Saturday, September 5, 2009

Late Night Foot Rubs at Master Wong's, Early Morning Eats at Sunday Bistro

Master Wong's Foot Clinic
311 E Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 280-0943


What have we been missing living further west and rarely exploring east of the 110? Hour long foot rubs at Master Wong's for $15, that's what. We entered Wong's at 12:30 am, just about closing time, and they made room for all four of us in a row. We lay down on red velvet covered therapeutic chairs, were blanketed with clean fluffy white towels and given Styrofoam cups of hot tea. The hour long massage was deep and at times challenging, focusing on the feet and legs, moving upward from there during the last 20 minutes of the massage.

Get in there!


Sunday Bistro
1032 E. Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 282-0238





After introducing us to Master Wong's, Ray took us all for some early morning dining with the Alhambra crew at Sunday Bistro. The place was packed.

Well, let's say the front patio was packed and the backroom rather full.

An open kitchen is always a bonus. The menu at Sunday Bistro is frighteningly large and not online anywhere. Henry Chan at Biggestmenu.com has uploaded some pics that show just a small portion of the menu. Thanks, Henry!

Ray adds sweetened condensed milk to his Hong Kong milk tea, or dai pai dong. Yelpers go nuts for Sunday Bistro's iced teas, however Hong Kong milk tea is wonderful in its dark bitterness, with some sweet added in with the condensed/evaporated milk. Dai pai dong is simply a very dark black tea, often drank with the meal that is the Hong Kong tea culture. Its presence originated in Hong Kong during British occupation of the region during the 1800s-1930s, and is called milk tea to distinguish it from regular black tea which is served clear without milk. Bet you'll never guess where I got my information about dai pai dong.

Ray also ordered Indonesian Fried Rice, which I was particularly drawn to. Dark brown rice, lots of fried pork and shrimp, and with enough spice to make my lips burn. D steered clear of this as too spicy, which was my first clue that I would love it. This would be even better if the egg on top had been sunny side up and slightly oozy.

D requested crispy noodles in gravy with vegetables. This was delicious. The noodles softened quickly in the flavorful gravy, and the vegetables retained their crispness.

I ordered pan-fried calamari with black bean sauce. Because this came with black bean sauce, for some reason I assumed the calamari was not breaded. Quite surprised at the cooking of this dish, it was nonetheless delicious. Garlicky, with lots of jalapeno and no detectable black beans, this was intensely flavorful even though it was pretty greasy.

I have no idea what this is. Having emailed Ray for clarification, it is his favorite dish at Sunday Bistro, I only know that this is pumpkin served hot and dry covered in some powdery substance. Almost tempura style, but with much larger pieces of pumpkin and no detectable grease. Maybe this was baked? It was very good and merits further exploration.

Sunday Bistro has this very inviting looking bar, replete with a large flat screen TV behind the bar and unfortunately short seats. I don't understand why the seats are so short. D sits and bangs the bar for attention. My 6'3" husband can barely see over the bar. My shortness wouldn't clear the granite lip.

5 comments:

SinoSoul said...

I once walked into Sunday Bistro, looked at the clientele of the front patio (all smoking), read the menu, then walked out. Never went back again. Not sure what that says tho.. The backroom always seemed a bit dead?

SinoSoul said...

I once walked into Sunday Bistro, looked at the clientele of the front patio (all smoking), read the menu, then walked out. Never went back again. Not sure what that says tho.. The backroom always seemed a bit dead?

Food, she thought. said...

SS: (nice double post) The front patio was pretty gangsta, and one member of our party wasn't feeling well so we sat in the back. In the back there were several v large groups. I dug it, it was definitely a window into part of LA I don't know well.

vivajoyriot said...

So great that Master Wong's stays open so late! Sunday Bistro seems like the perfect "Happy Ending" to a Master Wong excursion. My waistline called: it says "thank you, Food She Thought, for keeping the late night meal a vicarious one only".

glutster said...

Ha, ha...I always pass by this place and took home their take out menu but hadn't gone yet (Sunday Bistro)

Nonetheless...thanks for your reflecting words, can not wait!