Wing Hop Fung - Monterey Park

Three years ago, I attended a traditional Chinese medicine luncheon hosted by Wing Hop Fung. While, the luncheon was certainly an experience, I was more interested by the Wing Hop Fung story. What began as a mom-and-pop shop in Chinatown in 1985 has grown into an operation with two stores of 20,000 and 18,000 square feet selling Chinese medicinal products, teas, gifts, and fine wine.

The children of the original owners gradually took on their parents' business. The daughter works out of the Chinatown location, while the son is often in the Monterey Park store. He was interested in wine and thus began acquiring it to sell. A store selling traditional Chinese medicine side-by-side with fine wine? This I had to see. Especially, when I read that they also hold wine tastings.


 Wing Hop Fung is located next to Capital Dim Sum & BBQ. A few years ago, I finally stopped in to check it out.




Whoa! When they said they had the largest selection of fine wine and liquor in the San Gabriel Valley, they weren't kidding. Their website boasts that they also have the entire The Macallan Portfolio Fine & Rare from 1926 onward.




For some reason, I thought they were holding a wine tasting that day, but no one was sniffing or swirling wine.




I saw the son and asked about it. He said they weren't, and he was in the middle of discussing something with their wine guy, but he poured me a glass of wine anyway. How nice!




After I finished my glass, I walked around the store a bit. Here's some of the traditional Chinese medicine half of the store.




Fish maw and other unidentifiable items.




The teas come dried by the pound or packaged.




Piggy teapot!




So cute! With a baby piggy as the lid holder.




Though Wing Hop Fung has a large selection of traditional Chinese medicine and wine, I'm really more about the kitchenware.

Various items I've picked up through the years. A light-weight cast iron wok, $8, and tiger mugs, $3.19, for my niece and baby M3, who were both born in the Year of the Tiger.




Two pairs of jade chopsticks with turtle chopsticks rests, $3.99. They had other animals, but I thought the turtles were cutest. I ended up giving a box to my sister-in-law since she likes turtles too.




Pretty tea set, $19.99, with macarons from Patisserie Philippe in San Francisco, courtesy of Gourmet Pigs, who bought me a box of half a dozen.




All tea sets were 20% off during a July 4th weekend sale. So while I already had a pale blue teapot set, I really couldn't resist this gorgeous cerulean tea set, $29.99, but 20% off, so $23.99. This was the set I really wanted, but thought it was too expensive so I bought the pale blue one first.




And this lotus bud set was $7.99, only $5.99 after the discount! With the wooden box. After I bought it, I came back thinking maybe I should get some more for gifts, but they were all sold out. The photo doesn't show it so well, but the color is really a very light chartreuse.




Sometimes I stop in from time to time just to check out the kitchenware, but definitely stop in if you're interested in Chinese medicine, tea, or wine.

Other store posts:
Oriental Food Value Supermarket - Portland - Oregon
San Gabriel Superstore - San Gabriel
The Wok Shop - San Francisco (Chinatown)

Wing Hop Fung
725 W. Garvey Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-227-1688
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

*****
1 year ago today, Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim) - Arizona.
2 years ago today, Indo Kitchen - Alhambra.
3 years ago today, Albalu Polow (Persian Sour Cherry Rice).