Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Dim Sum @ Happy Harbor (Rowland Heights)



Formerly known as Seafood Harbour Restaurant. This palace of a fancy Chinese restaurant was part of a chain of 28 restaurants started in China where they still currently have one at Rosemead. It recently got bought out and renamed to Happy Harbor.

Located in a hell hole of plaza where parking is a total bit*h. Right in front of the restaurant is a sign that proclaimed to be the best dim sum place in LA (no doubt benefited from the reviews by the LA Times as one of the top 7 dim sum place in LA). They employed ten chefs to be working exclusively for this restaurant.

When you walk in, there is a waiting area with alot of chairs. Little did I know every chair will be used as the wait for your number to be call will be a long time before you get seated to a table.

There are no push cart ladies to push the carts around for the items of food. Instead you will be handed a menu with a slip form to fill in your order:


First Page of Menu

I sort like that concept because it would meant the food will come in hot and fresh. Alas, it also meant less employment opportunities out there.

First thing first, I had a decision to make on what type of tea I can order. There's five types of tea: Chrysanchernum, Shou Mei, Jasmine, Pu-Erh, or Ti Kuen Tin. It will cost $1.00 per person. Yep, you guess it ... I took the safer bet and order the Jasmine tea.

The pricing of the items are a little more than I expected. The afternoon dim sum prices of smaller items are $1.98, then it jumps up all the way $3.28 for the normal items, $3.98 for the larger quantities, $5.75 for the Special Order dishes, and the ever popular choice "no way am I ordering those type of dishes" for $6.75. Look over the price and the menu in here:


Dim Sum Prices


I decided to make the decision to forgo the shu mei because it would have cost me $3.28 each where in my local dim sum joints cost less than half of that price. If I am going to come here, I might as well order only the ones I cannot get or the specialty dishes.

First off I started off with :


pork buns


shrimp rice noodle

Then I order the specialty dishes of :


Shark Fin Scallop dumplings



Shanghai Dumplings


Pan Fried Shrimp Dumplings

Let me start off by saying that specialty dumplings were excellent. All Three of those different dumplings were taste great and my favorite ones were the shanghai dumpling. They also offered discounted price for the Shanghai dumpling of six for $6.

You can checked out what other items my party have ordered at the photo albums.

It's definitely one of the better dim sum place I have encountered in awhile. There will be a long wait. Some might say it would rivaled Din Tai Fung as the worst wait in weekend afternoons.


Steamed Taro Cakes with Black Olives

I noticed that the place also offered wines in the wine list. Definitely would be a consideration for a fancy banquet location. The only downside I can see is that they will not hold as big as some other Bigger Chinese restaurants like NBC or Ocean Star.


Sweet Tofu

My only suggestion is that to come early as in 11am or earlier (they opened at 9:30am on Saturday) and be prepared to be amazed.


Happy Harbor Restaurant

1015 Nogales St
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 965-2020

Grade:

Happy Harbor Seafood Restaurant on Urbanspoon

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Wanted to set up a dim sum brunch for ourselves and 6 friends of our. To tell the truth this restraunt has excellent food and selection. But after trying to talk to their Dragon Lady receptionist, we said "Screw this"!
I used this restraunt and openly suggested it to my clients and vendors. But no more after Ms. Dragon Lady on February the 28th,2010 treated us like we were bothering her.
Too many Chinese restraunts in Rowland Heights where I can spend my money and be treated as someone that is contributing to the success of their business.

Right Way to Eat said...

Hi Greg,

Sorry to hear that. I noticed that they tend to be overwhelmed on the weekends and won't accommodate as they should have. No excuse on their part. Hopefully one of these days they can repay you with much better service IF you decide to go back.

Anonymous said...

The waiters are rude. The place is dirty and the food is poor