than 3 tables.

What's a banquet without shark fin! I love best of banquets is shark fin. If you know the chef he does special things like carve dragons out of taro for your dishes. It looks so cool! The trend at high end places in Taiwan is to have each course individually plated when it is served rather than everyone eating from the same plate from the lazy susan. There are also lots of toasts at banquets. Toasting is key for showing respect. You hardly see anyone sipping alone. And if it's not a major occasion like a wedding or a birthday, people love to fight over the check. When I was little my parents used to make me pretend to go to the bathroom and then sneak our waiter their credit card, so they can pay.

Green milk tea with the big boba. My grandfather told me they were frog's eggs when I was little and I believed him.

When I was in Japan, I went to restaurant where you eat cold somen. There is this water flowing thing that goes around the table where the noodles flow in front of you and you have to stick your chopsticks in there to grab some to put in your bowl. It was cool.