—Christine Pelisek
BEST HAPPY DUMPLING HOUR
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Dumpling lovers have their share of qualms with Luscious Dumplings. The dining room is tiny, the wait can be long and the kitchen has been known to run out of the best items in the middle of the dinner rush. But considering it also has perhaps the finest dumplings in Southern California, those aren’t reasons to stay away, they’re reasons to get here early. You’d be remiss to skip the fried pork dumplings — a perfect amalgam of the crispy, the gingery and the succulent that always leaves us with cravings for days after. The steamed chive, pork, egg and shrimp version is what the rest of the dumpling competition aspires to. And the value is near impossible to beat. It’s hard to think of a better way to spend six bucks than on the 10-dumpling plate. 704 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel. (626) 282-8695.
—Nicolas Taborek
BEST MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
A chill vibe, free WiFi, friendly staffers, and one truly delish Chocolate Mexicano makes funky Latin-influenced caffeine and laptop joint Sabor Y Cultura Café in the heart of Hollywood’s Little Armenia a true favorite for any walk of life — whether it’s the middle-aged screenwriter who is typing frantically away at his latest masterpiece or the chubby old Armenian man who plants himself in a seat outside to gawk at the local scenery (that is, the cute actresses stopping by for a quick coffee jolt). The Mexican hot chocolate and its stressful cousin, the Mexican mocha, served in a ceramic mug with a saucer, are two good reasons to stop by. Each are made with a harmonious blend of authentic Mexican cinnamon and chocolate ground down to tiny chunks. (No chocolate powder here folks!) and steamy low-fat milk. Take in the local art hanging on the purple-and-light-pumpkin walls, while sipping on the sweet, soothing frothy elixir and munching on a red-velvet cupcake, mango cheesecake square, or blueberry cobbler bar at one of the roomy tables that are situated next to plenty of electrical outlets. For a few bucks there are four, easily accessible computer Internet stations. 5625 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. (323) 466-0481.
—Christine Pelisek
BEST J-SNACKS
While Japanese grocery stores offer some high-priced items, there are some good deals at Mitsuwa’s Torrance outpost. The best buys are in the snack aisles, where you can find large bags of wasabi crackers for $3.99 and large bars of yokan (a jelly dessert) for $1.99. For those who love anything kawaii, there are countless varieties of candies bundled in animé-style packaging at reasonable prices. The Mikawaya stand sells sweet treats for $1.15 apiece, including a tasty and filling daifuku (red bean paste covered in mochi). The big deals, though, are often found in the market’s food court. Over at Yamamotoyama, a glass of iced green tea is $1.50. Curry Club serves curry and rice meals with your choice of topping (try the potato croquette) for about $5. And if you love Japanese fashion magazines, don’t forget to check the tables in front of the cash registers. You can often find last month’s issues of Fruits and Kera at deeply discounted prices. 21515 S. Western Ave., Torrance. (310) 782-0335.
—Liz Ohanesian
BEST MOMO
Much of the offerings at Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine seem vaguely Indian, but with some spicing differences. The one stand-out is the Nepalese-Tibetan staple, the momo, which are dumplings much like gyozas. Vegetarian or filled with spiced, ground chicken warmed by garlic and lightened with cilantro, both are yummy. 10855 Venice Blvd., Culver City (310) 836-9696.
—Jedd Birkner
BEST GREAT BALLS OF BEAN AND MORE
For the value and sheer spectacle of it all, New Capital Seafood, a mammoth, banquet hall–like restaurant gets the vote for best dim sum experience in the hotly competitive, heavily Asian, San Gabriel Valley. Located above a department store in a sprawling shopping center, hundreds gather here on weekends to take advantage of the $1.99 offerings brought forth in a seemingly endless procession of metal carts. The chaos of waiters and red-jacketed hostesses struggling to accommodate the masses becomes a pleasant part of the experience. With so many customers, they’ve got to be doing something right. If you don’t speak Chinese you’ll have a hard time figuring out what’s in certain dishes, but here there’s no great risk in agreeing to things you don’t fully understand. At this price almost everything seems worth a try. Try the steamed pigs-in-a-blanket dumplings and sesame seed–crusted bean balls. 140 W. Valley Blvd., Ste. 4D. San Gabriel. (626) 288-1899.
—Nicolas Taborek
BEST OAXACAN STREET FOOD
We’re the taco truck town, so why not a quesadilla cart? Every day, usually between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., a very nice woman stands behind her cart on Echo Park Avenue, just north of Sunset, where she makes blue corn tortillas by hand, stuffs them full of Monterey jack cheese and the filling of your choice, then presses them down onto a heated, flat top until the contents become warm and gooey. She usually has standard items like chicken, beef and wonderfully soft potato, but will often have more interesting offerings as well, like chicharron, squash blossom and huitlacoche (corn fungus — an inconvenience to most farmers in the U.S., but a much-loved ingredient in Mexico). At the front of this real-estate-maximizing cart, you’ll also find jars filled with two kinds of salsas, Cotija cheese and even cactus salad. The price for these blue semi-circles of melted cheese splendor? A mere three dollars each. Also, if you’re lucky, you might notice a churro truck parked just down the street. 1246 Echo Park Ave., L.A.
