Royala Inn

Mexican restaurants are lucky if they can pull off one good mole. Chef Rocio Camacho goes above and beyond with far more at this humble Bell Gardens outpost that has little in the way of décor. From the dark-as-night Oaxaqueno to the spicy-sweet manchamanteles to the vibrant verde, moles here are layered, sophisticated efforts that come paired with your choice of chicken, fish, shrimp, steak or even a massive chile relleno. On a menu that covers a lot of territory, stick to this signature dish, which arrives overly generous in size. Otherwise, a warm basket of chips laced with a handful of sau

Is there ever not a wait at this friendly Malaysian café? Chef Kenji Tang clearly knows his audience, and day or night the line to get in can be as dense as the takeout tickets that pile up on the front counter. Tang fills a welcome niche with a succinct menu of Malaysian staples in a neighborhood better known for its Chinese restaurants. The Hainanese chicken is the default order for good reason: gently poached, tender and served cold with a trio of sauces and a dome of seasoned rice. Chicken curry shows an ability to layer finely tuned spices and is best paired with hot, flaky roti canai, wh

This beloved Cantonese restaurant could easily glide solely on its reputation, and yet, its devoted chefs meet the moment again and again. One of the first of its kind to offer dim sum à la carte, rather than by an actual cart, items arrive piping hot, fresh from the steamer. You really can’t go wrong, with each course seasoned and cooked to exacting standards. Bigger plates are all the rage at night — including sweet and sour pork, which finds elevation in this trusty kitchen's hands. Anything with seafood is a sure bet, but don’t miss the preserved salty egg bun with molten yolk. Families ca

Some Sichuan kitchens temper their heat levels depending on what they think the customer can handle. Not this one. This long-standing veteran has never been one to hold anyone’s hand and their widespread success has not at all cooled their approach. Expect nothing less than the full-throttle Sichuan experience where tongue-numbing, lip-tingling dishes arrive coated in heavy spices, garnished with sliced chilis and, often, doused in fire-engine red chili oil. Toothpick lamb, intensely aromatic with cumin and chilies, remains the house signature, but the crispy-crusted beef is a formidable rival

Few kitchens can prepare a noodle roll quite like this local Alhambra favorite. Rice wrappers filled with gently cooked lobster and finished with a subtly sweet soy sauce arrive on a platter set with the lobster shell itself for a presentation that draws attention from all corners. Indeed, this kitchen puts a fine edge on the area’s dim sum scene. There is not a single cart roaming this elegant dining room, which in turn is managed by a team of fast and friendly servers who will ensure that you never leave less than stuffed. Traditionalists will want to end with a rich egg tart, but for a more

Long hailed as one of the top tables in the area, this Sichuan stalwart is settling into its new home just two miles away from its previous address in Alhambra. All of the usual hits are still in play—tea-smoked duck, big mouth ginger frog, mapo tofu—and the kitchen is still armed with its usual scarlet-red numbing oils and fiery, chopped chilis. One recent highlight was a cauldron of fish and rattan pepper boiled in a thrillingly complex broth rippling with numbing, spicy tones. A private room will serve large parties particularly well. All to say, the airy space, with its big windows and bri

In an unremarkable building that nearly blends in with the rest of the street, Henry’s has quietly but confidently satisfied an ever-dwindling demand for homestyle Cantonese cooking since 2015. With a scarlet-red lobster as their logo, shells painted silver and gold and hung on the wall, and large groups huddled around platters of it, there isn’t much guessing as to what the signature is here. Come for dinner to unlock the menu’s full breadth of specialties. Highlights include delicately fried shrimp with salted egg as well as a striking deep-fried salted pig’s feet, its skin as crisp and crun