Exploring the 909 Area of LA: Mountain House, Grid Coffee, Indian Temple, and Little Skewers
在馬丁·路德·金紀念日當天，本是規劃去聖地牙哥玩。但因為朋友隔天早上六點就要上班，怕當天來回會堵車無法順利早睡。所以當日我們就改變了行程，打算趁此機會探索一下洛杉磯本地人所謂的909區。 在改變行程的當下，我朋友告訴我chino hills有一座印度神廟。也因好奇心使然, 我們開始了前往探究印度神廟的行程 。
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, our original plan was to spend the day in San Diego. However, a friend had an early work commitment the next morning at six, and we were concerned about potential traffic delays that could disrupt our plans for an early night. As a result, we decided to adjust our itinerary and take the opportunity to explore the area locally known as the 909 in Los Angeles. At the moment of altering our plans, my friend told me about an Indian temple in Chino Hills. Driven by curiosity, We set out to explore the Indian temple on the day of.
題外話，搬到了南加後我才知道原來本地人會用電話區域碼來稱呼特定的區域。不同於在芝加哥的時候，我們都是用捷運的環狀區域來稱呼。例如，捷運的環狀線以南就是南環區以此類推。
As a side note, it wasn't until I moved to Southern California that I discovered locals use telephone area codes to refer to specific regions. This is different from my experience in Chicago, where we used the metro loop (so called “the loop”) to identify areas. For instance, areas south of the loop were known as the South Loop, and so on.
帶回剛剛的話題，在前往chino hills的路上，我們先在Rowland Heights的Mountain House (川山甲) 吃了午餐。朋友說他們家的川菜還挺辣的，不過每道菜都很好吃。如果不太能吃辣，得跟服務員提前告知一下。入座之後可以直接用手機掃描QR條碼。在上面可以直接點菜結帳，設計的挺人性化的。
Returning to the previous topic, on our way to Chino Hills, we first had lunch at Mountain House (川山甲) in Rowland Heights. My friend mentioned that their Sichuan cuisine was quite spicy, but every dish was delicious. If you're not too tolerant of spice, it's advisable to inform the server in advance. Once seated, we could easily scan the QR code with our phones to browse the menu and settle the bill, which is designed to be very user-friendly.
Mountain House
18888 Labin Ct C101, Rowland Heights, CA 91748
located in Pearl Plaza - Website
餐體裡面的氛圍特別的好，有種在古亭中用餐的感覺。我們總共點了四道料理:
The atmosphere inside the restaurant is particularly good, giving a sense of dining in an old pavilion in China. We ordered a total of four dishes:
晾衣白肉 (Swing pork belly)
Spiciness 🔥☆☆☆☆
My friend said this dish is a must-try at this restaurant.
This dish features tender pork belly slices with fresh cucumber and tasty garlic sauce. It combines the savory crunch of pork with the crispiness of cucumber, all enhanced by the flavorful garlic sauce for a delicious and satisfying experience.
川山甲辣子雞 (La-zi chicken)
Spiciness 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Sichuan Spicy Chicken is a classic dish from Sichuan known for its crispy, deep-fried chicken cubes coated in a tasty blend of Sichuan pepper and chili. It offers a delightful combination of crunchiness and a spicy kick that many people enjoy.
Just a heads up, this dish can be quite spicy for those not accustomed to spice.
金針酸湯肥牛 (Beef Sour Soup)
Spiciness 🔥☆☆☆☆
This dish showcases tender beef slices and enoki mushrooms in a spicy-sour broth. Notably, it's likely the mildest among our orders, and you can even enjoy the soup directly.
麻麻藤椒鱼 (Ma-Ma Hot Fish)
Spiciness 🔥🔥🔥☆☆
Fish fillet stewed with green pepper and peppercorn. The dish leans more towards a numbing sensation than spiciness, making the overall flavor quite aromatic and delightful.
這四道料理中我們最喜歡的是晾衣白肉，因為它真的非常解膩。強烈推薦大家嘗試一下這間餐廳 。
Among these four dishes, our favorite is the Hang-Dried Pork with White Garlic, as it proves to be exceptionally refreshing and satisfying, providing a delightful break from heavier flavors. Highly recommend everyone to give this restaurant a try!
飯後我們到了朋友推薦的咖啡店 Grid Coffee 買了杯咖啡，並一路行駛至我們最終的目的地。我點了它們的 Blue Lavender Caffe Latte，薰衣草香並沒有特別的厚重。整體咖啡喝起來非常的順口。
After lunch, we headed to the coffee shop, Grid Coffee, recommended by our friend for a cup of coffee, then continued our journey towards our ultimate destination. I ordered their Blue Lavender Caffe Latte to go. Surprisingly, the lavender aroma was not overpowering, and the taste turned out to be very smooth.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
15100 Fairfield Ranch Rd, Chino Hills, CA 91709
Website - Open Daily from 9 am to 7:30 pm
最終我們來到了我們目的地 — 位於chino hills的印度神廟。
Finally, we arrived at our ultimate destination—the Indian temple in Chino Hills.
這間印度神廟不需要購買門票，停車也不須付費。一進入停車場前，工作人員就會發一張指南跟注意事項：(1) 神廟內不能拍照也不能帶食物; (2)衣服褲子裙子等需要過膝和過肩; (3)廟內參觀必須要脫鞋 。
This Indian temple doesn't charge an entrance fee, and parking is complimentary. Upon entering the parking area, the staff hands out a printed guide with instructions: (1) Photography and bringing food into the temple are prohibited; (2) Clothing, including pants and skirts, should cover the knees, and shirts should cover the shoulders;(3) Visitors are required to remove their shoes while exploring the temple inside.
雖說神廟裡面無法拍照，但是神廟外是可以拍的。不同的光影變化，神廟給人的感覺都挺不一樣。外牆所有的一磚一瓦都有精緻的手工雕刻，簡直嘆為觀止。
While photography is prohibited inside the temple, it is permitted outside. The temple building transforms with changing light and shadow, showcasing a different ambiance. Each exterior detail features intricate handcrafted carvings, truly beyond description in their beauty.
近黃昏時，夕陽給建築染上的滿滿的太陽紅。雖沒有再神廟待到晚上，但晚上估計也會很美。
As the evening approached, the sunset bathed the temple in a rich, sun-kissed red hue. While we didn't stay until nightfall, the nighttime atmosphere was likely to be equally beautiful.
逛完神廟後，我們前往位於蘭喬庫卡蒙加的戶外購物中心Victoria Gardens逛街。購物中心設計得像一個小城鎮，擁有各種商店、精品店、餐廳和娛樂場所。停車位非常的多，適合悠閒走逛的街區。
After visiting the temple, we headed to the outdoor shopping center, Victoria Gardens, located in Rancho Cucamonga. Designed like a small town, the shopping center features a variety of stores, boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment venues. There are plenty of parking spaces, making it an ideal area for leisurely strolls and a relaxed shopping experience.
Victoria Gardens
逛完街後，我們到了位於Diamond bar的(從前的)小酒館吃烤串。餐廳的室內裝潢真的有給人一種古風感，就連紙巾都是裝在懸掛的麻袋中。要不是服務員事先提醒，我們可能都不知道紙巾要從哪裡拿。
After a shopping spree, we headed to a restaurant called Little Skewers (side note, its direct translation from Chinese is a former small tavern) in Diamond Bar for dinner. The restaurant's interior decor truly lives up to its name in Chinese, exuding a nostalgic charm reminiscent of small taverns in ancient China. Even the napkins are neatly tucked into hanging burlap bags. If it weren't for the server's prior reminder, we might not have known where to find the napkins.
Little Skewer
＃從前的小酒館
餐廳的點餐方式是經由Ipad點餐，非常淺顯易懂。我們烤串主要點了烤雞皮、肥腸、牛肉、羊肉。還額外點了肥牛鍋跟涼拌黃瓜。
The restaurant's ordering system is done through iPads. For our skewer selection, we ordered grilled chicken skin, fatty intestines, beef, lamb. Additionally, we opted for a beef hot pot and cold cucumber salad."
#Littleskewer
老實說，個人覺得烤串最值得點的是雞皮跟肥腸。調味非常好，皮也烤得非常酥脆。羊根牛反而很讓而失望，因為肉不僅乾還少。所以我們後面又加點了幾次雞皮跟肥腸。
Frankly, I personally feel that the must-try items for skewers are the grilled chicken skin and fatty intestines. They are seasoned exceptionally well, and the skin is delightfully crispy. On the contrary, the lamb and beef skewers were rather disappointing, as the meat was not only dry but also sparse. Thus, we ended up ordering more rounds of chicken skin and fatty intestines.
另外桌邊有提供孜然辣椒粉，如果本身喜歡吃辣可以自己加在烤串上。
At the table, they provide cumin and chili powder, so if you enjoy spiciness, you can add it to your liking.
整體下來，肥牛鍋非常推薦。湯底可以免費續，我們光是肥牛鍋就緒了3-4次。跟中餐的川山甲比起來，它們的肥牛鍋更加不辣。每個材料都可以嘗到它們本身的風味，非常新鮮。涼拌黃瓜更是不用多說，很適合配烤串一起吃來解膩。
In summary, I highly recommend the beef hot pot. The broth is refillable for free, and we ended up refilling it 3-4 times just for the beef hot pot. Compared to the spiciness of the beef sour soup at the Mountain House in Rowland Heights, this one is milder. Each ingredient retains its own flavor, ensuring a fresh and delightful experience. The cold cucumber salad, needless to say, complements the skewers perfectly, offering a refreshing contrast.
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