Papa Lu’s Kitchen 陆家村

Good service, good pricing. Easy parking. However, the bbq pork was not good. Usually would like 50% fat, but this one was 80% fat at least, and the sauce was too sweet.

I had the opportunity to dine at Papa Lu’s Kitchen in Baldwin Park, a restaurant specializing in Taishan cuisine from South China, near Guangzhou—a region my ancestors are from. Many classic American Chinese dishes have roots in this area, as the first wave of Chinese immigrants, including my ancestors, came from Taishan to build the railroads in the U.S. The food at Papa Lu’s stands out from the usual Cantonese fare. Their Taishan Yellow Eel Claypot Rice was a highlight for me—richly fragrant with perfectly cooked rice, tender eel, and a unique flavor that you won’t find elsewhere. Another standout dish was their braised goose, which took me right back to my childhood, when my grandma would prepare similar meals. The goose, slow-braised for hours, was full of deep, savory flavors. Papa

Disappointing experience. I don't understand why some of the Xiaohongshu reviews are raving about this place. The dishes on the menu are wayyy overpriced for their taste and portion sizes The rice (39$, extremely overpriced for what it serves) is too salty and SOOO greasy, you pretty much only taste the soy sauce The chicken dish is under-seasoned and lack any real flavor. Ick The waitress was quite pushy with her recommendations. I initially intended to order just one dish since I was dining alone, but she kept suggesting additional items, likely to increase the total bill and, consequently, the tips. She returned four times to recommend more dishes, and I eventually gave in. I regret doing so, as the second dish I ordered didn’t improve my experience—it only made it worse. There were

Prefect for family with senior and kids. Less salt. No over seasoned. All dishes are freshly cooked. You gotta try this in Baldwin park, Covina and West Covina area

Okay to be fair their food is good. Portion is average on the smaller side. I was really excited about their opening because there aren’t that many authentic Chinese restaurant in this neighborhood. My first take out experience was pretty good, so The second time I order intestines and an order of cha shu. That’s when I saw three hairs in my take out…I might be okay with one hair but three is pretty gross. I hope this review will get their attention so others don’t have the same experience. If they improve their hygiene, it’ll be a restaurant worth visiting!