Bella and I resided in the community of Rowland Heights, CA which is often referred to as “Little Taiwan” by Taiwanese locals.  As well you can find nearly any Asian culture’s cuisine represented in this city.  There are certain things one really should do when visiting “Little Taiwan” and that includes sniffing, chowing and reflexology foot massage.  And of course we found a way to incorporate some golf as well.

Galleria Foods Wholesale Market

When we lived here there were two Albertson’s grocery stores.  Now there are none, being replaced by Asian grocery stores.  In fact the only surviving standard grocery chain store here is Stater Bros. which is likely due to their providing quality meats at an affordable price.

“Yummy Hero” Cafe

Our first meal was at Yummy Hero (Rowland Heights, CA) which features simple cheap eats with cute waitresses working the floor.

Fish Cake Sticks, Taiwanese Pork Chop, Boiled Taiwanese Lettuce w/Ground Pork

The fish cakes are homemade and are chewy and delicious.  Sauteed Taiwanese lettuce always has that familiar “sniff” and taste but this one has a lot more pork than usual.  Yum!  The Pork Chop is to accompany dry (i.e. not in soup) noodles.

Taiwanese Pork Chop

The best Taiwanese pork features “black pig” which all Asian foodies or foodies in general know, is the “yummiest”.

Dry Noodles w/Chopped Green Onions

Combining bites of pork with the thick noodles is outstanding.  I enjoy the thicker or flat noodles (ex. “beef chow fun” noodles) whether from an Asian restaurant or an Italian restaurant.  I’ve never appreciated “angel hair”, not ever.

Fresh Kale and Avocado Smoothie

I would pay the price later since while drinking this Kale Avocado Smoothie I suspected there was a serious amount of pineapple juice (“heartburn central”).  While consuming it I recalled that pineapple juice is a common ingredient in green colored veggie/fruit smoothies but neither of us gave it any thought prior to ordering.

Fresh Kale and Avocado Smoothie

You can get one of these at TeaLight (Rowland Heights, CA).  They have an extensive menu which includes other beverages such as: fresh watermelon juice, black sesame smoothie, various milk tea drinks and various coffee drinks.

Stress Solutions Center (Rowland Heights, CA)

Stress Solutions Center was always our favorite place for a therapeutic “hoof massage” which also targets the rest of the body (less or more depending on the service chosen).  They have done some renovations and upgrading to rooms, walls and chairs which seems to benefit the client.

Tea Bar Jungle (Rowland Heights, CA)

Since we don’t get up here to R.H. that often we will be “hammering” a serious amount of food today.  After massage we “sniff in” on the delectable “Crispy Chicken Breast Filet” which Tea Bar Jungle is famous for.  They were a vendor at the “OC Night Market” event at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa and the size served there could wrap around Bella’s face like a mask.

Crispy Chicken Breast Filet (Jungle Tea Bar)

We’re usually in agreement that “chicken” isn’t the most enticing meat out there but once you try this you may change your previous viewpoint.  You can order it “mild” or “spicy”.  Pounded thin, breaded, crispy, juicy and moist with an oily sheen on the batter.  “All is good in the neighborhood”…

Crispy Chicken Breast Filet

Now that we’ve finished our bag of cut-up chicken we must “get moving” via an activity so we’ll be hungry enough to want dinner.  Thus, we are off to Golfer’s Paradise in Fullerton, CA.  This course is a “Championship 18 Hole Putting Course” which is a morph between a real golf course “green” and a miniature golf course putting “green”.

Golfer’s Paradise (Fullerton, CA)

They feature Korean cuisine and a beer garden.

Bella Putts at Golfer’s Paradise

Holes range from 43 feet to 117 feet.

Golfer’s Paradise

It still errs on the side of “miniature golf” with nearly impossible angles and being small in stature.  However, it integrates “real golf course” hazards like water, rough and sand traps (bunkers).  And yes, each of us found the sand trap on multiple occasions.

Golfer’s Paradise

With the hot weather and activity we are “kind of, sort of” ready for dinner.  Back to “Little Taiwan” we go, stopping in the nearby town of Hacienda Heights to try Northern Cafe.

Sauteed Lettuce @ Northern Cafe

I love Northern Chinese food and this place definitely delivers quality cuisine.

Beef Roll (Northern Cafe)

This beef roll houses thicker meat than normal with green onion.  Cilantro and/or pickled veggies are common in this dish but absent here.  I miss the cilantro but not the pickled veggies.  🙂

Beef Roll

Spicy Dry Pot Seafood (Northern Cafe)

I “can’t handle the heat” but Bella stays “fully in the kitchen” and tore into this dish.  It was stunning to look at and made me reminisce of the days when I could eat spicy food.

“Spicy Dry Pot Seafood”

The calamari was so tender and there were small pieces of potato as well.

Pan Fried Beef Bun with Soup Inside

After dinner we head down the street to Half & Half Tea Express (Rowland Heights, CA) which may be the best milk tea business in the area.  They have over 175 different beverages for you to choose from.

Some of the more interesting ones include: rose milk green tea; peach milk green tea; almond coffee milk tea; brown sugar milk tea; mint milk green tea; honeydew green milk tea; grass herb fresh milk tea; kumquat juice; winter melon tea.

Iced Almond Milk Tea

This iced almond milk tea has a very pronounced almond flavor (without tasting artificial) and is creamy, cold and so very tasty.  Their tea quality is superior to many of the other tea beverage retail chains in the area.

Cappuccino Custard & Coconut and Taro Custard

Next door I stop in at Phoenix for some custard cube desserts.  The cappuccino one has the following ingredients: coffee, sugar, gelatin, water, cream, coconut milk, condensed milk, ice cream and caramel.  The coconut taro one has these ingredients: taro, sugar, gelatin, water, cream, coconut milk and condensed milk.

They are a little firmer than Jello gelatin and I slice into them with a spoon.  They have pronounced flavors of coffee and coconut/taro respectively.  All in all, another good day of eating and golf for Elfie and Davy.

THE END!