Cindy's Kitchen

The inspiration

It opened in July 2011 and serves Taiwanese comfort food, with a refrigerated case of house-made chilled dishes at the front of the room¹ .

Who's behind it

Chef Ling, who came from Taiwan after years cooking there, runs the kitchen² . The restaurant is family-run, and the owner is described as a welcoming, motherly presence who treats guests like family .

What to order

• Ground pork and mushroom over rice: finely chopped pork and mushroom with smoky pork belly over white rice, singled out by reviewers .¹
• Chilled appetizers: more than 30 rotating cold dishes, including spicy pig ears, chilled cucumbers and seaweed salad .^2,1
• Pork, leek and shrimp dumplings: handmade in house, also sold frozen .^2,3
• Hometown braised pork belly: fatty layered pork with marinated tofu .¹

What people are saying

Diners and writers keep returning to the cold dish case, the beef noodle soup and the ground pork and mushroom rice^1,2 .

Why you should try it

It is a small, cozy strip-mall spot in Hacienda Heights, an easy stop if you are staying in the eastern San Gabriel Valley . For a first visit, order a bowl of beef noodle soup, the ground pork and mushroom rice, and a couple of cold dishes from the case^1,2 .