Mei Long Village in 301 W. Valley Blvd, Monterey Park, CA. There are several other Chinese restaurants in that shopping center, including a bubble tea shop. (I had one, it was very good)
马兰头豆腐干(ma lan tou and tou fu) ，醉鸡(drunk chicken) ， 红烧甩水(fish tail in red source)。Ma Lan tou needs to have more ma lan tou. The chicken was not the best I ever had (the best I had the skin was almost crispy) but it was pretty good. The fish was a little blend. 
S.W Barbecue (三和烧腊) in the Ranch 99 shopping center near Walnut and Jeffery street, Irvine, CA。
烤鸭(Roasted Duck)，清炒豆苗(Stir fry bean sprout)，西湖牛肉羹(Minced beef and egg soup)。
The duck was really oily. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a nice source to go with it, I had to use those generate soy source. The bean sprout was good. The soup was very good too. 
三家村, 14121 Jeffrey Rd, Irvine, CA 92620
I should say I was kind disappointed by the small menu they had. The new year special Shanghai Duck looked pretty good but I just had duck the day before so I didn’t get one.
荠菜炒山药（shepherd’s purse and Chinese Yam) (14.99) ，葱爆羊肉 (stir fry lamb) $7.99. The Yam was supprisingly good though they could have added more greens. The lamb was super oily and fatty and not so flavorful. I didn’t like it at all.
半苗园, across the street from the Ranch 99 shopping center on Jeffrey and Walnut, Irvine, CA
牛肉煎饼 (beef bun) $1.5 each. Very very good! They had lots of home style dishes that are under $5, very good deal.
弘城（China Garden) seafood restaurant. That day was 2/7, the Chinese new year. So many many people. I was lucky that I got there early.
蟹粉西洋菜（Crab meat and green, about $14) 茄子牛排煲 （slow-cooked steak and egg-plant, about $16)
The crab meat and green was very good. The steak and egg-plant pot was just awesome!! I was never a fan of egg plant. But the way the cooked it with the meat combines the two flavor so well! The meat must also be very fresh. When you take a bite, the rich meat flavor (not flavor from a source or seasoning, just the original meat flavor) filled your whole mouth!! I did wish the texture of the steak be more real (it was a little too tender to be real, they might have used some meat tendering powder)
馥园 Chef Chen (located in the same Ranch 99 shopping plaza in Irvine). There were lots of people waiting in line for this place but I thought the menu and food was just alright.
笋尖炒干丝（bamboo shoot and tou fu), 清蒸鲈鱼(steamed Japanese Sea Perch)
The bamboo shoot and tou fu could have more bamboo shoot. The taste wasn’t bad but I didn’t expect it to be soy-source flavored. The steamed fish surprisingly had soy source and lots of oil. The owner said they didn’t put any oil in the dish, I kind of doubt it. The taste was good but it had been over-steamed a little bit.
避风磄(Seafood Valley) Cantonese style food. 639 W Garvey Ave. Monterey Park, CA 91754 . Parking was difficult, I had to park across the street. The place was packed too. The price was good for most items, you can find lots of decent dishes for 9.99 or 10.99.
鱼圆苋菜煲 （fish ball and green, about $10.99)， 避风磄炒蟹(house special stir-fried crabs) (market price $5.99/lb * 2.75)
The vegetable was mild but good. Fish starch balls are quite flavorful. The crabs wasn’t as good as people recommended . The shell was soft so it was easy to eat but the crab was deeply fried and not much flavor inside. If you put some salty garlic on the meat it wasn’t bad but I didn’t like it. It was also a huge amount , about 3 or 4 people can share this easily. 
