Au79 Teahouse — Restaurant in Arcadia

Au79 is our favorite teahouse in the SGV! I implore you my foodie friends to prepare yourselves for a life changing experience before you try the Crispy Chicken at this amazing place.

My wife and I are new to the San Gabriel Valley having lived our whole lives in Washington State. Not long after moving here a new local friend took my wife to try Taiwan style popcorn chicken for the first time. As I said, life changing.

The bite sized pieces of chicken thigh are super juicy and tender, covered in crunchy cragely perfectly fried batter that is very well seasoned with a complex spice blend. I recommend getting the heat level at medium or higher to balance the sweetness in the seasoning. Sweet and hot, just like we like our partners. Right guys?!?

Pro tip: Ask about their dipping sauces and extra flavoring powders. I don't think they are listed on the menu.

The tea beverages are outstanding. My favorite is the House Fruit Tea w/ green tea. It has crazy bright exotic fruit flavor and pieces of fresh fruit inside. Perfect for refreshing the palate between bites of the mind-blowingly flavorful popcorn chicken. My wife tries something different every time. Once in a while she will say that she likes my drink more than hers.

Practical stuff: Ever since COVID they have no indoor seating. They do have a few tables outside of the storefront under a big sunshade.

Update 8/30/22:

We visited Au79 today for a treat after a doctor appointment in the neighborhood. Dining in has partially reopened. About half of the interior seating space is now available and the AC is working well.

We tried the Meal Box Chicken Cutlet with green curry sauce for the first time. Wow! Its so comforting. It brings up emotions like the ones you feel when you get a loving hug from someone special like mom or grandma; or feel the love from your favorite pet dog when they greet and you pet them.

The the bright non-spicy flavor and texture of the curry sauce is perfectly balanced with with the crispy crunch of the chicken. Its a heavenly bite of food. Bonus, they serve the curry in a large cup on the side so you can add as much or as little as you like to the chicken. There is plenty of curry sauce to pour onto the large portion of sticky rice under the chicken. It also comes with two small vegetable sides. I highly recommend that you share this dish and pair it with an order of Crispy Chicken. Its a delicious combination.

Fun Facts: Au is the symbol, and 79 the element number, of gold on the periodic table of elements. Aurum = Gold in Latin.

Taiwanese popcorn chicken was originally found in night markets around 1979. One legend says that it was accidentally created by someone who was trying to make chicken nuggets like the ones at KFC.

Bubble Tea (Boba) was invented in Taiwan in 1986 by Tu Tsong He. He simply added large tapioca balls to cold milk tea which was also invented in Taiwan in 1949 by Chang Fan Shu.

If you say you want boba in Seattle people will think you mean that you are attracted to Boba Fett. No one calls it boba in the northwest. We call it bubble tea.

So, if you are looking for a life changing experience, do yourself a favor and give this...

Over the years, Its obvious that the quality of the Milk Teas i always order here have improved. I remember around the time that Pokemon Go got really popular (theres 3 on this block) their teas really didnt seem that... tasty. It felt watered down at the time which was about 3 years ago.

Now, i thought of revisiting this place, and even trying out their food this time- This is happening more and more often now because I work late, and they're open late, too. They have more flavors now, also have more options for toppings and their drinks actually taste like what you ordered.

They often have special deals at this shop. They have deals like buy one get half off, they even have a special now for mother's day of buy one drink and meal get a drink another drink and meal for half off (even though you're getting both for yourself).

You can choose between sitting inside or outside. The outside has a canopy and is shaded from the sun, and the inside has air conditioning and music. If you intend to stay for a long time and order more than once, i recommend sitting inside because you can get refills on certain drinks. wink wink. You dont get the same offer when you sit outside.

So, If youre up late, and want something sweet and or a snack around...

This is my go to spot for some hot almond flavored soy milk! This place brings back lots of memories for me, and has definitely stood the test of time!

This location is often filled with high schoolers, vapers, and other Arcadians! They offer seating outside, which is usually filled up with the vapors and smokers. Often a rowdy bunch!

The interior is quite small with seating along the walls and some booths. Here you will find a mixture of studious people and the ones who simply like to chill and hangout.

Their menu consists of a variety of tea drinks as well as some slushes. Most of the tea is offered in both hot or cold. As I said before, I always get the almond flavored milk. The aroma of the almond that wafts out of the cup is simply irresistible! It’s a great drink to get on a cold day! Personally don’t enjoy their slushes too much, feels to...