Sometimes I'm in full agreement with the Yelp ratings. Currently at 3.5, this describes my experience. I can't seem to round up to 4. TD Cafe is fairly new. Located in the middle of a plaza in El Monte, they're already wildly popular. I wouldn't describe this as an actual cafe. More of a seafood / HK style restaurant. Menu ranges from market price seafood, to your ubiquitous rice plates with chicken or pork chop, bbq items (which they seem to stop offering some already) and their lunch/ dinner specials at a low price, $12 a plate. I suspect this is what draws the huge crowd. That's what got us to come too. We were naive to arrive at 11am on a Sunday. The wait was 30 minutes for a table, and that's because a party before us gave up waiting and left. We placed our orders as soon as we sat down:Sautéed string beans. Compared to some other places, these were just OK. It was served with strips of pork and a slightly tangy but spicy sauce. 3/5Deep fried pork chop in spicy salt. Hot, crispy and delicious. Mostly lean and meaty pieces and nicely seasoned. 4.5/5French style filet of cod. Also delicious. Served deep friend and tossed in a mildly spicy sauce. A slightly bit on the salty side but pairs well with rice. 4.5/5Chili pepper beef: Remember that vintage 80's commercial, "Where's the beef!?" Yep, that's it. Mostly onions and peppers for color. The beef slices we got were overcooked and tough. 2/5Spam and egg sandwich w/ fries. I could've easily made this at home, but it's ok. Nothing special. 3/5Pineapple buns: I asked for the butter to be on the side. It came inside the bun, but they were served warm and so soft. After trying it,I still prefer it w/o butter. 4/5 The setup: Larger, family sized tables are towards the back of the restaurant. Smaller tables, 2 or 4 seaters are closer to the entrance. The ambiance: Pure chaos. Many Chinese folks are probably used to this but can be intimidating to others. The place is loud and you need to be aggressive to get a number, to get your table, place your order and to get servers' attention. It doesn't mean to be obnoxious, just don't be timid. They could've hired more staff, that way the tables turn over much quicker. Customers will be happier they got fed, people waiting won't stand around blocking everyone else, and higher turnover means more business for the restaurant and tips for the servers. The 'lively' vibe did not make for a relaxing meal. It was chaotic and stressful as people crowded near our table hounding the hostess, and the staff clearing the tables often had to yell 'excuse me!' Maybe after some time, the hype will die down a bit. Maybe not. But if you want to come, be mentally prepared. Side Note: They're able to reserve a table for large parties of 8-10. There's a station around the corner of the hostess counter near the entrance. There, you can get your own to-go boxes, utensils, straws, plates and napkins. It's faster than trying to flag someone down.
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"I've been craving Chinese food lately and had my eye on Wong's Kitchen, a spot I used to frequent as a kid. Sadly, on my recent visit, I learned that my high school friend Danny Wong had passed away and the restaurant had changed hands. Despite my skepticism, the quality of food remained impressive. The Kowloon dinner, featuring pork, fried rice, sweet-and-sour pork, and chop suey or chow mein, was reasonably priced. The fried rice, with its unique blend of seasonings, was as delicious as I remembered. The sweet-and-sour pork was still crispy and flavorful, even after a 20-minute drive home. The original chop suey and chow mein were just as good as before. Although the familiar faces were gone, the new owners seem dedicated to maintaining the tradition of excellent Chinese cuisine. I highly recommend giving Wong's Kitchen a try, especially considering the very reasonable prices.Enjoy!!!"
"The food was good! The service was ok! Very crowded! Some items weren't cooked yet so u get something else or wait till they bring more out from the kitchen! We even bought some for the grandkids."
