ZUI XIANG YUAN

This has become one of our favorite places to go in the past few months. The staff are friendly and always pleasant (not always a given in a Chinese restaurant in this area!), but of course, it's the food that really keeps us coming back. We have not explored the menu in great depth because we love their bread food! The meat pies are great - we've eaten at Beijing a Pie House many, many times, but they were the only game in town back then. Well, now there's a new player that keeps us coming back over and over again. The beef pies are really good. Chinese restaurants don't always do beef very well, but these folks have got it down. Our next favorite are the pork and leek pies. Flavorful pork and lots of fresh leek.

The other pies are very good too, but the best thing about this place are the unique leek pies! A plate full of these little leek-filled wonders are unlike anything anywhere else in the SGV. Thick and full of flavor, not like the usual thin and greasy leek pies you see everywhere else.

We have not tried much else because we *have* to get the leek pies . . . and the meat pies are not far behind. By then, there's no room for anything else.

Maybe someday in another review.

Very authentic Sichuan (SW China) food.

Some of the best dumplings and noodles. A great little hole in the wall. Come here all the time.

Each vegetable buns are handmade meticulously plays into the steamer. There might be a weight of 25 minutes before it's ready. So order in advance! It's well worth it!