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Yes, it sounds strange, and anyone we mention it to replies, “Huh?” A few years back, this was the first restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley we’d been to. Like many of the treasures in the area, the city of San Gabriel is just six miles east of downtown on the 10 fwy, which is never feels as far as it sounds, is home to two of our very favorite restaurants: classic American bready pizza at Petrillo’s, and “Islamic Chinese.” Located in the San Gabriel Square Mall, aka, The Great Mall of China, it is simply a great Chinese restaurant.

Tung Lai Shun stands out from it’s corner of the mall with a lighted sign, “Islamic Chinese”, and while you won’t find pork on the menu, you will find quite a bit of lamb in it’s place. That’s about as mysterious as the Islamic part gets. Perhaps it’s most unique feature, is that most diners are enjoying a the huge platters of sesame bread, a chewy, doughy bread with a crunchy crust covered in sesame seeds–we prefer the green onion variety.

Their dish I can’t live without, or make myself, is Honey Lamb in Hoisin Sauce. Okay, I probably could make it, but not this well. It’s a platter of sweet, savory meat chunklets, tasting of neither hoisin nor honey, but oh so delicious. The meat is slightly on the fatty side, but I’d never noticed before now, when I had to cut up the pieces for my todder, who loved it but found it too chewy.

The Peas Sprouts in Garlic Sauce are also terriffic, and a nice light counterbalance to the richness of the aforementioned lamb. They’re are almost like a salad green, and come steaming, bright green, tender and still a bit crisp when cooked in this light garlic broth. Mmm, good vegetable.

The other dish we can’t seem to stop ordering here are the rice ovalettes with napa cabbage and beef strips. These chewy oval noodles are irrisitable, and stir-fried with a small amount of meat and lots of vegetables. I prefer the version with dark green snow cabbage, but this version didn’t disappoint. The flavor is mild, pass the chili sauce. Our night out had originally planned to be for Korean Dukguk, or New Year’s rice cake soup, which friends of ours introduced me to at lunch. When told my wife that Korean rice cake are just like the rice ovalettes at Islamic Chinese, our cranial drool centers were activated and plans changed. We’ll take our maiden voyage to Man Mi Dang in Koreatown, (recommended for it’s traditional cooking) some day soon.

Tung Lai Shun Restaurant
140 W. Valley Blvd. #118C
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 288-6588

By Why We Type (see more of his posts).