Embassy Kitchen in San Gabriel

Just wanted to share pics from a previous visit. Makes me yearn for a return visit soon for these specialty dishes.

https://lafoodiepanda.com/2018/09/20/ordering-off-the-chinese-only-menu-at-embassy-kitchen-彌敦閣-in-san-gabriel-ca/

I know there was some confusion over the continuity of this operation due to a combination of comments on this board, personal comments made to me, and some wildly inconsistent recent Yelp comments. I did drop by a few weeks ago and it seemed to be the old crew there. However, there may be upcoming issues with the lease on this location, so it might be better to go back sooner than later.

i think it was chandavkl who brought embassy to my attention. it’s the place i suggest when people ask for a cantonese restaurant recommendation. i’ve also liked what i’ve had at jasmine house though i’ve only been there maybe 3 times tops.

Here’s the full translation of the Chinese menu.

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We’re planning to head back at the end of Oct since my calendar’s all full. Hope they’ll still be in business by then…

That entire plaza is going to be torn down for another generic mixed use development

Phase 1 set to start in Sept 2019. Does that mean demolition would start before then or not until Sept 2019?

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Found out earlier this month that Embassy Kitchen will close after 12/31, as the owner decided to retire and not opt to re-open elsewhere. Some staff have already left to find new work, so they don’t have the ability to do any of their special order dishes except for those who have booked and ordered a week in advance. Normally, by 8:30pm, they’re winding down, but with word getting out, they were still packed during this time.

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Oh damn thanks for the heads up. I was contemplating going tomorrow but now that looks like a bust.

Basically, the only special order dish they have the ingredients for is the Tilapia Rolls. They can make the Imitation Sharks Fin with Egg Whites, with a pre-order as they only prepare so much egg whites for day for this dish. Unfortunately, they don’t have the ingredients for the stuffing for the Stuffed Whole Duck. No crab for the Crab Rice, but they can make a lobster version of it instead. And they recommend coming in early for dinner rather than later in case they may run out of certain ingredients.

steamed minced pork lunch special one last time…

Last Meal at Embassy Kitchen 彌敦閣 in San Gabriel, CA

Today will mark the final day of service for this very popular Cantonese restaurant, as the owner has decided to retire and not seek a new location for the restaurant after it was announced that the entire block where Embassy Kitchen sits has been sold to developers, who will convert much of the block into a multi-purpose building of apartments and storefronts (construction will break ground in September 2019).

What made this place popular over the last two decades were their “special order” dishes, which required one to order these labor-intensive dishes by at least 24 hours advanced. The most popular ones have been the Boneless Crispy Chicken Stuffed with Shrimp Paste (脆皮江南百花雞) and the Stuffed Boneless Chicken Wings (焗釀雞翼). Unfortunately, since word of the restaurant’s closing got out, one would have to order these dishes a week in advance as so many table reservations and special orders began to come in, and the restaurant needed to know how much product to purchase in order to make these advanced special orders (unfortunately for those who will be dining on this last day of service, none of the special order dishes will be available — in fact, most items on the entire menu will not be available). For us, we were only able to special order the Tilapia Rolls with Crispy Tilapia Carcass (嶺南立魚卷). Tilapia rolls were filets of tilapia stuffed with pickled vegetables (such as red ginger) and 1,000-year-old egg.

Stuffed Tilapia Rolls with Carcass 嶺南立魚卷

Another popular dish of theirs was the House Special Dungeness Crab Fried Rice (彌敦閣蟹飯). Unfortunately, they were out of crabs (and they weren’t able to get any live crabs from their live seafood purveyor). We were, however, able to get this dish made with a lobster instead (6 lbs at $23.99 per pound). Presentation of the dish was lovely, and the rice was delicious (wished the lobster had roe in it).

Another popular dish we managed to get was their Stir-Fried Vegetarian Shark’s Fin with Egg Whites (桂花銀針炒素翅), which featured vermicelli needles, egg whites, bean sprouts.

Off their Chinese Only Menus, were able to order the following:

Fatty Beef with Mixed Mushrooms in Korean (Bugolgi) Sauce 照燒鮮箘爆肥牛

Shrimp in Lotus Pond 荷塘子母蝦, made with soft tofu, asparagus, mushrooms and a layer of steamed egg underneath

We’ve also managed to order a few of the dishes listed in their Chef’s Specials section of the menu.

Pan Fried Minced Pork with Salted Fish

Stir-Fried Beef Tongue in Spicy Sauce

Steamed Assorted Vegetables with Bean Curd Skin, filled with mushrooms, snow ear fungus, bamboo, bamboo pith, ginkgo biloba

Empress Seafood Soup

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus in Spicy XO Sauce

Steamed Chicken with Ginger and Scallion (Soy Sauce)

Beef Chow Fun

Omelette with BBQ Pork and Preserved Turnip Leaves

Crusted-Custard Tofu Braised with Bamboo Fungus (Pith), over Baby Bok Choy

Stir-Fried Pea Shoot Leaves with Garlic

Seafood Chow Mein Hong Kong Style

Since they have been so busy during this last week of business, they weren’t able to offer a tasty Malaysian style hot dessert soup with tapioca, red bean, coconut.

We were last to leave the restaurant, and it just seemed so befitting to see a totally empty dining room as my last memory of Embassy Kitchen. I feel fortunate that we had a lovely meal with excellent service to remember Embassy Kitchen by.

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So sad.
I’ve had many great meals there.
Beautiful pictures. Thanks.

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A very sad day for Cantonese in California.

Last year or so it was Yum’s Bistro Fremont’s owner retiring (the new ownership’s kitchen is not the same). And now Embassy Kitchen shuttering and owner retiring as well.

Thanks for capturing this final swan song for Embassy Kitchen.

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Didn’t hear about Yum’s. Is there any place left north or south with an array of order in advance specialties?

i had the same thought but had to be in san diego last night so i did lunch there yesterday instead. disappointed there was no lunch menu, and since they were interested in depleting their stock, no beef dishes, the chef special stuffed dace was also unavailable. with a party of eight trying to decide on a balanced order, only to be told something wasn’t available, we gave up and went with certain suggestions:

i insisted on my favorite minced steamed pork with salted egg. those unfamiliar with the dish understood why i insisted on it after they tried it.

no beef, so they made chow fun (dry) with chicken. wasn’t my call. eh.

sichuan style eggplant


hot & sour soup


a business client at the meal made it tax deductible. hence, a pic of the recept

pork chops with spicy salt. good, but i still prefer jasmine house’s version

singapore style noodles, again, not my call. this was the last dish to be finished. substantial serving size may have been a factor. then again, maybe not.

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The recently re-opened Embassy Kitchen is offering Dim Sum at lunch. Food quality and prices are comparable to the top tier Dim Sum places in the San Gabriel Valley. Presentation and services are fine. Interior decorations remain unchanged.

for those wondering what constitutes comparable prices:

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Changed to Shanghai Restaurant. Chinese name is changed but kept Embassy Kitchen name.


embassykitchensgv.wixsite.com/…

Menu looks good. Will give it a try this weekend.

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Yelp lists the restaurant as No. 8 On The Bund