Papa Lu’s Kitchen 陆家村 — Restaurant in Baldwin Park

I had the opportunity to dine at Papa Lu’s Kitchen in Baldwin Park, a restaurant specializing in Taishan cuisine from South China, near Guangzhou—a region my ancestors are from. Many classic American Chinese dishes have roots in this area, as the first wave of Chinese immigrants, including my ancestors, came from Taishan to build the railroads in the U.S. The food at Papa Lu’s stands out from the usual Cantonese fare.

Their Taishan Yellow Eel Claypot Rice was a highlight for me—richly fragrant with perfectly cooked rice, tender eel, and a unique flavor that you won’t find elsewhere. Another standout dish was their braised goose, which took me right back to my childhood, when my grandma would prepare similar meals. The goose, slow-braised for hours, was full of deep, savory flavors.

Papa Lu’s also offers a variety of Taishan specialties like Roasted Chicken, Pork Tripe with Chicken Soup, sticky rice stuffed intestine, and Vegetable Fruit Claypot Rice. This family-owned spot not only serves delicious food but also delivers great service with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. If you’re looking to explore beyond typical Cantonese cuisine, I highly recommend trying Papa Lu’s for a taste of Taishan’s...

Disappointing experience. I don't understand why some of the Xiaohongshu reviews are raving about this place. The dishes on the menu are wayyy overpriced for their taste and portion sizes

The rice (39$, extremely overpriced for what it serves) is too salty and SOOO greasy, you pretty much only taste the soy sauce

The chicken dish is under-seasoned and lack any real flavor. Ick

The waitress was quite pushy with her recommendations. I initially intended to order just one dish since I was dining alone, but she kept suggesting additional items, likely to increase the total bill and, consequently, the tips. She returned four times to recommend more dishes, and I eventually gave in. I regret doing so, as the second dish I ordered didn’t improve my experience—it only made it worse.

There were only two occupied tables other than my table on a Friday evening, and that just further proves how bad this restaurant is. I won't ever be returning...

Okay to be fair their food is good. Portion is average on the smaller side. I was really excited about their opening because there aren’t that many authentic Chinese restaurant in this neighborhood. My first take out experience was pretty good, so The second time I order intestines and an order of cha shu.

That’s when I saw three hairs in my take out…I might be okay with one hair but three is pretty gross.

I hope this review will get their attention so others don’t have the same experience. If they improve their hygiene, it’ll be a restaurant...