Road Trip: Hong Kong Market - Rowland Heights(LA), A Trip to the Old Neighborhood

We made our way to Hong Kong Plaza in Rowland Heights after deciding to stick around LA after our dinner at Sushi Gen. We marveled at all the "new" buildings and restaurants in the area. As we drove around all those street names; Colima, Nogales, Hacienda, Gale, brought back memories of the almost 5 years we lived in the area. During that period we lived within walking distance of Hong Kong Plaza, and shopped regularly at Hong Kong Supermarket.

The first thing that struck us were all the new restaurants and businesses that we hadn't noticed on our previous visits. When we lived right down the street Hong Kong Plaza could have best been described as a bit worn, dirty, and a bit seedy looking. In the years since, efforts have been made to clean up, with somewhat mixed results. Hong Kong Supermarket has been totally renovated though, and is no longer as "fragrant", nor as dirty looking.

A couple of things hadn't changed though, and one of them is the terribly rude service. Ah, don't you just love consistency! The Market was humming, even at almost 9 pm! We really couldn't remember seeing it this busy so late in the evening. In fact, the entire mall was almost completely full.

We headed for the snack aisle, and the Missus made several selections.

One thing I do miss from the "older" version of Hong Kong Market, are the fresh deli items. The Market used to have good smoked duck and chicken, and the best Dao Ko Chicken I've ever had, all made in-house. These have been replaced.

What I find interesting about Asian Markets is the availability of both packaged meat:

As well as a meat counter, I guess they want to cover all bases.

And requisite fresh seafood department.

What caught our attention is an aisle marked as "Gourmet Chinese", of course we had to check it out. XO sauce flavored items seem to be in fashion.

As well as about eight brands of XO Sauce.

And other "stuff".

For some reason, I get a bit paranoid around all the fermented tofu. All it would take would be a single cracked jar....and you get the picture, right?

Can you see the Missus flagging me down with a bag of garlic?

There's a reason for that. Here's a good example of prices in Los Angeles.

Sheesh, just 49 cents for a whole bag of garlic!

After making our purchases, we headed to our favorite places. The Missus went over to the "Jerky" stand.

The Lady here is always very nice, and it is also one of the few places that gets an 'A' grade in the whole plaza!

The Missus always gets a nice variety.

Meanwhile, I was across the hall at Yi-Mei Deli.

I have great memories, of grabbing the steamed buns for breakfast. You'd pay and the Lady would heat them up, and you'd have a nice breakfast.

I grabbed several pork and a couple of mushroom and meat. I did notice that the price of these had gone up from 75 cents to a dollar since I last visited, but it's still good cheap eats. And somebody has to pay for the 'B' restaurant  grade, the last time I was here, they had gotten a 'C' - just kidding of course!

Looks like Hong Kong Plaza is doing well. We're planning on several meals in the area in the near future. For another example of good cheap eats in the plaza, check out Elmo's post on Hong Kong Fishball House.

Hong Kong Supermarket/Hong Kong Plaza
18414 Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

Comments

[Kathy]

Your old neighborhood has become my new neighborhood (despite a 20 minute drive). I love the little restaurants/snack shops (esp the sticky tofu stand outside) surrounding the market but have yet to try many - any recs?

[Passionate Eater]

$0.49 for five garlics!! I miss Southern California sooo much!

[clayfu]

it saddens me that the hannan chicken is gone now =(

but across the street from HK supermarket (across colima) is a foodcourt.

Inside they have all kinds of different chinese eateries, one is just for steak and chicken cutlet. You can get a big ol chicken cutlet, pasta, soup, salad for 6$

oh yah and a sunny side up egg =)

[milgwimper]

You know you make me sick Kirk! I need more stores like the ones you have in So Cal. *sniff* Okay well you don't make me sic, but we still need more stores! ;P :D I think I need to go shopping...er I mean I need to go to bed now. ;P

[Rachel]

Have you ever been to HK kirk? well if the customers there have migrated from there, 9 pm is early for them :) Work has just finished and its time to party! shop! and Eat!!!
Cool pics and love the jerky stand mmm miss the chinese style jerky. We get jerky here but its the drier western style. We get croc, emu and 'roo jerky. You should check if it can go through your customs and if so mail me and I"ll send you a package :D
I love the steamed buns (bao) my hubby loves the bbq pork ones best. I like the big bun (da bao) which has minced chicken or pork, chinese sausage and a quarter of a hard boiled egg. Mmmm

[Kirk]

Hi Kathy - that's funny, we may run into each other one day! The Missus still loves the Cho Dofu(smelly tofu) from Shau Mei - we were fascinated by the Sichuan Restaurant inside the mall with dishes ranging from $3.95-4.95 - we'll be hitting there on the next visit. Across the street is a food court with really inexpensive and pretty good food. Also next to the food court is a Chengdu style sichuan....so many choices.

Hi PE - Leave it to the Missus to find a bargain!

Hi clayfu - We did check out the food court across the street but by that time was just too tired/lazy to take photos - everybody was hitting the place that does 3 entrees for $10.99 - looked like enough food to feed 4 or 5. Also the Chengdu style Sichuan palce looked good. We had looked at the Hunan restaurant's menu in Hong Kong plaza, and could only find 3-4 Hunan dishes on the menu, so we passed. We laso went to check out 99 Ranch Market and the surrounding area on Nogales/Gale - I'd forgotten how much there is in the area.

Hi Mills - Can you tell that we miss the food in LA! Don't miss the traffic though.

Hi Rachel - Nope never been to HK, it's on my "wish list" though! Most of the Chinese in the area are either from Taiwan or (like the Missus) from Mainland China. I think we've been living in SD for so long we forgot how LA is.

[Jenn]

Once again, another photo of ridiculously priced vegetables that makes me jealous! Koreans LOVE garlic, but one is hard pressed here to find a fully dressed whole head of garlic! Here, you either get it in cellophane wrapped packages of skinned cloves, or completely chopped. I want a whole head stuck in a clay jar where it will stay fresh for awhile. Here, there's a window of about two days before it starts to taste bitter and stale!
I love garlic. And I want to go shopping with you, it looks so fun!

[ccwu]

Are you going to try that Chaozhou style restaurant next to TS Emporium (on Nogales, south of the 60). It is where the old Guangzhou Palace restaurant used to be. It has a great "house special" crab, with fried minced garlic to top it off. The past few times I've eaten it, it hasn't disappointed.

[stacey]

oooh rowland heights! that's where I went for chou dofu, SOOO good. smells up the whole area. :)

[Joan]

Kirk,
You make me miss my old 'hood! I grew up in Hacienda Heights, so I love when you go back for visits and write about the old familiar places :) I haven't been to Hong Kong Plaza in @ least a few years, it definitely has changed quite a bit. I think I ate @ Yi-Mei Deli once w/ some friends and we all thought it was hilarious that the orders were being read out in Spanish! Chinese, OK, I'd understand b/c of the clientele- but Spanish??? Who knew Rowland Heights was so diverse- hehe :)

[clayfu]

if you go to 99ranch market, there is a taiwanese eatery on the corner of it, it has a chinese school style to it

try it! its very novel. the porkchop rice is great

[elmomonster]

Ahhh...Hong Kong Plaza...I guess I never noticed it getting cleaner over the years...must have been a gradual change that it went without me noticing. But you are right...it doesn't stink as much anymore. Of course when you go outside...stinky tofu seems to still find it's way into my nostrils.

[Phasmatrox]

man, hong kong plaza is so great- cheaper than all the neighboring markets.
and lemme tell you, B-grade restaurants means-they've got more flavour! hahaha.
sometimes i love living here, but sometimes...that rude service- it really gets to me.
it must be cultural- i don't know-- and to the lady by the name of Joan- oh boy....you don't know how many people of hispanic/latino descent go to Hk plaza like almsot everyday.
we love it! haha

[Kirk]

Hi Jenn - I used to have similar problems with garlic back home in Hawaii as well. Anytime you're in San Diego, drop me a line, we'll be happy to take you shopping!

Hi Stacey - Probably from Hsin Hsin Shau Mei, right? The Missus loves the Tsoh Dofu......

Hi ccwu - Funny, when we left the area, that restaurant was still MPV - with great lunch deals! We did note the restaurant, but there are soooo many choices in the area! You are so very lucky to able to eat in the area on a regular basis.

Hi Joan - I'm glad you enjoy the posts! We'll be going back in the near future and hopefully have 3-4 meals in the area. The area has even gone through many changes since we lived in the area 5 years ago.

Hi Clayfu - Chinese School feel is right....you should see all the teenagers hanging out there!

Hi Elmo - Tsoh Dofu has a very unique "fragrance", once you smell it, you never forget the smell!

Hi Phasmatox - We used to have a saying about Chinese restaurants when we lived in LA:
A = American
B = Better
C = Chinese
LOL! I miss the food in LA, but don't miss the traffic and some of the really terrible service we experienced there.

[stacey]

Hm, I don't know the name of the place we go! But I'm sure that's it, it's kinda in a corner?

[Kirk]

Hi Stacey - Yeah, you just have to follow your nose......

[Jack]

Isn't it nice to have all this within an hour or two on the freeway? Then you can come back home to San Diego!

[Kirk]

Hi Jack - Are you saying, "It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there?" :o)