TRAVEL - A Quick Trip Home

Snapped LA in all its sunny and sprawling glory, coming in to land at LAX

It's always nice to be able to take a break and head home to LA for a few days. While the Washington DC food scene is certainly improving, the District itself still very much lacks good Chinese food options, unless you make the trek out to certain suburban areas in Maryland and Virginia where there is a larger Asian immigrant community. 

I get my love of food from my family so obviously each visit home to my parents means good eating, whether it's at home or out at local restaurants. 

Sashimi at home with my parents: fresh salmon, toro tuna, scallops (!) and monkfish liver

The outrageously good xiao long bao at Mama Lu's in Monterey Park. I definitely prefer these to Din Tai Fung but this is obviously a *very* contentious topic where I'm from.

My favorite wontons in chili sauce, again from Mama Lu's. The Sichuan peppers make this insanely addictive.

Dim sum, of course - the staple for any Cantonese family. My family prefers Lunasia in Alhambra.