Array36 - 36宴 — Restaurant in Temple City

------new review------ Last review, I scored this restaurant 3 stars because the duck's windpipe was not removed when cleaning. I removed one star for it. But this time, it was only worth 2 stars.

Last time, we had roasted duck. They provided a buy-one-get-one-free ticket for the restaurant's anniversary celebration, so I chose to use the free duck ticket and went there again.

Shanghai Style Smoked Fish with Preserved Plums 本幫話梅燻魚 0/5 We didn't order as much as last time, but last time the Shanghai Style Smoked Fish with Preserved Plums gave me a deep impression. I wrote "Even more memorable than the roast duck." This time, they changed the layout with a wood board and artificial crepe red maple tree. Not only the layout, they also changed the flavor, color, and texture. It became very salty instead of lightly sweet and sour. It became dark instead of golden brown. It became soft instead of crispy. If I had such a plate the first time, I wouldn't order it again.

Intestine in Golden Sour Soup 酸湯肥腸 1/5 The portion was big. It obviously came from two separate intestines because one was tender, but the other was very chewy. The flavor had a strong chemical taste, probably from some industrial pre-made seasoning. It was strangely spicy and unnaturally sour, not a natural flavor. By the way, the pickled mustard at the bottom of the bowl was tasty. Very crispy texture. Good. One star for the pickled mustard.

Stir-fried Beef with Rice Noodle 乾炒牛河 4/5 Classic-level stir-fry. No oil at the bottom of the plate. Beef was tender and well seasoned. Bean sprouts were fresh. Very good.

Roast Duck 烤鴨 5/5 As good as always. Still the same good-quality roasting, correct cut, soft packaged pre-made wrapper, and WRONG scallion.

I know the rule. You need to pay the tip based on the full amount even if you got free dishes. I took out my phone, switched to the calculator app, and found that the tip suggestion on the bill had already included the duck price. I didn't mind that they calculated it for me, but without any warning when they gave me the bill, what will happen to a careless person? I don't consider the restaurant sincere. ------last review------ When I carried a bag of duck carcass (duck skeleton) out of the restaurant, I was thinking of writing a review and giving it 4 stars.

36 Array is considered a high-end Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles. The renovation was dark and business style. Why are all fine dining restaurants dark?

The location is in the middle of the San Gabriel Valley, the center of the Chinese population. But the restaurant's style feels more like something from Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.

36 Array is famous for its roast duck. They even offer a tableside duck carving performance for an extra 40 dollars. They also have an option to eat roast duck with caviar for an additional 188 dollars. Why ruin two good foods?

Let’s talk about the food:

Roast Duck 烤鴨 5 out of 5 Good. It met all the criteria of a proper roast duck. Good shape, good color, traditional cut, served with quality flour wrappers and accurate dipping sauces. One issue. The green onion. Wrong type and wrong part. I asked the waiter if they had a better kind. They did not.

Shaoxing Drunken Sesame Shrimp (Raw) 紹興醉芝麻蝦 3 out of 5 It should have been good, but the chef added lemon juice, which made the flavor strange. Very expensive, 36 dollars for 15 small shrimp.

Shanghai Style Smoked Fish with Preserved Plums 本幫話梅燻魚 5 out of 5 Very good flavor and texture. Even more memorable than the roast duck.

Shanghainese Sauteed Eel in Special Sauce 響油鱔糊 4 out of 5

Bamboo Shoot Soup with Pickled Pork Belly 醃篤鮮 0 out of 5

So far, it still felt like a 4 star experience overall.

But then The next day, I pulled out the duck carcass (duck skeleton), planning to shred the meat for stir frying with bean sprouts. It was unpleasant to find the windpipe still inside. This should have been removed during preparation. That is definitely unforgivable. I have never seen this, not even with roast duck from a roadside food booth.

That is why...

I am excited to see more Chinese restaurants representing a higher-end expression of the cuisine. Array36 certainly aims for that and overall does not disappoint - but could use some refinement in its details.

The food we had ranged from very good to excellent. We had the flaming Peking duck, which aside from the showy presentation, is actually a very well-executed duck. It is also skillfully carved and presented with all the traditional trimmings. Small note - the pancakes were a bit thick and gummy, and the cucumbers/veggies were a bit scanty.

The large beef rib is tender and easy to eat. It doesn't have much flavor in itself, but is presented with a few sauces/dips to help it along. These were good, but the meat itself could be more seasoned.

The steamed egg with crab roe is lovely in presentation, flavor, and texture. Will definitely order again.

The pan fried buns are fine, but you can find much better elsewhere in the SGV.

The surprise standout dish for me was the pea sprouts in broth. We ordered this just to have a veggie side, and our server suggested getting them with the broth. This was excellent - the broth is super deep and flavorful. A savory and refreshing dish that I would come back for.

The service we received from Zia was excellent. She was helpful with ordering and was prompt and pleasant at all times, even bringing out serving ware for a birthday cake we brought. There was a tiny misunderstanding with something I pre-ordered, and she smoothed it all over and offered us dessert on the house too.

There are some small inconsistencies which keep this from being the high-end experience they're going for. The duck sauce came with a plastic serving spoon. The sauces for the beef rib had no spoons at all. They bring you a damp cloth to wipe your hands at the beginning, but then they give you paper napkins like you would find at a food court. All of our food came out in a rush, and there often wasn't enough room on the table for the next dish. Coursing out the food would be helpful so it didn't all feel rushed and crowded. The wine list is tiny and only includes red wine, which isn't always the best pairing with Chinese food. There are harsh spotlights on each table that create a lot of glare with the plates and silverware, would recommend more diffuse lighting for a better atmosphere. The soundtrack is a generic spa soundtrack, repetitive and a little out of place - perhaps classical Chinese music would feel more appropriate.

The restaurant is new, and it shows great promise. All these are details that are easily improved upon. I hope they can continue to develop and respond to feedback so we can have a true destination Chinese restaurant to...

Quick Summary One of the few upscale Chinese spots in the area. The interior decor was beautiful and it's easy to notice the high-end silverware as well. Didn't have a chance to order their Peking duck, but basically every table was ordering it and enjoyed the free show from afar. Food was very delicious, but just expect a much higher price tag.

Food- 5 stars Ordered the Array 36 braised pork and egg, Array 36 crispy shrimp and the stir fried garlic green beans. Everything was delicious and freshly made. Portions were decent as well (just the right amount for 3 people). I would recommend calling ahead to order a Peking duck, but they did give us an option to order it on the spot (but had to wait 45+ minutes, so we declined for now)

Service- 4 stars The staff are very friendly, but you do have to wave them down as they don't really check in on you. The place just recently opened so it is still working the kinks. Pacing could've been better as it would've been nice to get the green beans with the pork and egg (and rice) together, so we could've eaten it together. Also took about 45 minutes to get all orders, so just heads up for that.

Bottom Line Very solid refined Chinese food. Definitely a bit sweeter to reflect the Shanghainese cuisine. Just really glad there's a more upscale option for Chinese food in the San Gabriel Valley. Will be coming back soon, hopefully after they get their workflow smoothed...