Food

8 Alhambra discoveries revealed

Sarah Grear — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:44:10 +0000

Article Format:

SeeHearDo

People

Co-authors:

Elizabeth Hsing...

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Release Date:

May 28, 2012

We asked readers and contributors about unique and under-the-radar places and events that make Alhambra special. Their responses found a lot beneath the surface in the town that Phil Spector once called "a sleepy hick town." Some responses were downright poetic: If you close your eyes and listen to the traffic of the 10 Freeway you can hear the ocean or the serenity of early morning Tai Chi as the sun rises over Almansor Park. Most though, not surprisingly, had to do with food.

Alhambra's Central Park - with Tai Chi

One respondent said the pond at Almansor Park is a natural reserve in the middle of the city, free of charge. Another described the serenity of early morning Tai Chi as the sun rose over Almansor Park...

Bowling, beer - and dumplings?

All this and more at the old school Alhambra Bowling Center. What more could you want? Just if you're going to take leek and fish dumplings from Mama's Kitchen you'll have to go incognito...

The original Korean taco?

One respondent alleges Burrito Kingdom may just have created the "original Korean taco," an honor currently claimed by a certain, hugely popular food truck phenomenon.

Sing your heart out at Applebee's

On Thursday nights at Applebee's, be prepared to stand back as karaoke singers duke it out in intensely competitive sing-offs. Newbies are also welcome, according to another respondent.

Top tiles - and a donut

A contributor writes that the New Metro Tile Company will appeal to anyone with a discerning eye for interior design, as it offers up "one of the widest selections and best prices on nice, unique tile that you will find anywhere in LA." And on your way out, grab a free donut.

Alhambra's own time trove

The Alhambra Historical Society museum is the best place to get the scoop on Alhambra lore and how things have changed. And have they ever. The respondent should know: Her home was once a landing strip.

cityofalhambra.org

Super-duper Store

Make sure to also check out the small selection of videos for rent when making a run at Super Store, a family-run 99 cents liquor store.

At the 10 Freeway or the beach?

If you close your eyes and listen to the traffic of the 10 Freeway you can hear the ocean. Or so we hear.

We plan on investigating some of these tips in the coming weeks at See|Hear|Do. And we know there are more. Tell us what's missing on this list and we'll add it to the map.

Sandwich overboard: the "drowning torta"

Javier — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Release Date:

May 25, 2012

From the archives: This story was original posted 6.14.2011

I went to Guadalajara, Mexico to visit a tequila distillery a few months ago and came back with nothing but a certain “drowned” sandwich on my mind. I drank a lot throughout that trip, therefore I ate a lot!

In Guadalajara and its surrounding cities, there was a torta ahogada shop on almost every single block of town. In Alhambra, we’re lucky enough to have just one: El Vaquero Restaurant on Fremont.

East Los Angeles has been in somewhat of a torta ahogada revolution lately. Tortas Ahogadas “El Guero” on Whittier Boulevard is dangerously close to my house, and there is another ahogada shop on Third Street within walking distance across the Maravilla Gold Line Station.

And why not? Hell, the torta ahogada is basically the pride and joy of Guadalajara...in sandwich form. A working class beauty enjoyed by everyone in town, equally satiating the hungers of both executives and high school kids alike.

What exactly is so special about it? Well, it’s literally a torta ahogada ("drowned" torta). Just imagine a Mexican torta sandwich if it had tripped and accidentally fell into a pool of delicious — albeit ridiculously spicy — smooth salsa of fresh tomatoes and toasted chile de arbol (which literally translates to "tree chile!") The rest is simple: stuffed with a scant layer of refried beans and freshly-braised carnitas, topped with a prodigious handful of thinly sliced pickled onions, then finally dunked, sauced and smothered in a whole lot of that signature salsa.

The husband and wife owners of El Vaquero, Malaquias and Irma Vasques, are both proud Tapatios (not the hot sauce, but the people from Jalisco, where Guadalajara is the state capital). They bought the restaurant 10 years ago and steered it into the right direction after finding out that the old torta dealers were actually from Chihuahua and NOT Jalisco. “Its like a Mexican selling Salvadorean pupusas, it didn't taste right!” Irma joked. Her husband Malaquias is in charge of the El Sereno outpost of El Vaquero, while she stays and cooks at the Alhambra location.

The bread that is used is a lot sturdier than your standard-issue torta bread, and it's especially good because Malaquias’s brother makes it himself; he has a bakery of his own. No fluffy birote or bolillo roll here. Instead, it’s the exclusive pan salado that is more like a French baguette. So don’t think soggy mush, instead think spongy, chewy wholesome bread marinated in a tasty sauce

I stopped in for lunch with an old friend I hadn't talked to in years — what better way to reconnect than over a torta ahogada right? The tiny restaurant only seats about a dozen or so, and my friend and I weren't the only ones who thought a torta sounded good for lunch. Sitting across from us were two rowdy gardeners probably on their way to San Marino.

My friend and I shared their specialties: a torta ahogada bien picosa (their highest level of spiciness) and a couple tacos dorados de barbacoa, which are lightly-greased, griddled tacos filled with seasoned braised beef, adorned simply with raw chopped onions and their fiery tomatillo salsa.

And judging by the minimal conversation between me and my friend once the food arrived until the time it was gone — less than 15 minutes — it was pretty good. See, when food is blindingly spicy like this, it defies the normal laws of "getting full." You just can't stop eating until it's all gone. The barbacoa was tender enough and the salsa was enlivened a bit with some oregano. It wasn't the best I've had but not bad nonetheless.

For dessert, we shared yet another prideful Jalisco treat, a "Jericalla." It’s basically their answer to crème brûlée, except here, it has a little cinnamon. And in authentic crème brûlée fashion, the best part is the thin caramelized layer up top.

El Vaquero Restaurant: 14 S. Fremont Ave, Alhambra, CA

Location

El Vaquero Restaurant

14 S. Fremont Ave

Alhambra, CA 91801

United States

34° 5' 41.946" N, 118° 9' 7.4016" W

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

10th Annual Taste of Alhambra Festival

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:33:48 +0000

Release Date:

May 24, 2012

Wine, dine, be entertained at The Taste of Alhambra, Sunday June 3.

The Taste of Alhambra will celebrate its 10th year, offering samplings from more than 25 Alhambra restaurants and local wineries on South Second Street, between Main and Commonwealth.

“Delicious food; great wines, brews, and spirits; hand-rolled cigars; and music by the Spazmatics will all be a part of this fun event,” said Joanna Vargas, president of the Downtown Association, co-hosts of the event.

“The Taste of Alhambra showcases the great variety of restaurants we have in Alhambra,” said Steve Perry, president of the Alhambra Educational Foundation, co-hosts of the event.

Proceeds will benefit the Alhambra Educational Foundation, “Support the Schools – Enhance Technology”

Tickets are $45 pre-sale and include all food and beverages. Tickets are $55 at the event.

Sunday, June 3
5 - 8 p.m.
South 2nd Street, between Main and Commonwealth

Sponsors are Ace Beverage, Volkswagen Alhambra, Allied Waste, and City of Alhambra.

For more information, phone the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, 626-282-5767.

Photos

Main Photo:

Do LA Chinese restaurant waiters not smile enough?

Jue W-Yolanda — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:44:03 +0000

Article Format:

Article from other source

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Release Date:

May 23, 2012

World Journal (世界日報) reports that Chinese restaurant customers don't think they're getting service with a smile. Waiters reply that it is hard for them to offer considerate service with an excessive workload.

Some diners said that the waiters were often in a rush and did not give them warm welcomes. A customer complained that the waiter started cleaning up the table in the middle of a family-gathering meal, showing them the back door. In some cases, the waiters arranged strangers to sit at the same table during busy hours. A foodie who frequents San Gabriel Valley commented that the Chinese restaurants had first-class food but third-class service.

Many waiters responded to the Journal that they are under intense pressure from workload and the potential to be fired. According to Mr. Chen, an experienced waiter who has been serving in a San Gabriel Valley restaurant for ten years, his work days have been cut from five days to four days since last year, while his work load has doubled. Another waiter said that he worked long hours six days a week, and his job got overwhelming during the weekend as loads of customers flood in. In this circumstance, he said, it is hard for a waiter to keep smiling.

Best boba (and burgers) in town?

Esmee Xavier — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:34:56 +0000

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Release Date:

May 22, 2012

The Source staff would like to know: where can you get the best boba milk tea in Alhambra? The Taiwanese milk tea with chewy, artificial-looking tapioca balls is a local SGV favorite even earning a shout out in the viral internet video "626," a musical ode to local food and drink favorites. (Though some, including our own staff members are not fans of that rubbery texture).

We asked for your feedback on where to find the best burgers in Alhambra and now we'd like for you to point us to your favorite spots to find the drinks filled with pearls. Is it Ozero on Valley? Ginkgo House on Main Street? Or it's maybe a smaller place that we've never even heard of. Take our poll and let us know!

Best burger in Alhambra: the slightly suspicious results

Esmee Xavier — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:59:21 +0000

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Release Date:

May 15, 2012

Either our readers are very passionate about their burgers, or some devoted fans decided to take the results into their own hands. With a grand total of 1,433 votes on where to find the best burger in Alhambra, we've narrowed down the contest to a few front-runners: Pharo's led the poll with a whopping 650 votes, while Jay-Dee Cafe came in a close second with 587 votes. 38 Degrees also had an impressive showing with 125 votes.

The Source staff has reached the conclusion that only an old-fashioned burger cook-off could settle the dispute. Jay-Dee manager Stephanie Wilkins is game: "I'm willing to put my burger up to the test."

We added the best burger candidates to our map of Alhambra's food secrets as chosen by readers in a previous survey. Click on the icons to see more info about the restaurants. Details for the great Alhambra burger cook-off to come!

Best burger in Alhambra?

Esmee Xavier — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:28:59 +0000

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Release Date:

May 8, 2012

The Source staff is searching for the best slab of beef thrown between two buns, and we'd like your help! Is it from the local bar Jay Dee's? The Backyard Burger at 38 Degrees? Or how about going back to the basics with a classic cheeseburger from The Hat? Let us know your favorite!

Thanks for participating in our poll! We'll post the results shortly.

From “soda jerks” to Cinco de Mayo sweet corn scoops at Fosselman’s — Alhambra’s ice cream history

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:48:18 +0000

Release Date:

May 8, 2012

As summer approaches — and in memory of ice cream icon Bill Fosselman who died a few weeks ago — we explore Alhambra’s sweet past.

By Joyce Amaro, Alhambra Preservation Group | From the Archives: This story was originally published 10.5.2010.

Alhambra once had as many family-owned ice cream parlors on some blocks as there are car dealerships on parts of Main Street today.These soda fountains — complete with a counter and round stools where families enjoyed delectable hand-made chocolate shakes, malts, phosphates and banana splits — are all but gone in Alhambra. Just one of the old-school variety remains: Fosselman’s, which has adapted its rich ice cream history to the city’s contemporary diversity.

Part of the great westward migration, Alhambra's ice cream parlor owners made their way to Southern California at the turn of the 20^th century to seek their fortune in the Golden State.

John Fosselman, whose grandfather came from Iowa and went on to open Fosselman’s Ice Cream Company, explained that the ethnic legacy of the migrants probably contributed to their tendency toward the dairy trade.

“One of the reasons as to why there was so much ice cream and dairy in that area is the fact that there was a very big German immigrant community,” he said. “I think it was just that the people brought the trade with them.”

In 1912, a few years before Fosselman’s grandfather opened his business, Alhambra's Main Street already boasted four ice cream parlors, all located within two blocks of each other and owned by migrants from the Midwest. The Alhambra Drug Company, owned and operated by Missouri-natives Millard and Iola Lucas, was located at First and Main Street. It featured “Ice Cream and Ices Made to Order by the Gallon.” Just east of Garfield Avenue and Main Street was the Dew Drop Inn, an ice cream parlor operated by Raymond and Jessie Canniff, a 20-something couple from Ohio. With a name like Dew Drop Inn, one can only imagine the cool treats served up by this fun-loving ice cream shop! Midwestern migrant families also owned the other two ice cream parlors, the F.B. Elwood Drug Co. and Samson’s Ice Cream and Confections Shop.

One man who originally made his way west with John Fosselman’s grandfather was Leo Anderson. The two parted ways, though, in Southern California, eventually running competing ice cream parlors. Leo’s was located where the new Volkswagen Dealership recently opened, and across the street from the current Fosselman’s. Norman Rockwell, a winter resident of Alhambra in the 1930s and 40s, frequented this soda fountain and Leo's Ice Cream Parlor, and its “soda jerks,” or servers of ice cream sodas, may have been the inspiration for many of his Saturday Evening Post covers that featured ice cream parlor-themed paintings.

One of those soda jerks was Tom Shea, 76, who worked at Leo’s as a high school student in the 1940s. “People that wanted good ice cream came to Alhambra,” he said. Shea, who now works at the Chamber of Commerce, remembers fondly the huge counter top at Leo’s crowded with eager customers and days where they would go out and pick fresh flats of strawberries to make toppings.

Today, Shea can be found many hot afternoons (and not so hot ones) across the street at Fosselman’s, licking favorites such as chocolate raspberry mouse, fresh peach or something seasonal like blueberry or strawberry in a sugar cone.
This family owned and operated business has been a fixture for the last 91 years, with a retail store on Main Street since 1941.

On a recent hot afternoon, John Fosselman was working behind a busy counter when Shea walked in for his weekly ice cream fix.

Fosselman welcomed him with a friendly groan and a special batch of fresh licorice ice cream.

While the ice cream making tradition has remained constant at Fosselman’s, the flavors have changed to fit a shifting Alhambra. “We have dulce de leche, which has more of a Latin flavor; we also do sweet corn during Cinco de Mayo,” Fosselman said. Asian flavors include lychee, ginger, matcha, yuzu and taro — one of the best sellers. “We learn how to do all this from our customers who walk into the store or chefs we deal with,” Fosselman said. “So I guess you can say it keeps us on our toes to say the least.”

Posts from the Past is brought to you by Alhambra Preservation Group – a non-profit organization working to identify, protect and celebrate Alhambra’s historical, architectural and cultural resources through education, advocacy and awareness-building programs. Visit us at www.AlhambraPreservation.org.

Location

1824 West Main Street

Alhambra, CA

United States

34° 5' 28.8276" N, 118° 8' 38.1084" W

People

Co-authors:

alfonsov

daniela.gerson

Video

Video:

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

626 Night Market: stop fuming and start planning

Elizabeth Hsing-Huei Chou — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:11:09 +0000

Release Date:

April 27, 2012

For days leading up to the San Gabriel Valley’s “first ever” Asian night market, the excitement mounted: All my friends — along with their mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts and grandparents — were planning on going. But on the night of the inaugural 626 Night Market, that eager anticipation transformed into a furor.

I never made it to the market. The rants about two hour searches for parking and the pictures of the near immobile crowd of people crammed into a single Pasadena block flooding my Facebook and Twitter feed were enough for me to call my relatives and cancel my plans. But I don't believe the Asian night market was a failure. The masses that got turned away may still be fuming, but organizers of the 626 Night Market tapped into a thirst for a reinvention of traditional cultural event for a new generation of Asian Americans.

What was touted as a Taiwanese-style market was, in fact, more “626”-style, powered by the boba-crazed, second generation wearers of t-shirts printed with cute anthropomorphic characters.

"There were a lot of second generation or younger entrepreneurs," said Jonny Hwang, 31, who organized the event along with his wife Janet Lan, 29, and friend Brian Gi, 30. "They caught onto the idea a lot faster."

Hwang and Lan, residents of Alhambra who spent many years in Taiwan, wanted to recreate the good times they and their friends and family had at the night markets there, where stalls brim with delectable street foods and people bargain over goods and chat with friends into the early hours of the morning.

Memories, as well as tales, of night markets buzzing with activity carry a much longed for sense of excitement and community that can be hard to find in the placid suburbia of the San Gabriel Valley. After all, there are not many engaging local nighttime activities that involve the entire family, save the popular Hong Kong style cafes.

Hwang, as well as some of my friends who have been to night markets, say this is the key difference in lifestyle between Taiwan and America.

Some vendors feel the same way. "The thing is, the people who are slandering the night market people, they should just be happy that there is something like this in L.A. cause without 626 Night market, there would be nothing else," Pei Yen who runs the organic dumpling company Bling Bling Dumplings said in an e-mail. "It's something that was started from three people that [have] full time jobs and this was just something fun for them to do and who knew it was going to blow up like this."

But the next 626 market, and clearly there is a demand for one, should not try to be that nostalgic Taiwanese market. While it was impressive that in many cases entire Asian American families attempted to come out to this event, if there is still interest in these night markets from anyone, it is likely not going to be from the first generation folks.

The vendors that brought the market to life were not just the ones who sold stinky tofu (though that element is important). Many were actually the kind who operate Facebook pages and Twitter feeds with names like “Ray Ray’s,” “Bling Bling Dumpling” and “Mad Mochi." They run around eating kimchi tacos and flock to food truck festivals. Many probably did not read, and probably could not read, the Chinese newspaper articles that alerted their parents to the event.

Like these vendors, a 626 Night Market should reflect a different kind of cultural authenticity, one that is not fixed in a nostalgic past, used to ease homesickness or serve as a glimpse of the East for non-Asians. Yes, it should have a San Gabriel Valley flavor, something that evokes the culture of the Asian residents in this area. But it should also highlight the inventive spirit of an ever-evolving, and diverse population.

Grumbling about crowds aside, we all know if another night market happens, lots of us will be out there again. Instead of going back to driving to our usual spots around the San Gabriel Valley, maybe we'll bump into each other at the 626 Night Market instead?

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image

Fifteen years sipping coffee at Banh Mi My Tho

Firing Line — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:21:58 +0000

Release Date:

April 20, 2012

Several times a week for the last 15 years, I've gotten my morning fix of Vietnamese dark roasted coffee with sweetened condensed milk — ca phe sua nong -- at Banh Mi My Tho. While I sip my coffee, I like to watch as workers hustle deliveries of fresh French bread rolls, trays of fresh snacks and large bags of rice and customers order their sandwiches and street snacks in Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese.

From their location in a small strip mall on Valley Boulevard just west of Garfield Boulevard, Banh Mi My Tho has been serving Alhambra for over 18 years. The Dai family first opened across the street from the long gone Sir George’s Restaurant and Bob’s Big Boy (now Noodle World) down the street. Their name comes from the combination of Banh Mi, Vietnamese for sandwich, and My Tho, their hometown in Vietnam.

The road from My Tho to Alhambra was arduous and long. After Saigon fell to Communist forces in 1975, the Dai Family fled South Vietnam on a 20-foot boat, landing in a refugee camp in Malaysia for a few months. Actual refuge came when a family in Illinois sponsored them. Daniel Dai, the youngest son, told me they learned a great deal about being financially responsible from their sponsor, which later helped them open their own businesses.

After a year in Illinois, they joined other family members in Brooklyn and opened a Chinese restaurant. They struggled to make their restaurant successful in a predominately Italian and African American neighborhood, so after eight years they headed west to Alhambra to be close to Mrs. Dai's family. Again, they opened a Chinese restaurant but faced competition. And then the elder Dai noticed there was only one Vietnamese sandwich shop serving Alhambra. That is when they opened their current business and found the right combination to make their mark on the culinary scene.

Like the Dais, about 10 percent of Alhambra residents are foreign-born Vietnamese, mostly with a Chinese background. But their customers come from all over the world — and even from the Westside of Los Angeles. In the years since they opened, Banh Mi have become very popular in the San Gabriel Valley and have attracted a loyal following of people who love the combination of the crusty French bread filled with delicious combinations of Vietnamese fillings of marinated meats and vegetables. With the appearance of the large chain franchises like Lee's Sandwiches, Mr. Baguettes and Banh Mi Che Cali it is a testimony to the quality of the small “hole in the wall” businesses like Banh Mi My Tho that they continue to flourish and attract a loyal fan base of epicureans who appreciate the differences between a mass produced product and the unique taste of the family run eateries. Los Angeles Magazine even gave their grilled pork sandwich (Banh Mi Thit Nuong) the Best Sandwich award in 2010, and LA Weekly gave it the tongue-in-cheek 2011 award of Best Sandwich Shop that Looks Like a Gas Station.

I asked Daniel Dai to explain in more detail what is different about their food. “Vietnamese food is a blend of many cultures. The French were there and the Chinese were there also," he said. "We marinate our meat with both lemon grass and garlic, unlike other places who use ground meat we slice our meat thin on a meat slicer that goes all day long. This is the same menu from when we first opened, but we have taken the ingredients from the sandwiches and created other dishes. Our bread comes from a French bakery every morning and is heartier and thicker than the standard baguette. The franchises get their bread half-baked and finish it up on location. It is a matter of balance: a lot of places use a lot of bread and little meat. We make a sandwich that has a lot of meat. Also we have consistency and it’s always my mom, dad or me that are watching over the process and other places have turnover of the employees so the food changes.”

Daniel is planning on continuing the business. “This is my legacy and I want to pass it on when I have children. I enjoy seeing all of the people coming here but it is hard work: the prices are low and the costs are high. I might change it up a bit and use more technology." Mom gives him the look when she hears this but Daniel quickly adds, “ I will keep the formula the same.”

Banh Mi My Tho
304 West Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, Ca 91801
626 289-4160
Hours: Tue-Sun 7am-7pm

http://www.banhmimytho.com/

People

Photographers:

nathan.s

Video

Use video as main image:

Do not use video as main image