Chinese food in Arcadia done right at these spots--Hai Di Lao Hot Pot and Din Tai Fung at Westfield Santa Anita mall open for outdoor dining. Reviews by Merrill Shindler.
Merrill Shindler reviews restaurants for Mother's Day meals. One in Arcadia that is recommended is Din Tai Fung at the mall (now named The Shops at Santa Anita, formerly Westfield Santa Anita) at 400 South Baldwin Avenue.
Food critic Merrill Shindler reports that San Gabriel Valley has several good options for seafood, including EMC Seafood & Raw Bar at Westfield Santa Anita.
Local driving to dine can fill bill of fare. Restaurant critic Merrill Shindler reviews The Barn at 815 West Naomi Avenue in Arcadia. It serves yakitori (meats and vegetables on skewers).
Restaurant review, by Merrill Shindler, of Craft by Smoke & Fire, a small chain with one branch in Old Pasadena, another in Arcadia, and a third in Anaheim. Barbecue, sports play well together. Craft by Smoke & Fire eateries have a very good balance of tasty food and entertainment. The Arcadia location is at the Santa Anita mall at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
For the wonderfully weird, Monarch rules. Amid theatrical decor, try a martini with vinegar and Slippery Egg Crab Fried Fun. There is no destination in San Gabriel Valley like Monarch at 1212 South Baldwin Avenue. Merrill Shindler reviews the restaurant opened by the Leon family, who first brought us their take on Peruvian-Chinese cooking at Chifa in Eagle Rock. Monarch is serving modern Chinese cuisine.
Review by Merrill Shindler - Asian market is authentic. 99 Ranch Market chain has hundreds of good things at its multiple San Gabriel locations, including one in Arcadia. Its mission is to offer authentic Chinese ingredients to underserved Chinese-American communities across America.
Westfield Santa Anita mall sells for $537.5 million to an undisclosed buyer. The property at 400 South Baldwin Avenue and now known as The Shops at Santa Anita, is 1.48 million s.f. and nearly 100% leased. French-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), which has owned and operated the mall since 2007, has been selling off big-name mall properties in Southern California. IKEA Arcadia will open at the mall bringing a smaller version of IKEA with its design studio concept.
Malls taking different paths with operations. San Gabriel Valley: some in the region are bucking trend and staying open, with reduced hours during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Westfield Santa Anita (in photo) is mostly empty, with only a few stores and food places open in Arcadia. While malls in many parts of Southern California have temporarily closed because of the possible spread of the novel coronavirus, Westfield in Arcadia, the Shops at Montebello, and Plaza West Covina have remained open, but with reduced hours.
Westfield sues Los Angeles County over "unjustifiable" mall closures due to COVID-19. Westfield operates indoor malls in Canoga Park, Culver City, Sherman Oaks, Valencia and Arcadia. The suit alleges monetary losses and non-monetary losses.
Mall buyer a local resident. Wen Shan Chang, 71, of Bradbury, is new proprietor of The Shops at Santa Anita, formerly owned by Westfield. It was sold in August for $537.5 million. The property is at 400 South Baldwin Avenue and is now called The Shops at Santa Anita. Mall is 1.48 million square feet. Chang purchased it from France-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield in a sale considered the largest for a mall in the U.S. since 2018. The Arcadia mall site has been thriving through Asian retailers catering to the large Asian community in Arcadia and San Gabriel Valley.
Los Angeles County saw its biggest bump in coronavirus cases within recent weeks Friday (yesterday). LA County reported 1,401 new cases and 34 new deaths, bringing the official human toll of the virus to 265,776 and 6,488 deaths, not including Long Beach and Pasadena, which operate their own public health departments. Photo: an empty Westfield Santa Anita mall that is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, is seen in March.
Sriracha lovers feel the heat as shortage persists. Huy Fong Foods, Inc. reports no relief in sight because of drought in Mexico. The hot chili sauce with the rooster logo is experiencing a shortage of red jalapenos peppers. This week the Arcadia branch of 99 Ranch Mareket had the 17-ounce bottle on sale for $5.98, down from $7.99. Huy Fong Foods is located in Irwindale.
Food company executives Feng Wu Lam, who owns South El Monte based Golden Food, Inc. and her husband Wei Wen Wu, the company's manager, face insurance fraud, wage theft charges. They are accused of underreporting their payroll to workers' compensation insurance carriers by about $4.5 million between 2015 and 2019. They are both Arcadia residents.
Black employee settles race case. Worker at Arcadia store alleged discrimination when demoted and transferred by Forever 21, the clothing retail store. Plaintiff Monica Fowler held position of team lead at Arcadia store in Westfield Santa Anita mall from September 2018 through September 4, 2020 when she was demoted and transferred. Araz Berberian is co-defendant.
The Shops at Santa Anita (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, changed name in 2022) hosts a holiday winter wonderland with synthetic ice rink, hot cocoa, and face painting, 6-8 PM today. Event is on the Promenade area. Skating rink is free but donations accepted. Proceeds benefit the Arcadia High School Marching Band. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.