Breakfast @ 丁胖子 (Ding Pangzi) in Monterey Park

P took L's mother and I out for a Northern Chinese breakfast at a nearby restaurant set in a square bordered by Garfield, Garvey, and Lincoln Ave.

We had tried to go to another restaurant for Northern Chinese-style food, but a big tour group of people from Taiwan had arrived at the restaurant after us and the waitresses tried to get us to wait until that group of 30 people had eaten or other customers had left before we could order. P was angry at the request so we ended up leaving. After driving to Alhambra, we found ourselves at 丁胖子, located at 117 N. Lincoln Ave. Monterey Park, CA 91754 .


丁胖子: pigeon in restaurant

The restaurant has no air-conditioning, so with the doors open a pigeon walked through and started pecking at crumbs on the floor.

P ordered 燒餅, a sesame-topped bun, and fried 油條, which I've seen some menus refer to as Chinese crullers, though they are meant to be savory, rather than sweet. Cooks use a special powder to puff up the dough as it fries very quickly.


丁胖子: 燒餅 (shaobing), 油條 (youtiao) - baked sesame bun, fried Chinese crullers.

丁胖子 has the second best savory soybean porridge. To make it, you congeal hot soybean milk, and add preserved meat, bits of 油條, and other minced preserved vegetables. I always add some hot pepper oil to 丁胖子's version. Other restaurants skip on the additions to the congealed soybean milk, but not 丁胖子.


丁胖子: 鹹豆漿 (xian2 dou4jiang1) - savory soybean porridge

I ordered a soy-marinated pork wrap to share with the others. The version here includes plenty of salty thinly-sliced pork, with fresh bursts of taste from minced scallions and cilantro. Most restaurants, 丁胖子 included, spread a layer of a salty sweet fermented bean paste along the bread layer, which adds another flavor element to the dish.


丁胖子: soy-marinated pork wrap

Lastly, L's mother ordered 韮菜盒子. The version here seems to have a little bit of yeast or something added to the dough. The dough is a lot thicker than most versions I've had, and 丁胖子 adds egg to the chive filling. With a shot of vinegar, the 韮菜盒子 here is hot and filling.


丁胖子: 韮菜盒子 (jiucai hezi) - fried chive pie