Longo Seafood - Chino Hills

The crispy dough baton we Westerners call a Chinese cruller is also known as a Chinese oil stick. But when I bit into the one I had at the new Longo Seafood in Chino Hills, I thought the kitchen staff took the latter definition literally. It was so drenched in grease, if I had wrung it out like a sponge, I would've squeezed out enough oil to shallow fry a chicken.

It wasn't the only disappointing dim sum dish I had there that Sunday morning. The shrimp rice roll we were served was unrecognizable. It was more of a shrimp rice clump, made by someone who must have never seen a cheung fun in his life.

That the dish was allowed to come out of the kitchen like this would not have been surprising if this was the Chino Hills of forty years ago. Back then there more cows in this town than Chinese people. But the Chino Hills of today has a vibrant Chinese community. Home to a few crazy rich Asians, a 99 Ranch does brisk business around the corner and authentic regional Chinese restaurants dot the parkways.

Apart from the unimpressive food, the service at Longo Seafood is impeccable. And you won't have to wait for a table if you come before 11 a.m., which is rare for a dim sum restaurant. But maybe it's not crowded for a reason.

Longo Seafood
13161 Peyton Dr Ste B
Chino Hills, CA 91709