China Lites — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Okay I've been here at least 100 times in the last 10 years and this is the most consistently delicious and comforting Chinese food I've found throughout the entire valley. No matter where I live or how many new places I try, China Lites will forever be my day-off recovery meal to get me through the next week.

All of their standard staples like their noodle dishes, fried rices, and soups are fresh, well seasoned, heavy portions, that always taste like they were cooked by someone who actually enjoys cooking. I've been a chef my whole life, and the care put into a meal is far more important than expensive ingredients or gimmicks. That said, everything always tastes fresh and clean.

The staff are all very sweet, for years I've ordered delivery through different couriers but now I live close enough to just grab pickup. I've never had a mistake on a single order, and no matter big the order is, I've never waited longer than 15-20 minutes. Everything is always well packed, super hot and fresh. Even the brands of soy and sambal they use for takeout sauces are the best ones. Banging spicy mustard too if you ask for it!

The meal that made me get off my ass to write this is the salt and pepper chicken wings. After working in different kitchens my whole life I usually avoid wings because as good as they can be, they're usually far too expensive for the amount of meat you end up with. That's just the food economy right now, costs have risen for years. But good lord, I come here for wings every time now, amidst plenty of other stuff. MASSIVE, well marinated, juicy wings, that end up with this super crispy and light, but stable batter. I feel like it's a rice flour mix, because the end product is somewhere between southern fried chicken and tempura. Regardless, it's a massive order for a great price, and smothered in quickly cooked green and white onion, jalapeno, and Thai chiles. I think they do a sweet and spicy wing too, and I'm adventurous as hell but this is one of those few perfect dishes that I can't imagine being any better.

Great bbq pork, chow fun, garlic eggplant, sesame balls, soups, practically any of their noodle or rice dishes. Even their pan-fried noodles are way above the normal standard, but I've taken a break from them as I always make a huge mess when trying to eat them 😂

Seriously, this a place more deserving of your business than any. Any time I have the chance to go out lately and support another kitchen, 9 times out of 10 it's these guys. Restaurant industry has been brutally difficult to survive in over the last 20 years, I hope to see them do well for as long...

Very good. Tried for the first time and will definitely return.

The pork fried rice was excellent. Lots of pork. Lots of flavor. More flavor than most places. Very tasty on its own.

The Beef with String Beans was excellent. Tender beef. Very good ratio of beef to beans. Very flavorful. Definitely a repeat.

The Garlic Shrimp was very disappointing. Didn't taste garlic. It had good flavors and the shrimp was fresh and not overcooked, but when I order something with garlic in the name, I anticipate tasting garlic.

The Hot and Sour Soup was very good. Plenty of tofu, but would have preferred more mushrooms and bamboo shoots. It had about half of what other restaurants give. Lots of great flavor. A little more sweet than I'd prefer though.

The chicken dumplings were good, but maybe not the best choice for take-out. Good flavor. Not greasy, but ate them at least thirty minutes after cooking and they should be eaten immediately.

I'm definitely returning and trying...

My grandparents-in-law introduced us to this place. It's in a rotten looking strip mall, literally on the wrong side of the tracks on Laurel Canyon, but the food is fantabuloustastic.

The staff, who seem to be family, treat us as if we were their family, as well.

Back to the food. Delicious. It's tasty without being overpowering. The spicy dishes are spicy, not an exercise in strength and the vegetables are crisp and fresh.

My favorite is the Orange Chicken.

I work downtown and I often find myself at a couple of chinese places and they can't hold a candle to China Lites. I've been spoiled by great chinese food.

The food is so good that buses full of Chinese tourists are taken to China Lites for some "home cookin'"

It looks like I'm stopping on the way home for some...