New LA Chinese ie San Gabriel Valley grub is fresh and clean tasting, maybe closer to home cooked and leaps better than your standard hole in the wall. Nicer SF establishments with very refined food exist, but you can get that in LA too. Street Chinese in SF tends to be heavier, greasier, more traditional or Americanized, and just kind of tired. What SGV has is a very steady customer base with a new immigrant palate that prizes lighter, healthier food and broad array of dishes. No need to pander. Plus, love or hate, SoCal gets all the Asian food trends and popular restaurants first.
