I stopped by this place one morning when I was craving some Taiwanese soymilk and goodies. It was small, crowded and the service (as well as English proficiency) is not fully there, but that's expected at a legit mom and pop place like this. Personally, it felt more like a get in and get out kind of place, but some large group did actually try to cram in and sit in there. It's a bit stuffy and not the cleanest, with people waiting to order somewhat spilling into the seated areas, so I wouldn't recommend bringing a group or kids here. The back freezer has a variety of dumplings at 50 for $26 dollars ($27 for the shrimp), which is fairly priced compared to competitors. The steamed buns / baos are priced at $2.50 each and if you buy 10, you get one free. I bought an unsliced daikon radish cake for $14 and it yielded 17 thin slices. Sweetened large soymilk was 4.20 each and came piping hot to go. Quality of food is pretty good. We finished the pork and vegetable baos in one week. My picky daughter who normally only eats the outside of the bao actually ate the filling, to our surprise. The daikon cake was easy to slice and freeze individual slices for use later, but don't expect the same savory goodness of Cantonese dimsum dinners; it certainly tasted like it was missing something. Soymilk was thoroughly enjoyed, at least by the adults. It had that nice, earthy taste of freshly made goodness. We'll definitely be back to stock up on the baos and perhaps try out some of their dumplings. read more

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The quality and service of this place has gone down a lot... I ordered 6 items today through DoorDash. 1 was a vegetable bun and the filling tasted slightly off and the bun was dry. Seems like it might've been kinda old. Another item was the radish cake and I didn't even get to eat it because they put the garlic sauce in a plastic container ON TOP of the hot radish cake and the lid melted. I'm not sure how only the lid melted but it was completely flat. The other items I haven't tried yet but the sun cake was extremely small for $2+ (smaller than 85 bakery or JJ bakery) I called the store and a lady with a mainland accent picked up. She didn't apologize, said "a refund is not possible" (exact words in mandarin lmao) and told me I could go and pick up another radish cake if I wanted. Well, I doordashed for a reason because it's not convenient for me to just go and pick up food from them during work hours lol. I told her I can go after work at 6pm and she told me she isn't open then. I just googled their hours and they close at 6pm...? In the end, I just filed a claim through DoorDash and got credit. It was just a sad experience. *Edit: I think I've realized how only the lid melted. I also got green onion pancake that was packaged in the same type of paper box and was stacked on top of the radish cake. I think the heat/weight from the onion pancake flattened it. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Melted lid - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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My daughter and I only visit the area about once every 2 months. My brother and cousin works nearby 3 days a week, so my cousin is there at least once a week. My daughter gets the veggi tamales every chance she gets. Last time we were there, they collected the money but then tells us they didn't have any. The employee tried to get us to picked something else and kinda made a fuss about a refund. My brother and I was there this past Saturday. We were there just after 5P. I called ahead to confirm they had the veggie tamales, and to hold them for me. We both made purchases that day. The woman talked me into buying a box of green bean puff pastries that was made that day. In total we spent $134.37. It's not unusual for me to spend over $50 there. I even teased about how I'm an easy sell. We had 2 bags and we left. My brother took his purchase when I dropped him off. I live further away so I didn't ger home till after 7P. Once I got all the groceries into the house, I noticed there wasn't any puff pastries. I checked the receipt and it shows I paid $24 for a box of them! I called them the next day at 12:38P to ask about picking up the missing item. She 1st gave me the run around about proving I paid for them and if I just "misplaced" them. I told her I have the receipt, what time I was there, and reminding her I was there with my brother. Then she said to find the ticket #. Gave her that info and I heard her talking to a man about a replacement. She gets the okay and I explained that I live very far away but my brother will be nearby. She said fine but refuses to take down either of our names. My brother showed up at around 2P for the replacement. It was the same woman who served us the day before. Instead of apologizing, she berated my brother about why we waited 24 hours to call them! Why didn't we check the bag! Pretty much accused us of trying to cheat them! I give them a lot of lead way on their prices because it's handmade. I go out of my way to go there when I'm in the area. We always spend about $50 per person. She made the mistake not us. Absolutely unacceptable to be so unprofessional in this case. Now I'm wondering how many other times has she over charged me. In fact, does this happen on a regular basis? At the rate of $24 once a day, that equals $168 per week or $672 per month! I think everyone who goes there should check everything before leaving. Apparently they're not responsible for mistakes! read more

Yi Mei Deli - Total purchase that day. - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Delicious Taiwanese breakfast in a small casual shop. I enjoyed the dan bing a lot and the sweet soymilk! My favorite item was the purple rice burrito. I liked the chewy texture of the rice and you tiao/pork floss. I wasn't a big fan of the salty soymilk, it was a little too oily for my liking. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Once upon a time... Actually, 17.5 years ago, I wrote a review for this Taiwanese bakery institution, about a year after I started Yelping. As I recall, phones weren't used to take pictures and linking things involved a camera, a desktop computer, and cutting and pasting to post and link photos to my reviews. So here we are... a generous and thoughtful friend drove to the bay from SoCal bearing edible gifts. I met him a few hours after he arrived and immediately put the food in a refrigerator. A couple of days later, I grabbed one of each of the two items from here as part of me dinner. Here's what I had: A. Vegetable buns (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=aOUiGEn4LkCRWnzs-_dmEQ) - filling (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=mDwD1Ueo2__g9jssDjkRkw); fluffy but not dry buns filled with cabbage, cellophane noodles, and pickled cabbage. My suggestion in steaming is to bring the pot to a boil before placing it to steam and immediately cover the pot and turn off the stove. The heat from the boiling process and the cool down is enough to reheat these pre-cooked buns. B. Hua gwei (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=OKTdV-KbjUgV9QS3iACQsA) - (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=oYx8gygIV3qI5zX3_zDF2A); a mix of diced cooked radishes, minced pork, and a quarter slice of stewed egg is molded into this delicious pastry and topped with plenty of cilantro. It came with a delicious garlic, vinegar, soy dipping sauce. I remember dining at their original location in Monterey Park on Atlantic Blvd. back on the 1980's so this bakery has withstood the test of time and still has a loyal following. Over those years, I was not fond of these items as my palate leaned toward heavier noodle, meat, and saucy dishes. In recent years, I have been more open to flavors and my last trip to Taipei ten years ago always widened my horizons. My generous friend gave me a good supply that I froze. Trust me as my friend has frozen her stash for years and they keep well. I remember that the store had two entrances, one from inside the mall and the other from the outside by the parking area. Most of the pastries are on trays on tables where the customer was able to pick what they wanted with some in a counter next to the cash register. As my last visit was pre-Covid, I don't know how this might have changed. In my memory, there is no place to dine in there. I look forward to coming here again and seeing how much it has or hasn't changed. read more

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I remember the "purple rice burrito" going viral on social media and my friend saying how good it is and how she's gotten some others addicted to it too. I've seen the Monrovia location get fisted and close early due to food being sold out, so sometimes maybe influencers do have human rights. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, don't report me or this review. Though, strangely, if you go onto the official Yi Mei website, they don't list this location on the website, so maybe it's an independent franchise owner. Not sure. Plenty of parking since it's located in a large plaza. There's seating inside, but around breakfast/brunch time, even on weekdays, it can get quite busy and bustling, ambiance wise. But I ordered ahead and was able to get my food immediately. Super quick and easy to order and even after driving the food all the way home, it stayed warm and toasty. I got a milk tea and a coffee, but were pretty sweet and hit the spot for a caffeine rush in the morning. Milk tea is the standard milk tea that you can get anywhere, but it's pretty affordable. The coffee was more coffee milk than anything, quite sweet and not super strong like a Viet coffee. Now on to the main review, the "purple rice burrito" or the Fan Tuan (oh my GOD, I didn't know this was what the based Chinese food delivery was named after). It's a huge portion and I got super full after a couple bites. Definitely shareable, something you can cut and save the rest for later, or to slowly chew and nurse for several hours, even past breakfast. Love the chewy texture and slight nutty taste of purple rice (I'll get this any time it's offered as a side for a savory entree) and the filling includes a crispy Chinese donut, dried pork floss, and some preserved radish. So there's a burst of sour crunch to it too (a bit of a surprise for me). I think if I knew, I'd get sausage for an additional price and add on into the roll, but overall not bad! read more

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Got wowed by the outside flyer saying "taiwan tamale." We opted to get the mushroom and egg one and the shanghai one. Pictures looked better than the item. It was pretty basic, just a basic sticky rice stuffed w a bit of meat. Each was $5-$6, portion was fine, heavy on the rice vs filling. It can get pretty hectic in there, patience is key. Lots of parking available in the lot. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Taiwan Tamale / 香菇肉粽 - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Update: added a photo of what their sandwich looks like online. When I went there they told me cost of living has gone up. So has gas prices. Therefore the sandwiches look like this is normal. read more

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Surprisingly, in all my years I have never had fantuan. But since it's been going viral, I thought it would be a great idea to try. I just ordered 1 fantuan, and I felt like it was perfectly filled. I loved the crispy youtiao, the ratio of pork floss and pickled veggies was perfect, and it was very filling and was enough to keep me full through breakfast and lunch. All I can think about it when I can find the time to go back and get another one. This might need to be my staple breakfast from now on. It's also only around $6, and service was great. It was very quick and easy to order, and my food came out quickly as well and piping hot. I can't wait to come back and get this again! read more

Yi Mei Deli - Fantuan - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Quintessential Taiwanese breakfast spot. Yi Mei in Rowland Heights has been around for as long as I can remember, the Rowland Heights location was the first one and has been around for several decades! I decided to come here early on a rainy Monday morning and it totally hit the spot. It's been years since the last time. I read some reviews that said their shaobing (baked sandwich) was no longer good but maybe those folks came in late in the day because It was fresh, flaky and tender for me. Youtaio (Chinese donut) was freshly fried. The salty soymilk warmed my soul on this chilly rainy morning. Wa Gui (Taiwanese Rice Bowl) was also fresh, packed full of meat and was delicious. I also grabbed a few Red Bean Salted Egg Yolk Pastries to go. They also have Ba Wan (Taiwanese Rou Yan or Taiwanese Meatball) which is really hard to find. Usually it's all Asian customers here but for the first time ever, there were more non-Asian customers here thanks to a viral tiktok. Everyone was coming in and ordering the same thing. The rice roll with pork floss, pickled radish, green onion egg, pork sausage and Chinese donut extra crispy. I will mention that this location doesn't have the purple rice, you got to go to Chino Hills or San Gabriel for that, although I honestly think the rice rolls are better with the white rice anyways. Either way, I'm delighted for them getting the exposure they deserve and I think it's a great introduction to traditional Taiwanese fare. Don't let the reviews saying the lady at the counter is rude or impatient deter you because that wasn't the case. There were so many new customers struggling to order and asking tons of questions and she was very polite at helping them even though her English is not the best. read more

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I was told about this place by my boss. He loves the food here. Placing the order was easy. And service was super quick. It's nice. The low muuuurrmer of the frustrates and people talking not loud at all. read more

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Yimei is a small little shop known for the viral rice burritos! I gave this place a try - trying both the purple rice and white rice options. The wraps are flavorful giving a great balance of protein and carbs. To start, for the wraps you have the choice of the fillings on the inside, this includes sausage, egg, and pickled veggies - just keep in mind the price will change depending on what you choose. Also keep in mind that this wrap could get a bit oily, since it does have some fried items in it. I ordered the wrap with everything which came out to ~$12 per wrap or ~$25 for two of them. It's definitely filling and a fun try! read more

Yi Mei Deli - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Service is nice + easy parking. First time trying fantuan -- genuinely blown away by how good it was. 10/10. We opted to add the sour veggies and eggs inside which I think made it taste even better. I reheated the leftovers the next day and it was just as good. In total it was about $12.20! read more

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Honestly banger fan tuans. Get them with all the toppings. But the price hurts. 12 per??? Like WAT. I remember when they were like 5 bucks. Maybe it's nostalgia but either way they were delicious. Highly recommend. read more

It was my first time trying a Fan Tuan and I really enjoyed it. The San Gabriel location looks a little better to me, so I'll have to check that one out next. The prices on the menu might've been outdated or doesn't include some items. We added everything to our rice roll: fried donut, scallion eggs, pork floss, and pickled veggies. The sticky rice was on the drier side, towards eating the end of the roll I tosses out the remaining rice because it was so hard. The place is a little outdated and they charge a service fee if you pay with card. The worker spoke Chinese and we didn't, but it wasn't too bad ordering because we just showed her picture of what we wanted. read more

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I don't even know how long Yi Mei Deli has been open, but it has to have been decades since I remember coming here as a kid. Hadn't been here since, but I definitely got inspired by my friend who absolutely loves this place. Hey, why not...it's still around. I've had a few things here, but the one thing that I'm always going to get is the Egg Omelette. So simple, yet so tasty. Pure Taiwanese street food right here. Of course, I've also had my beloved Turnip Cake and also the Scallion Pancake. I mean, nothing to write home about. Great for a quick bite or a snack. Staff here...well, best be at least somewhat fluent in Mandarin. The menus are in English though, but yeah knowing some Mandarin definitely helps. Service overall is pretty quick. It's nice to still have Yi Mei around. Definitely has survived the times! read more

Yi Mei Deli - Egg Omelette - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

This is my ultimate comfort food. Taiwanese breakfast brings back all the memories of childhood. This place has been here for as long as I can remember. The salty rice roll is my favorite of all time. Service is fast and friendly. Small seating area but most take their order to go. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Fan Salty Rice Roll /鹹飯團 (肉鬆) - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

1 star Not edible Bought a frozen dessert for testing for a birthday party yesterday afternoon. Followed instructions this morning (refrigerated, then steamed) and opened it up--already dry and unappetizing. First bite: the red bean filling tasted sour and clearly off. Completely not edible in my experience. Very disappointing! NO GOOD! read more

Yi Mei Deli - Not edible - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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A classic Taiwanese breakfast spot! A place with one of the better fan tuans. Order from the paper menu! The menu displayed in the restaurant is a very condensed version. I recommend the fan tuan, pork bun, and egg omelet. read more

Ordering was confusing from the start. The lady taking my order got it wrong, and when I tried to clarify, she was dismissive and insisted that it was exactly what I had said. The interaction came off pretty rude and didn't make the experience pleasant. I ordered two rice rolls, two egg pancakes, two soy milks, two beef sandwiches, and a daikon cake. I'm honestly not sure why she thought I would be ordering a cold block of daikon cake, but that's what I was given. It wasn't pan-fried or warmed--just a cold block, which was unexpected and not very appetizing. Food-wise, the rice rolls were the only decent item. The egg pancakes were quite salty, and the soy milk unfortunately tasted burnt/charred, which made it hard to drink. Overall, the combination of poor service and underwhelming food made this visit disappointing. read more

Yesterday,I bought this stewed pork bun . Followings are inside the meal. I felt liked toilet paper? I deeply suggest owner , meal safety and sanitation. read more

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my go-to spot in the area for taiwanese breakfast! it is definitely crowded and can feel a bit cramped but great for a grab and go. my favorite things to order here are their scallion pancake with egg and their pork bun. the scallion pancake comes with a garlic sauce that is absolutely addicting. prices are pretty reasonable too! read more

Yi Mei Deli - scallion Leek Pancake / 韭菜盒子, Taiwan Pork Bun / 香菇肉包, Soy milk - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

They have dirty dishes everywhere. I went here because they were supposed to have cha siu bao. They didn't and once I saw all the dirty dishes just sitting out, I was out. Nope. read more

purple rice rolls (fan tuan) are worth the hype imo. idk why the ratings are so negative tip: ask for everything + chili oil on the side, bring cash read more

I was craving a Taiwanese breakfast and was so glad we stopped by! This has been a staple in Rowland Heights and I'm glad I got to try it out. The fan tuan (salty rice roll) was packed! Their donut is thiiiick but really soft. Sometimes, I've had donuts that are a little tough, but not this one. I think I'll add some pickled veggies to it next time. The radish/daikon cake is also really good. All of this food was just comforting to eat. Service was fast, can't complain! People continuously trickled in, which is a good sign. You can tell that it's a little more of a traditional place with the aunties. Quite a few places to sit and eat. Excited to eat again in the future! read more

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Authentic Chinese breakfast Decent choices in menu Have all the famous breakfast items Rice roll, soy milk, beef roll, radish cake and more Not a huge restaurant Sometimes there is a wait time. Genuinely pretty quick at fulfilling orders. Staff speak some English No washroom in the restaurant Limited seating Decently priced but more on higher side Have frozen dishes to buy and take home. Take out comes in small cute boxes Authentic and never had problem with any items I've ordered read more

I didn't read the previous reviews until I was about to write this one, and I totally agree with what others have said about the service and the rude cashier lady. No wonder they have been getting 1 star reviews. I had already placed my order online and only needed to pick it up. I could see that my food was ready at the counter, but the cashier completely ignored me and pretended to be busy. I waited for a very long time, and even when I approached her and showed her my phone for the pick up confirmation, she still completely ignored me and walked away. How hard is it to at least acknowledge someone who walked into your store and has been waiting for so long? I wasn't even expecting a "hi." The lack of basic courtesy was extremely disappointing. And the food wasn't even good. read more

I came here on a tue around 8am to get some breakfast to go and there was no wait. Service was quick. For the daikon cake with fried egg and it was ok, though it definitely needed some sauce. The savory soy milk was missing soy sauce and vinegar so it was also super bland. I ended up having to add them myself at home to make the soy milk curdle. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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This is the place to be for a delicious, quick breakfast! The salty rice roll is only 5.75 and definitely way more filling than a McMuffin. Definitely would recommend getting the scallion pancake as well! Service is nonexistent as it's like a fast casual place. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Warm soy - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

The service was absolutely terrible. Paying to eat here felt like paying to suffer. The restaurant was dirty and poorly maintained, and every server looked annoyed and acted like they didn't want to be there. With such a poor attitude and lack of professionalism, I honestly don't understand why they even bother running a restaurant. read more

Overall, it's a very nice restaurant with a friendly staff and very good food. Decent size seating but very clean restaurant. We were there for Father's Day so we were a party of six. We ordered the Ma Po Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Green Bean and pork, Xio Lon Bao, Xan Jin Bao, Beef noodle, Orange chicken and Seaweed Fry fish. Everything was very tasty and the seasoning was on point. They are a new business and as any new businesses they have some bumps. The only issue we had was with the waiting list. Other than that, all was great. Good food with friendly people at a good place. So if you're ever in the neighborhood, give it a try. read more

The food is authentic and the menu offers plenty of traditional Taiwanese breakfast items, but the delivery fell below expectation. The savory soy milk was mediocre, and it lacked certain ingredients that were necessary to make it sufficiently tasty (pickled radish). I thought it didn't have enough vinegar to curdle the soy protein. The dan bing was also underwhelming. The best part was the garlic sauce, but that shouldn't be the highlight of this item. It wasn't too bad, but there's nothing outstanding about it. The interior dining area was small, and it didn't help that the place is often crowded and the ordering line congested the walking area even more. There wasn't enough tables to accommodate the diners, and we ordered ours to-go before a table opened up. It's an oldie but not a goodie. Somehow it still gets the job done. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

I love an Asian breakfast! And this place has many options from eggs, rice, porridge, pork floss, and soy milk teas! It's a pretty small hole in the wall type restaurant but great for a quick breakfast. No worries if you don't know Chinese, the staff are super friendly and will meet you where you're at! Would definitely come back. read more

I will never came back,!!!we have been regularly come in the deli more than 5 years since we moved in Rowland Heights. This is why you losing clients. Order placed clearly: 4 red bean zongzi + 1 shiitake pork zongzi for takeout, and 1 beef noodle soup for dine‑in. The waitress mistakenly brought the takeout pork zongzi to my table. The moment I started to say, "This zongzi is for takeout," she exploded, yelling, "I'm just following the order sheet!" -- and then she wouldn't let me speak at all. Every time I tried to explain, she cut me off with "You listen to me first!" What made it worse: after she took the zongzi away, she deliberately slammed and banged the table‑clearing dishes right behind me, making a huge racket. Then, holding my order ticket, she loudly asked another waitress in front of me, "How am I supposed to ring this up?" -- clearly trying to shift the blame onto me, implying that I had ordered wrong. From start to finish, I did not say a single impolite word. Instead, I was yelled at, silenced, and shown aggression through banging tables. May I ask: is your store's service philosophy "Shut up, customer -- mistakes are always your fault"? With this kind of appalling attitude, even good food leaves a bad taste. I urge the manager to review the surveillance footage and see who was shouting, who was slamming things, and who was deliberately humiliating a customer. 点单时明确：4豆沙粽+1香菇肉粽外带，牛肉面堂食。服务员错把外带肉粽端到我桌上，我刚开口说'这个粽子是外带的'，对方立刻爆炸，大吼'我按单子做的！'，并且全程不让我讲话，每次我想解释都被他喝止'你先听我说！' 更夸张的是，他把粽子端走后，故意在我背后用力摔打收桌子的餐具，制造巨大噪音；紧接着，他拿着我的点菜单子，当着我面大声问另一位服务员：'这个单子我要怎么上？'----摆明是在甩锅给我，暗示是我点单有问题。 从头到尾，我没有一句不礼貌的话，却要被吼、被禁言、被摔桌子示威。请问贵店的服务宗旨是'客人闭嘴，犯错有理'吗？这种恶劣态度，再好的食品也吃不下。请店长调监控，看看谁在咆哮、谁在摔东西、谁在故意让客人难堪。" read more

This place should be protected as a historic location due to the time its been around and food

service is terrible, waitress are rude. Food safety is a big concern, always have sewage smell. You have better options than here!

We had Yi Mei Deli take out. All the items were delicious. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more

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There are plenty of parking spaces. Inside is small, so it can get packed if you're trying to dine in. You pay first and then sit down. If you pay with card, there is a card fee. I ordered the radish cake, pork bun, and rice roll. The radish cake was good, soft, and enough flavor without needing to add sauce. The pork bun was yummy as well with the pork belly. The rice roll was okay, I didn't like the pork sung in it, but it still tasted good. Now, for the service, it sucks. Recommendation(s): - Pork bun - Radish cake Service: 2/5 Tip(s): - Plenty of parking spaces - There is a credit card fee if you use card - No restrooms available - Small dining area inside read more

Not a huge fan, but I probably didn't know what to order... Although I did really like the turnip cake with egg and would go for that again. Tried the rice rolls and it felt too heavy to finish. Their soy milk (warm) tasted a little burnt, probably was in the warmer for quite a long time. Service is good, they have to be as swift as possible since it's a small place. Not many tables to sit down and eat. Didn't feel particularly clean either. read more

Yi Mei Deli - Turnip Radish/Daikon Cake (4 piece) with egg - Chinese Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

I'm prefacing this by saying I'm Taiwanese and am used to service that is not always friendly. I ordered in Mandarin so one can't blame their attitude on language barrier. However, the staff is beyond rude and extremely unfriendly. I drove all the way here because I was craving fantuan but I will never come here again. The ladies behind the counter are so rude to everyone that is almost comical. Never again! read more