The story
When Alan Lam and Grace Li opened Luscious Dumplings in San Gabriel in 2001, they brought the flavors of Shenyang—a northern Chinese province known for its dumplings—to Southern California. The restaurant’s Chinese name, Run Feng Yuan, translates to “Moist Abundant Garden,” but the family wisely chose the English name “Luscious” instead. Their daughter Michelle Wu and her husband Ker Zhu took over the Monrovia outpost in 2012, leaving careers in nursing and fashion to continue the family business. They represent a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs in the San Gabriel Valley, preserving traditional recipes passed down through generations.
Each day starts before 6 a.m., when Ker and his team pick up fresh produce and watch their meat ground to order—ensuring only the highest quality goes into the fillings. The staff mixes, kneads, rolls, and hand-folds hundreds of dumplings from scratch. The menu reflects this care: boiled chive, pork, egg, and shrimp dumplings; steamed soup dumplings; pan-fried pork dumplings; and pan-fried fish dumplings with sole, pork, and napa. Beyond dumplings, there are soup noodles like angus stewed beef noodle and snacks such as seaweed salad in chili garlic. It’s straightforward, satisfying Chinese cooking.
Luscious Dumplings earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021, an award that highlights good quality, good value cooking. The recognition is a testament to the family’s commitment: traditional recipes, fresh ingredients, and fair prices. The restaurant has since expanded to Highland Park (as Mason’s Dumpling Shop) and even to Colorado, but the Monrovia location remains a neighborhood cornerstone. For anyone seeking authentic, handcrafted Chinese dumplings in the San Gabriel Valley, this is the place.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
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