My friend Shmoo says she has this psycho-killer ability to be able to judge a restaurant by its facade. She’s keen like that. So when we went to Pa Pa Walk on Valley in the SGV, I anxiously awaited her judgement. She gave it a once-over and deemed it worthy. We sat in the bright orange-colored room and were not disappointed. Two smoked duck plates (we both agreed there is no better way to eat duck, it’s gotta be smoked; the dish is succulent), a wonton soup, and spinach dish later, we ambled out of the pleasant shop. The wait stuff was quite kind and friendly too. I didn’t feel ignored and hurried like I usually do when dining in Asian places. The staff seemed to have kind eyes. Shmoo who can be endearingly East-coast abrasive in restaurants was melted to an Oliver Twist-like child when asking for things. “Excuse me, would you have any chili sauce for us,” instead of “Get me some hot sauce and some bowls. Pronto! Growl!”
Shmoo, who is far more Foodie than I, declared this to be the best Chinese meal she’s had in L.A. We wanted to get hungry again, so we could go back for dessert - shaved ice mountains. We would have walked off of our food but it was raining, so we waited in my car in the parking garage, our feet hanging out the windows. Yes, it was totally juvenile and we even waxed about our high school days - Shmoo "artfully dodged the maximum allowable classes" while I tried to, but didn’t have too many places to hide (boarding school). We just needed some cheap alcohol and other aides, and it would have been like ditching class. We stared out the sunroof at the garage ceiling. It was a great moment. There is something about sitting and talking in a parked car that seems to bring out the philosophical and angst in people. It’s like taxi-cab confessions. It’s like talking in the intimate space of a bed together, but not really. At 11 pm, we rolled out of the car, and got up to Pa Pa Walk just in time to see the kind-eyed staff leave. They closed at 10 pm. So no shaved ice for us, but still a great night.
Pa Pa Walk is a Taiwanese street food restaurant in the Hilton Hotel shopping plaza. On this cold rainy night, it was the only packed restaurant in the plaza. Hands-down, the place has the simplest decor, but probably is the happiest place there. The plain walls seem to say: “this place is just about the food.” You eat without distractions, but the orange-ness gives it all a good glow.
I went back the next day (without Shmoo because she lives too far away) and had the shrimp omelette, sausage fried rice, and fishball and meatball soup, all delicious. The place has a missing ingredient I don’t see in a lot of Asian restaurants - an unhurried harmony.
Pa Pa Walk
227 W. Valley Blvd., Ste. 148-B
San Gabriel, CA 91776
626-281-3889
11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays
#16, Smoked Duck with rice, eggs, and veggies $5.50
(the waiter said it was a salty dish, but it’s not)
#48, Taiwanese sausage and egg fried rice, $5.95
#70, Shrimp Omelette, $4.75
#80? Spinach, $3.50 (Sorry, forgot to take pic, but this was good.)
#94, Mixed Ball Soup (Fish & Meat), $3.95
Here’s what Wandering Chopsticks and Henry Chan thought of the place. Be sure to click on Henry’s video to see the orange-ness of the place.
And might I suggest afterwards go and get a foot massage at either the Tibetan place or Vivid Spa upstairs.
*** UPDATE ***
I’ve had the duck plate several times now since my original post. Sadly, it’s never been as good as the first time that rainy night. Maybe because Shmoo and I had to work so hard to get there, braving the rain and all. Also Shmoo came from pretty far away. I actually just had the duck again today and got a stomach ache from it. Life is cruel this way.
But other dishes I have eaten there such as the spinach noodles and coffin bread soup were delicious, especially the soup. The strawberry shaved ice dish was okay, overly sweet, but still fun to eat for two.
Great soup in a tasty, crunchy bread box. I’m sure this is high in carbs and calories.
