I'M ALWAYS ON THE HUNT FOR A GREAT CHINESE MEAL. LOS ANGELES IS BLESSED WITH AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES -- HUNDREDS OF ASIAN RESTAURANTS STRETCHING EAST FROM DOWNTOWN, SIXTY MILES INTO THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY. HERE YOU CAN FIND PLACES SPECIALIZING IN SEZCHUAN, TAIWANESE, UYGHAR, JIANGSU, AND CANTONESE, TO MENTION ONLY A FEW. BECAUSE THE AREA IS HOME TO SO MANY CHINESE FROM SO MANY REGIONS IN CHINA, ALTHOUGH WESTERNERS ARE WELCOME, THE RESTAURANTS ARE NEVER AT A LOSS FOR CUSTOMERS WHO PREFER DISHES WHICH REMIND THEM OF HOME. MY TOP FAVORITE REMAINS JIANG NAN SPRING AND ITS SISTER RESTAURANT CHANG'S GARDEN, BUT HENRY'S CUISINE KEPT POPPING UP ON VARIOUS "BEST" LISTS, INCLUDING THE L.A. TIMES 101 BEST AND EATER L.A.
HENRY'S CUISINE IS NAMED FOR HENRY TU AND HENRY CHAU, WHO FOUNDED THE RESTAURANT. CALL THE MENU LARGELY CANTONESE, THE CHINESE FOOD YOU PROBABLY GREW UP EATING, BUT THE FLAVORS AND INGREDIENTS INCORPORATE THE SPICES OF VIETNAM AS WELL AS MOREL MUSHROOMS FROM OREGON.
WE MADE AN EXPLORATORY TRIP TO HENRY'S A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH DEENA AND MARTY AND WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE FEW DISHES WE ORDERED THAT I WAS DETERMINED TO RETURN WITH A LARGER GROUP. SO SUNDAY NIGHT, EIGHT FRESSERS, SOME SHLEPPING FROM AS FAR AWAY AS BRENTWOOD, GATHERED AT A ROUND TABLE FOR A FEAST. THE RESTAURANT ITSELF, LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF GARFIELD AND VALLEY BOULEVARDS IN ALHAMBRA, MANAGES TO BE BOTH SPACIOUS AND COZY. THERE ARE BOOTHS ALONG THE PERIPHERY, BUT THE LARGER TABLES ARE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY GLASS PARTITIONS LIKE YOU'D FIND IN AN OFFICE. THIS MAKES TALKING A LOT EASIER, WITHOUT FEELING CLAUSTROPHOBIC.
I'D STUDIED THE MENU AND SUGGESTED TO THE GROUP THAT I ORDER, WHICH SPARED US THE PAIN AND CONFUSION OF EIGHT PEOPLE BARGAINING FOR DISHES. RESTAURANT PRICES REMAIN SURPRISINGLY REASONABLE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, SO I DECIDED TO SPLURGE ON A FIRST COURSE SOUP OF CHICKEN AND MORELS. FLOATING IN A CLEAR, AMBER BROTH WITH THE SUBTLE YET DECISIVE ESSENCE OF CHICKEN WERE MOREL MUSHROOMS AND CHUNKS OF CHICKEN. WE WERE OFF TO A GOOD START.
I'D ASKED ONE OF THE MAITRE D'S TO NOT SERVE EVERYTHING AT ONCE, A REQUEST THAT MOST OFTEN IS COMPLETELY IGNORED ONCE THE ORDER IS DELIVERED TO THE KITCHEN. BUT MIRACLE OF MIRACLES, THE RESTAURANT COMPLIED. SO NEXT TO ARRIVE WAS A TRIO OF DISHES -- HOUSE SPECIAL LOBSTER VIETNAMESE STYLE, SALTED PIGS FEET, AND BOK CHOY. THE PIGS FEET, A DESCRIPTIVE THAT INTIMIDATED SEVERAL IN OUR CREW, ARE NOT FEET BUT PORK SHANK, THE SAME CUT AS OSSO BUCO -- PORCO BUCO? THE FLESH WAS PINK, MOST LIKELY CURED, THEN ROASTED ON THE BONE; JUICY AND FLAVORFUL, PARTICULARLY WITH A CRUNCHY SQUARE OF SKIN. IT REMINDED ME OF PEKING DUCK. THEY DO GREAT THINGS WITH VEGETABLES AT HENRY'S. ON OUR PREVIOUS VISIT WE HAD THE BEST SAUTÉED SNOW PEA TENDRILS, BUT THEY RAN OUT SO WE SUBSTITUTED BOK CHOY, WHICH WAS NEARLY AS GOOD.
A BRIEF RESPITE ENSUED, WHICH GAVE US TIME TO DISCUSS THE FOOD AND TRUMP.
STRING BEANS FRIED WITH GROUND PORK TURNED OUT TO BE THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO CHICKEN WITH CHESTNUTS AND THE FORMIDABLE BUT SPECTACULAR WHOLE DEEP FRIED SOLE. "THE MEAT IS SWEETEST CLOSE TO THE BONE" APPLIES TO FISH AS WELL MEAT. FLASH-FRYING WHOLE SEALED IN THE FLAVOR OF THE WHITE FLESH, WHICH WAS MOIST, DELICATE AND DELICIOUS. BREAK OFF A CHUNK OF FRIED SKIN AND THE BONES ARE BRITTLE ENOUGH TO CHEW.
JUST AS WE WERE DESCRIBING HOW AWFUL CHINESE DESSERTS ARE, DESSERT ARRIVED -- A LARGE SQUARE WAFFLE STUDDED WITH SPHERES OF WAFFLE. IT SUBSTANTIATED MY OPINION OF CHINESE DESSERTS, BUT SOME OF US LOVED IT. IF I HADN'T BEEN SO STUFFED, I WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED WE GO SOMEPLACE FOR ICE CREAM.
