Where One of SoCal’s Premier Chefs Dines on His Days Off

At chef Jonathan Yao’s omakase-inspired restaurant, Kato, classic Taiwanese dishes are creatively reimagined. Diners can enjoy innovations like Taiwanese braised pork rice transformed into a gel, savory doughnuts filled with uni, and oversized boba pearls served as a sweet finale.

However, Kato's journey began differently—it wasn’t always a Taiwanese establishment. Yao launched his restaurant in 2016 in a strip mall in the Sawtelle neighborhood of Los Angeles, initially offering a Japanese tasting menu priced at just $49 per guest. Over time, Yao embraced his roots from the San Gabriel Valley, a neighborhood rich in Taiwanese American culture where he was born. Gradually, he infused Taiwanese and Taiwanese American flavors into Kato’s offerings, earning a Michelin star in 2019. When the restaurant relocated to the stylish Row DTLA complex, a former Union Pacific terminus turned upscale outdoor mall, Kato's evolution into a Taiwanese omakase venue was fully realized.

“The restaurant embodies my heritage and experiences from the [San Gabriel Valley], but it’s equally a tribute to my mom’s cooking,” Yao shares. “Every one of my favorite dishes ties back to her.”

Being a local chef and a San Gabriel Valley native, Yao holds strong views on the top dining spots in this expansive neighborhood. Here’s his curated list of must-visit eateries in the San Gabriel Valley.

Eat Joy Food

Address: 18888 Labin Ct. #C113, Rowland Heights
Recommended dish: Steamed sablefish with Taiwanese olives

Nestled in the eastern suburb of Rowland Heights, Eat Joy Food is renowned for its truly authentic Taiwanese cuisine that's hard to come by in the U.S. Diners can explore a broad menu featuring dishes like steamed sablefish (black cod) paired with Taiwanese olives (which are zestier and fruitier than their Mediterranean counterparts), ma you ji, or sesame oil chicken soup, and Taiwanese sausage. Besides the sablefish, Yao also suggests trying the oyster omelet drizzled with a sweet and savory sauce.

Lu’s Garden

Address: 534E Valley Blvd. #12, San Gabriel
Recommended dish: Braised pork rice

Since its inception in 1989, Lu’s Garden has been a beloved establishment in the San Gabriel Valley, offering nostalgic Taiwanese comfort foods in a casual cafeteria setting, known for its warm service and a loyal customer base. Diners can choose from a variety of cold appetizers, including bitter melon with anchovies, braised pork ears, and seaweed salad. Yao suggests trying the stir-fried bean curd along with a serving of lu rou fan, which features soy sauce-braised pork belly atop rice, garnished with sweet daikon pickles. Plus, every meal comes with a portion of Lu’s famous sweet potato porridge.

Half and Half Good Time

Address: 704 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel
Recommended dish: Taiwanese turkey rice

Bubble milk tea shops that also serve xiao chi, or snacks, are a quintessential aspect of Southern California and a key part of Asian American culture—popular hangouts where young people gather to enjoy boba and chat for hours. Nestled in downtown San Gabriel, Half and Half Good Time is a well-loved spot in the SGV. Here, alongside beverages like brown sugar milk boba topped with pudding and taro milk tea, guests can indulge in classic teahouse snacks like popcorn chicken, Taiwanese sausage, and savory sticky rice. Yao recommends trying the minced pork rice and turkey rice, a dish from Chiayi county in southwestern Taiwan featuring turkey meat and gravy made from drippings and soy sauce served over white rice.

Kang Kang Food Court

Address: 27 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra
Recommended dish: Sheng jian bao

Kang Kang Food Court showcases a variety of Chinese regional cuisines, featuring dishes from northern, southern, and eastern China, along with specialties from Hong Kong and Taiwan. With 200 different dim sum options and a daily Chinese-style breakfast (including savory soy milk, rice porridge, and you tiao, or Chinese crullers) served from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., there’s something for everyone. A standout dish is the sheng jian bao, a Yao-approved pan-fried baozi filled with pork, originating from Shanghai. Don’t overlook the beef rolls, known for their flaky texture and rich hoisin sauce flavor, generously sprinkled with cilantro.

Yi Fang

Address: 534 E. Valley Blvd. Unit 6, San Gabriel
Recommended drink: Mango pomelo sago cooler

Taiwan is celebrated for its wealth of fruit trees—nothing beats biting into a refreshing mango or cracking open a lychee on a hot summer day—and the numerous tea farms that dot the island’s mountainous landscape. Yi Fang, a Taiwanese teahouse, brings together the vibrant flavors of Taiwanese fruit and tea in its signature beverages, such as the ai yu jelly lemon tea, made with locally sourced fruit and teas imported from Taiwan. Yao particularly enjoys their mango pomelo sago cooler, a smoothie bursting with mango and pomelo flavors, crowned with tiny sago (a tapioca-like starch) pearls.

Meet Fresh

Address: 9055 E. Las Tunas Dr. #100, Temple City
Recommended treat: Black sugar boba shaved ice

Summers in Taiwan can be extremely hot and humid, with temperatures soaring into the 90s in the southern regions. A favored way to beat the heat is by indulging in a delightful shaved ice dessert known as tshuah ping in Taiwanese (or bao bing in Chinese). Traditionally, tshuah ping consists of plain ice topped with sweet ingredients like red beans, mung beans, barley, and jellies, drizzled with brown sugar syrup. Modern variations can include mango and taro-flavored ice, often layered with condensed milk and garnished with ice cream and pudding; this delicious rendition is available at Meet Fresh. Established in Taipei in 2007, Meet Fresh has expanded across Asia, Australia, the U.K., Canada, and several U.S. states, including California, New York, Arizona, Hawai‘i, Texas, and Florida. Guests can select from an array of shaved ices such as strawberry, black sugar boba, and taro (all highly recommended by Yao), along with grass jelly soup, tofu pudding, and Hong Kong-style egg waffles.