Five Star Dim Sum aka New Capital Seafood (San Gabriel, CA)

Our breakfast at Five Star on Sunday was only mildly successful.  When we arrived at 10, the place was packed.  The hostess couldn’t believe we had a party of 18.  But oddly enough, when they showed us to our table, it was a table for 12, and the seating hostess told us the other 6 would have to wait.  OK, for how long?  Oh, maybe 20 minutes. Wait, what?? We insisted on having the table that was 2 tables down from us as well.  They reluctantly agreed.  Awesome service.

The girls found Five Star a bit challenging just like last year. They didn’t really like the (too authentic) fried rice with lup chong, or the dumplings.  They mostly ate steamed rice, and then some Xiao Long Bao when they showed up at the end.  Megan ordered the “hamburgers” but of course they didn’t really taste like hamburgers.  Our table enjoyed a few different items but we weren’t interested in 80% of what they had. We were frustrating the cart ladies who kept telling us “this one very good!!”  To be totally honest, I think Five Star is a little too authentic for our crowd.  We do eat more than Char Siu Bao, but the seafood dumplings with octopus or calimari, for example, were out of our range. Even mine.  We just need a bunch of solid pork or shrimp plates which unfortunately seemed to be in short supply.  At the very end, the Char Siu Bao, Xiao Long Bao, and sweet baked pork buns finally showed up but the meal had already started off on a sour note.  Luckily we were all stuffed from two days of heavy eating so our appetites were not very big.  DH says “plain and simple, Ocean Seafood is better!!”

The one thing that Five Star has going for it is acreage.  This picture only shows about 20% of the restaurant.  I am totally not joking.

And on the way out at 11ish, the restaurant lobby was even MORE crowded then when we had come in. We elbowed our way down to the ground floor (literally) and escaped thru the exit next to Daiso.

Pro Tips:
Go early.
Take the elevator next to Daiso.  When you exit the elevator, move right to the podium – the hostess has already seen you.
She will give you a ticket with your table number on it.
Take the escalator/stairs when you leave.
Check out Daiso (Japanese dollar store) if you have never been there – everything is $1.50!

Five Star Dim Sum (formerly known as New Capital Seafood)

140 W Valley, San Gabriel