Chang’an Restaurant SGV’s Chinese Gastrolounge

“Upscale modern Chinese dining, Chang’an restaurant is SGV’s new gastrolounge.” 

When I think of Chinese food my mind takes a trip to the east coast. You know that really good greasy, flavorful takeout that you get late at night that just makes it seem like all is right in the world? Yea, well it’s been a while since I’ve had Chinese like that. After living in LA for a little over a year now; I’ve quickly learned that there is  a real struggle when it comes to getting good Chinese food. Why that is? I’ll never know, but I’m happy to report that after eating at Chang’an restaurant my inner cravings for good Chinese have been satisfied. 

Sitting on top of the Hilton Plaza in SGV, Chang’an is truly a beautiful restaurant both on the outside and inside. When you walk in you’re immediately drawn into the sleek and modern style of the restaurant. It has a relaxed and romantic feel with a very open feel and beautiful outdoor patio. There’s also a huge bar serving over a dozen draft beers. 

I visited during lunch time and purposely had a light breakfast because I knew I would be really hungry and ready to try multiple dishes. At first glance of the menu I was pleasantly surprised at how many options of food there were. They even had a vegetarian menu. I chatted it up a little with the waiter and got his recommendations for their most popular items. I decided to go with his suggestions adding in a few of my own choices as well. All I can say was that every single dish that came out was plated beautifully. It made the whole dining experience even better. Check out the dishes below…

“Seafood Spring Rolls” –  When this dish came out I was amazed at how beautiful it looked. I had never seen spring rolls plated so elegantly before. The outside was crunchy and the seafood on the inside was fresh and flavorful.

“Prawn Tempura”- I loved the how light and crunchy the outside of the prawns were. The prawns were fresh, and the house made wasabi mayonnaise that was served with it gave the prawns a nice kick and some additional flavor.

“Kobe Style Beef Tataki”- The pieces of beef were thinly sliced and full of so much flavor. I really enjoyed eating meet this way. It was light, but still with the meaty flavor. 

“Grilled Lamb Chops”-  The chops were tender and juicy. I could taste the cumin and chili pepper, but I do wish they would’ve added more of it. It was a little lightly seasoned for my taste. 

“Black Cod”-  This was my favorite dish. The cod was so fresh, and I learned that the fish is locally sourced from a market not too far from the restaurant. The broth was aromatic and there was so much flavor I couldn’t get enough of it. There are bones in the fish, but not in the offensive there’s no way I can eat this way.

 “Braised Short Ribs”- Another extremely flavorful dish. The ribs were so tender, and I loved the sweet pea shoots that were served with it. And the plating? Gorgeous!

“Tian-Shu Ice Cream”- If you’re like me and aren’t fond of desserts that are really sweet this is the perfect dessert to order. The vanilla ice cream was creamy and velvety and had strong notes of vanilla throughout and it went perfectly with the sweet potato. I loved the chocolate dressing too.

My overall dining experience at Chang’an was really nice. The food was amazing, and it’s nice to see Chinese food plated so beautifully and elegantly. I’m glad I visited here because I got to taste some Chinese dishes that I normally wouldn’t get at an average Chinese restaurant. While I may miss my east coast Chinese takeout, Chang’an has definitely given me something to look forward to whenever I feel like eating Chinese. 

Address: 227 W Valley Blvd #348, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Phone: (626) 872-0906

Hours: Sunday 11:30 am-3 pm, 5pm-10:30pm; Monday Closed; Tuesday-Thursday 11:30 am- 2:30 pm, 5pm -10:30 pm; Friday 11:30 am- 2:30 pm, 5pm-12am; Saturday 11:30am-3:00pm, 5pm-12am