Golden Leaf

Tofu was good and wish it’ll be more stinky as that’s what make Stinky Tofu so special. Porkchop rice is home cook style with nice extra varieties of vegetables.

Super cheap and super tasty. Everybody’s favorite combo :)
I really love their stinky tofu here. I honestly believe I’ll never find that true putrid stink that only Taiwan seems to offer but that’s ok, this place does a great job bringing the stink. More so than most places. They also serve the largest plate of it for the best price that I’ve ever had in San Gabriel. It’s a great value and great stink.
The oyster pancake was quite delicious as well. Lots of oysters were in it!

The food here is your classic Taiwanese comfort food, very reminiscent of mom’s cooking (though your mom’s cooking might taste better)
The menu is fairly small, divided up into rice entrees, appetizers, soups, and noodles. Their rice entrees come with your choice of meat, rice and two vegetable sides (changed daily)
We ordered the oyster pancake, braised pork rice entrée and the pork chop entrée. The pork chop was very oily and I felt like I was eating oil with every bite rather than pork chop! Oyster pancake was pretty good, but it was pretty small for the $. The braised pork rice was literally 3 huge chunks of fatty pork. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great.
Service was fast and friendly and they were pretty packed on a Sunday night!

5 stars for the popcorn chicken. I got drinks from sharetea next door and they didn’t have any food options so my friend and i headed over next door and got some good ol popcorn chicken. portions were huge compared to many other boba /​taiwanese cafeish type places. the breading on it was fantastic. very worth the price. Also got sausage and rice. it came with some braised tofu which was really dang good. the veggies that came with it were a bit salted but overall the food was great. service was decent. I didn’t read the closing time so they were trying to close dwn i guess. whoops. would come back for the popcorn chicken.
very nice and clean interior btw.

I’ve driven by this place hundreds of times but never thought about stopping by until Sun night when why thirsty was closed. We got the braised pork rice and sausage rice. The braised pork was flavored very well. I had a slight salty taste in my mouth afterwards but its forgiving. The side dish of stir fry tomato and egg was really good! The other side dish was some canned peas and corn.

Service is extremely slow… and they have absolutely no urgency to seat their customers. They leave their tables dirty for over 20mins and have guest wait.

Yet another traditional Taiwanese hole-​in-​the-​wall joint to pop up in the San Gabriel Valley.
What They Did Right:
+ Flavor on the beef noodle stew was amazing!
+ Sausage over rice rivals the flavor and portions compared to Sinbala
+ Braised pork was good ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ blend of rendered fat and leaner pork belly. Over rice, this was seasoned to perfection and absolutely delicious.
+ Fried pork rack over rice was great. Wish it was served with braised tofu /​braised egg (more traditional). Instead it was served with wok fried corn and eggplants.
+ Really liked the variety of vegetables available, including A-​choy (taiwanese), mustard greens, and taiwanese water spinach.
What Could be Improved:
— Fat should have been strained out of the beef noodle stew. There was a thick, slick layer emulsified of beef fat that rested over the stew. It was a little too much; I usually prefer just a bit of fat.
— Stinky tofu was not incredibly stinky. Could have used a bit more flavor /​fermentation.
— On the multiple orders of sauteed vegetables, all were a tad underseasoned.
Bottom Line:
Great new spot to check out some authentic Taiwanese food. Parking may be a complete pain in the ass, but the food is great. The limited menu means they also have more focus to keep the quality high on the food they deliver.

Visitation rights: Been to this mom & pop restaurant two times.
Location/​Parking: Same small plaza where Apollo Loco and Sharetea is located at. Parking is a bit bad, but you can definitely park along Las Tunas Dr. or the residential area.
Ambiance/​furnishings: Nice quiet place. Furnishings are a bit vanilla. They do have a decent amount of tables. Be warned… you might smell the aroma of stinky tofu! :)
Service: At times, service is lacking but they do try their best to cater to their patrons needs. Food does come out fast and for specific items they take longer to make.
Food: I have tried 4 items on their simple menu:
1) Braised Pork Belly– I really love the texture of pieces that I had. It was packed with flavor, tender, not oily, and the fat of the pork belly was the cherry topper for me! :)
2) Taiwanese Pork Chop: Pork chop was different from other places (Old Country & Jackpot Hotpot) that I’ve tried. It wasn’t battered besides the edges. Pork chop had a decent amount of flavor, tender, and the vegetables rounded out the plate well.
3) Che Zai noodle: I had a sample size of the noodle bowl. Was a bit bland for me.
4) Oyster Pancake: Everything from the oyster, egg batter, tong ho (edible chrysanthemum leaves), and the sauce was delightful to eat.
Would definite come back for more!

A new-​ish Taiwanese fare provider in the middle of nowhere. Almost. A small place with about 10 – 15 tables. One server/​waitress/​phone order taker/​cashier/​etc. In other words, understaffed.
I had to try the beef noodle soup, hoping I wouldn’t have to travel to Valley Blvd for it anymore. It was good, with the most chunks of beef I have ever seen in any dish of the like. It was very generous, however, some of the beef were a little tough, the kind that wouldn’t softened regardless of how long it’s cooked. But overall it was very good, the broth was rich (yes!) and the noodles good in texture.
The second dish was the BRAISED PORK, which was I kid you not, over half made of fat. More than I am accustomed to. The flavor was great, the pork though, also could’ve used more time cooking. I feel they had to stop the braising short due to the lunch rush hour. It needed maybe another hour of slow cooking, that would’ve made it excellent. The sides of this dish were great (I liked the bamboo shoot) though very drenched in oil from the braised pork. Needed a bit more sauce. Overall, I think when they do nail the dish with time, I will be happy to come back.
Service good, but not enough.

This little plaza is really picking up! This new café plus ShareTea really spice things up.
Unfortunately, the Taiwanese food offered here is just not up to par. Sinbala does a much better job with flavor and variety of foods.
The beef noodle soup had some promise with the soup flavor, but the noodles chosen are too thin and a lot of them were undercooked because they had stuck together while cooking. Plus, the beef was not tender enough; they were pretty hard to chew.
The oyster pancake was bigger than Sinbala’s, but not really more flavorful.
I wouldn’t really bother with the stir fried noodles with beef strips, it was something I could’ve made at home with leftovers. Frankly, it just didn’t have much flavor packed into it.

Came for the oyster pancake and I gotta say I wasn’t disappointed. I couldn’t forget the oyster pancake I had in Taiwan and searched everywhere for the dish, hoping it would be the same and I found it here. In addition to the pancake, their braised pork rice is incredibly delicious and juicy! It’s one of their most popular dishes and I would definitely recommend it to others!

My husband and I are both from Taiwan so we were excited to see another Taiwanese restaurant in our neighborhood, and I have to say this place is LEGIT.
The stinky tofu is so stinky, and if you eat stinky tofu then you’ll know that’s a good thing :)
I tried the oyster pancake here and quite enjoyed it. The sauce isn’t exactly like the authentic kind from Taiwan but I actually didn’t mind it. I liked that it didn’t have too much corn starch and had a good amount of oysters in it.
The pork chop rice, which is kind of like the measuring stick for Taiwanese restaurants, is the kind that I personally preferred. It doesn’t have much batter on the outside so if you are the kind that like your pork chop covered in batter then you’d probably prefer old country café’s pork chop rice instead.
The popcorn chicken was great too. Good large pieces of juicy chicken. The only thing we noted was a little off was the fact that there was no basil?
All and all, totally authentic and yummy option for Taiwanese food. We will definitely return.

STORY TIME:
I wanted pizza. Three times a year or so, I just really want pizza. This was one of those times. I was with my boyfriend and his dad in LA and we were deciding where to eat (ahem, pizza, but I won’t be pushy around the dad). Dad is from Taiwan and knows all about where the good food is, so he gave us a good option of this place BECAUSE
HE WANTED TO PLAY A TRICK ON ME and give me stinky tofu. He was laughing so much when he asked if I want to eat it. Pizza will have to wait. I will try anything, plus it was the funniest thing to see how excited he was, so off we go to here, the stinky tofu place.
Let me tell you, I’ve had stinky tofu before and it is terrible. I cannot handle it. I understand a lot of people love it, so maybe someday I will come around. Who knows. When we walked in, it smelled like a mix of some super delicious smelling food plus that stinky tofu which was on most of the tables.
I was the token white person, which I didn’t notice until boyfriend pointed out. I think that’s a good sign though?
ANYWAY, we ordered the stinky tofu, chow mien, beef noodle soup, and they also brought out pork with rice and broccoli that they seemed to give to everyone? It was super good. Recommend.
Food: The food is so good. The chow mien was soupier than I am used to but it was so delicious and I ate a ton of it. The beef noodle soup was the best I have had yet, with a nice rich and flavorful broth with a good amount of ginger that made it so freaking good. They had a nice amount of beef and tendon in there, too, which I loved. The pork cut was also SUPER good! We ate a ton.
You know what, I as taught how to eat the crispy stinky tofu (crack it open, put in chili sauce and cabbage, eat). I was told it’s like fish sauce (which i love), smells like feet, tastes so good. YOU KNOW WHAT THOUGH, it tastes terrible. I can’t do it, I will try again in 25 years when I am 50. Boyfriend and dad loved it, though, so I think it’s just a Natalie thing. Supposedly this is THE place to get the stinky tofu.
Come here! So good. So good. So good.

This is a Mom and Pops Taiwanese restaurant… just by that I feel like I HAVE to support them! My mom took me here when I was home because she LOVES Taiwanese food. It’s in a small plaza and they don’t have a ton of seating, but the owners and workers are super warm people.
We had the beef noodle soup (not super spicy yet very flavorful — reminded me of beef noodle soup from Sin Ba La, but not as salty). Stinky tofu (Smelly and delicious! I really like the picked cabbage that comes with it since it’s super Taiwanese! This dish made me miss Taiwan). We also ordered a dish of vegetables (very normal plate of veggies — fresh but not anything crazy). I also had some black tea (made me think of the black tea in Taiwan — a little on the sweet side).
The prices are reasonable, the portions are good, and the people are just the sweetest! Definitely come try this Taiwanese place!

What?! I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this place! The restaurant serves authentic homestyle Taiwanese food and everything seems to be on the more healthier side (less oil, less salt, less preserved junk.).
So far I’ve tried:
*Stinky tofu: very crispy and authentic! We always ask for a little more sauce since we gobble up so much of it…
*Scalded veggies: they have a-​choi, spinach, cabbage for you to choose from and are basically either stir fried or quick boiled I believe.
*Triangular rice cake aka zong zi: for some reason the rice in theirs is perfectly sticky and salty. I sometimes pair this with their soup and voila. perfect lunch!
*Salmon tofu miso soup: so healthy with lots of salmon and tofu chunks! They don’t skimp and the flavor is there. LOVE!
*Ginger fish soup: a tad strong on the ginger taste so my kiddo doesn’t like it, but they use some type of white fish. Tasty, but my salmon miso is better.
*Che zai noodle: small bowl of bland noodles for one person. Its the typical noodle you’ll find on the streets of taiwan. Goes perfectly with some simples sides.
*Dry noodles: looks tiny but it felt like a lot! Slightly on the dry end, wasn’t my favorite dish bit its simple and does the trick when you want a quick and simple meal.
*pork chop: thin slices of deep fried flavorful porkchop without a layer of fatty crumbs/​crust clinging to it like some other places.
Is that half their menu? Lol
I say DO come here if you are looking for simple and healthy tasting home cooked food :)

I’ve heard good things about Golden Leaf. The food last night was kind of bland. There was a lady teaching a guy how to cook their food (maybe that’s why?).
The portion for the beef noodle soup was large, but the soup was bland and the beef was cooked a little too long.
The stinky tofu was fried pretty well and had a little bit of stank (the stankier the better in my opinion).
Environment wise, the place is clean and the seating is comfortable.
Service was just one person taking orders and serving us. I imagine it is harder when the lunch and dinner crowds need more items.
Overall it was just ok. Maybe we’ll try them out again.
Unilocal 100 Challenge — 32 of 100

I love taiwanese food!!!
I think my boyfriend and I went a little overboard on the food ordering tho…
Porkchop and rice
— Good, but decent. I loved that they gave tofu and broccoli with this though.
Oyster omelette — Ughhh this is what I came here for! Loved that there was a lot of filling in this! Not your normal oyster omelette…
Taiwanese sausage — Typical but still good
Stinky tofu — Portion was really big… stinky…and amazing… Yummmm!
Yeah for 2 people we ordered way too much food… couldn’t even take the stinky tofu back home because I didn’t want to stink up the fridge. Oh well!

Delicious home-​style Taiwanese cooking. The menu is relatively small, but the items are all good. My favorites are the following:
1) Fermented (stinky) tofu is served with garlic and spicy sauces as well as tasty pickled cabbage. It doesn’t taste very stinky so give it a try.
2) Oyster/​Shrimp omelette tastes very authentic like the ones in Taiwan.
3) Taiwanese sausage comes with garlic slices and is one of best in the area.
4) Miso fish soup has tofu and salmon pieces. The miso is not too salty and is more of a Taiwanese style than Japanese.
5) Braised pork rice is popular, and they sell out towards the end of the day.
6) Stir-​fried noodles have veggies too. It’s served piping hot and a tad vinegary.
Drinks: winter melon tea and plum juices are refreshing.
Overall, an excellent mom and pop Taiwanese restaurant serving authentic Taiwanese cuisine.

A taiwanese restaurant that opened right by my house. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. I’m going to be here all the time!
Pork Chop Rice ($ 7.25)
A little expensive but the quality is a little better than usual. It’s definitely different in that it’s not just a slab of pork. What I really like is that the side of veggies isn’t cold. Usually taiwanese places give you cold sides. Golden Leaf does it with warm veggies.
Oyster Pancake
This was just okay. A little different than they make it in taiwan. I think the owner put her own twist to it. Just okay.
Green Tea
So refreshing. Went super with my meal, especially that summer’s here and it’s fricken hot.

Overall, a great place for some legitimiate TW food! After repeated attempts to come here (I either get here when they’re closed or on holidays when they’re closed doh), I finally made it! Ordered a whole storm!
Stinky tofu: Just the right amount of crispy outside and spongy inside to make it an incredibly pleasant textural experience! The best I’ve had in the SGV yet! It wasn’t too greasy, and the soy sauce concoction soaked into the tofu oh so wonderfully! Set it with some of the garlicky sauce on the side, and reset your palate with the «kimchi»! Some people may say its not «smelly» enough (like my Mom), but it was just enough for me that I didn’t leave with smelly breath for days.
Sticky rice: The rice fell apart a little too easily, but the flavor was there, and it was a delight to dip into the hot sauce on the side. Lots of goodies inside the sticky rice too, such as the giant chunk of fatty pork! Yum!
Shredded tofu dish: They’re like cold noodles with light sesame oil dressing and fresh celery/​carrot slivers! Compared to the rest of the sides, this was one giant dish! Tasty and refreshing, I inhaled this in between bites of my other food :)
Oyster pancake: This was actually a lot smaller than I expected, especially for the price. I’d say it was half the size of Simbala’s. Like many of the reviewers noted though, it has way less starch or whatever gooey stuff than other places, so that may be why its smaller? The oysters were also not too fishy tasting or bitter, which is a surprise for me as I’ve pretty much gotten sick at most everywhere else (I know, I never learn). The veggies are also Tong Ho instead of lettuce of A-​choy.
Sausage rice: Again, a smaller dish of sausage than expected, though it was pretty tasty. Lightly sweetened with a crispy outer, the sausages made for a good meal, though Simbala still takes the cake in this category.
Overall, this is a lovely TW joint located in the SG/​Alhambra area, and it’s refreshing not to have to drive all the way to Arcadia for some good oyster pancake!