Tasty Noodle House

One of our favorites in the San Gabriel Valley, Tasty Noodle House also has locations on W. 3rd and Sawtelle. Personally, we prefer the second. Although rich in Japanese options, this neighborhood—and the Westside at large—doesn’t have many Chinese options, aside from the big, shiny Din Tai Fung that presides over the Westfield mall. This tiny shop specializes in the flavors of Dalian, a coastal city in northeastern China, which translates into a variety of potent seafood dishes, like jellyfish in spring scallion oil and stir-fried sea snail. You’ll also need buttery scallion pancakes, the enormous beef noodle soup, and juicy pan-fried dumplings that remind us of a Doja Cat song. Bring friends.