We recently drove up to the San Gabriel Valley to have brunch with some friends. This isn’t your typical brunch, but rather, a modern Taiwanese style cafe which serves an array of elevated dishes.
I love Cucumber Salad ($5.50) and make it often at home. Here, Yao Cheng Farms organic cucumbers are smashed and tossed in a marinade of roasted garlic, house chili crisp, rice vinegar, and herbs. Super refreshing as a starter, or palate cleanser in between bites of other foods.
Chilled Tofu with Avocado & Salmon Roe ($11) is one of those dishes I can eat on a daily basis. It is essential when eating cold tofu, to use a high quality tofu. At Yang’s, Meiji supreme tofu is the key component. Add to that creamy avocado, and a spoonful of briny salmon roe, and a drizzle of ponzu, and voila — an extremely delicious appetizer.
(*Meiji Tofu is a tofu factory located in Gardena, you can find their products at Mitsuwa Market and Tokyo Central in Costa Mesa)
I think Smoked Fish Dip ($12) was possibly my favorite item of the entire meal. This smoked barramundi dip is lightly seasoned with herbs and mayo. I thought the amount was perfect — I’m not a fan of mayo except Kewpie — and was an ideal pairing with Bub & Grandma’s sesame toast. At one point, we ran out of toast, so I ate it with some rice, and it was equally delicious.
I’m a huge sucker for chicken wings, and Yang’s Fried Chicken Wings ($14) absolutely did not disappoint. They remind me of the chicken wings I used to get in Asia. Served with a lemon wedge and house-made salt & pepper seasoning on the side. I could’ve devoured this entire plate on my own!
As we were driving up to LA, my friend was telling me that she had eaten too much the night before and wouldn’t mind having “jook” for brunch. So when I saw Multigrain Porridge ($12) on the menu, it was destined that we had to order it. Organic multigrain rice porridge is topped with a soy egg, The Joint fish floss, scallion, cilantro, house pickled Napa cabbage, and bits of crispy multigrain rice. I liked the flavors and textures of the porridge, but I still prefer the traditional Cantonese version, which is a lot thinner in consistency.
My friends ordered Steak & Eggs ($21) which arrived with perfectly grilled grass-fed steak, two farm fresh eggs, house-made hash brown, seasonal Farmer’s Market greens, house green sauce, house-made scallion ranch sauce. I thought the scrambled eggs were prepared perfectly, the way Hong Kong style cafes would make it. The steak was also on-point at medium rare temperature (which was what we ordered!)
Yang’s Set Meal is a complete meal for one, should you choose to go that route. There are many proteins to choose from including tofu, chicken thigh, mushroom medley, grass fed steak, dry aged barramundi and steelhead trout. We picked Steelhead Trout ($26) which is marinated in yuzu miso, and grilled. It is served with a bowl of miso soup, multigrain rice, beautifully pickled vegetables, and a soy egg. If I were dining alone, this would be my go-to!
Yang’s also has an array of wonderful beverages. I tried the yuzu lemonade while some friends tried the papaya milk. I loved the yuzu lemonade which was very fragrant and refreshing. The papaya milk was also well received.
We had such a wonderful meal here and as usual, I wish they were closer. I loved how this comfort food has been elevated, modernized, and made cleaner, fresher, and all around, better. It isn’t greasy, and you can taste the love in every bite! I can’t wait to go back again.
Yang’s Kitchen
112 W Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801
Tel: (626) 281+1035
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