Triumphal Palace Chinese Cuisine (Dim Sum) - Alhambra (Closed)

I had eaten dinner at Triumphal Palace Chinese Cuisine in Alhambra several times actually before I ever went there for dim sum. The first dim sum visit was May 2008, when cousin Q's older brother was in town with his wife (then girlfriend) and her sister, Salah Jonger. That's when I found out she reads my blog!

Anyway, as I said before, Triumphal Palace joins Elite Restaurant - Monterey Park and Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant - Rosemead as the new wave of smaller dim sum houses with nicer decor and no pushcarts.


Small plates were $1.98, medium $2.98, large $3.98, special plates were $6.28 and $7.50. The only problem was that few plates were priced as "small" and basic dim sum items such as chicken feet and spare ribs were more expensive than at other dim sum restaurants.

Can't remember what this dumpling was. Looks like hom suey gok (Chinese fried sticky rice flour dumplings) but might have been the deep-fried stuffed meat dumpling for $1.98.


Char siu bao (Chinese barbecued pork bun) $1.98 and deep-fried taro cakes $2.98.


Chicken feet $2.98.


Spare ribs in black bean sauce for $2.98.


Pan-fried turnip cakes in XO sauce $6.28.


Shrimp rice noodle $3.98 and vegetarian bean curd wrap $2.98.


Sticky rice in lotus leaf $3.98.


Hmm. Can't remember what this dumpling was, but it was priced at medium or large.


Har gow shrimp dumplings were $3.98. That's almost a $1 per shrimp!


Pan-fried turnip cakes $2.98.


Dan tat (Chinese egg tarts) $1.98.


Steamed crystal buns $2.98. Green tea, taro, and almond if I remember correctly?


Jasmine and chrysanthemum teas.


I returned back once more in November. We got the standard stuff and my brother wanted the fried smelt with spicy salt $6.28.


I can't remember what these dumplings were either.


Overall, I had thought the dim sum was good, but overpriced. I much preferred Triumphal Palace for dinner. At the time, Mission 261 was still open and it was my favorite dim sum restaurant because the quality and prices were better.

Still, Triumphal Palace had been doing pretty steady business so I was surprised when I saw the sign taken down a few weeks after my last visit. It went out of business? What was going on?

That's because Triumphal Palace became Lunasia Chinese Cuisine. And guess what? The quality of the dim sum went up.

Other dim sum restaurant posts:
Capital Dim Sum & BBQ - Monterey Park
CBS Seafood Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Los Angeles (Chinatown)
Dim Sum Express - Monterey Park
Elite Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Monterey Park
Lunasia Chinese Cuisine (Dim Sum) - Alhambra
NBC Seafood Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Monterey Park
Ocean Star Seafood Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Monterey Park
Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant (Dim Sum) - Rosemead
Yum Cha Cafe - San Gabriel

Triumphal Palace Chinese Cuisine
500 W Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91899
626-308-3222

*****
1 year ago today, money tree plant.
2 years ago today, a repurposed vinegar bottle as a vase for some roses.