Welcome to Meanwhile, In SGV a regular feature in which TC, our fearless leader in all things San Gabriel Valley, brings word of restaurant openings, closings, and other unsung, curious neighborhood goings on.
1) Rosemead: Tai Kadai Kitchen, a restaurant specializing in noodles, is slated to debut shortly. The Rice Field food manufacturing company in El Monte seems to be funding this venture, and its currently hiring. Tai Kadai is a language spoken by people in South China, Laos, and Thailand, and the noodle house may be serving multi-cultural dishes from all three countries and more. 8877 Valley Blvd.
2) La Puente: Shwe Chin is the owner-operator of newbie The Golden Owl (owl is a Burmese good luck symbol, and gold is, well, golden). This cute, casual Burmese shop is in a random strip mall in East SGV next to a Driftwood Dairy, and features Burmese standbys such as oh no khao swe (chicken curry noodle soup), samosas, and noodle salads. Burmese is unmistakenly a thing in 2013. 16423 Maplegrove St.
3) Monterey Park: Three Travellers [sic] Restaurant is opening at the defunct Kim Fung. This looks like a Shanghainese hot potting venture as there are vent hoods installed over each table. Three Travelers is a well-known medicinal bone marrow soup restaurant in Shanghai with 15 branches. The Chinese names happens to be the same as the 70s sit-com, Three's Company. 128 N Garfield Ave.
4) Rosemead: A Li Shan, a Taiwanese Sichuan style restaurant, has opened at the old Hunan Seafood space. Hunan Seafood's owner decamped to the lauded new Hunan Mao, and was in dispute with A Li Shan's owner over the continued use of the Hunan Seafood name. A Li Shan's chef is from Taiwan's most famous hotel, the Ambassador, where he held the executive chef position of the Sichuan restaurant for over 30 years. While the menu is reading A Li Shan, the exterior signage remains "Hunan Seafood Restaurant." The saga continues. 8728 Valley Blvd., Ste 101
5) Hacienda Heights: The geriatric Dumpling Master was replaced by New Noodle Garden. This is a beef noodle soup shop that also has a location in Alhambra, next to Lee's Sandwiches, in the Valley Supermarket Plaza. 2124 S Hacienda Blvd.
