Yi Mei, OG Taiwanese food, Monterey Park, CA

About 30 years ago, the first Yi Mei opened up in Monterey Park. About 20 years ago, i started coming here. Then i'd forgotten all about this joint as the fancy themed Taiwanese shacks started opening all over San Gabriel Valley, stretching as far East as Simbala in Rowland Heights.

Forgotten no more, i found home last week:

10 year old hand written menu rocking dirt cheap prices:


Frozen baos/dumplings/rice balls to go:


Gua bao (ala the KS Seafood ver you've all come to love):


Taiwanese oyster vermicelli soup (FULL of friggin oysters, unlike the Ai-Chung crap you get in Milpitas/San Gabriel):


House made mi-jiang (sweeted rice milk?)


And.. jackpot, the oyster pancake closest to home, doused with sweet-spicy sauce:


This 20x20' restaurant with only 6 tables is the comfort zone in which i can dance. Yi mei has since branched out to Rowland Heights just like Good Time Cafe, but Yi Mei is still a hole in the wall knocking out all the wannabes in San Gabriel and Arcadia.

As you walk in, you immediately confront a Taiwanese woman at the cash register. if you look confuse, you will be handed a menu. but it doesn't matter. they have everything you konw. 7 type types of bao, sweet and salty soy milk (house made) in hot and cold. rice milk, hot and cold. Since the beginning of time, Yi Mei has since expanded their "pastries" business and began serving noodles and xiao long bao. I've yet to taste anything off the extended menu (seen above hanging beneath the breakfast items), but there's plenty of time.

Unlike some establishments, Yi Mei still makes their own soy milk. The taiwanese pork bao taste like they are M.I.T. the sesame rice balls were soft, chewy, not too sweet with a hint of saltiness. have been chasing the oyster pancake for 2 months... while i haven't sampled every Taiwanese restaurant in the SGV (and i shall), i seriously doubt it can get better than this when it comes to the taste of the Island.

it might not have made J Gold Essential 99 of '06 but I'm confident it's better than the 2 others mentioned...


736 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA
(626) 284-9306

18414 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights, CA
(626) 854-9246

Simbala
18489 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights, CA
(626) 581-9885

Good Time Deli/Deli Plaza:
18920 Gale Ave
Rowland Heights, CA, 91748
(626) 810-7838

Ay Chung Rice Noodles
140 W Valley Blvd, #208
San Gabriel, CA, 91776
(626) 280-0186

Milpitas Square
Milpitas, CA, 95035