Quick Meal

It was a Friday night. We decided on a whim to order takeout from Mama’s Kitchen in Arcadia, California. We had to order by phone and enter the restaurant when she signaled us to pay and grab our food. Despite these covid measures and no other customers in sight before or after us, a brief encounter with mama brought smiles to our faces. You could see her smile past the mask just by looking at her eyes. She even offered some freshly roasted peanuts. What we’re eating: beef rolls （牛肉捲餅）, fried stinky tofu（炸臭豆腐）, and pork and fennel dumplings（茴香豬肉水餃). It tastes like home.

I've gone here twice now and both times the tiny place was empty besides the owners. We got the beef noodle soup and the spicy chicken cold noodles. Both were excellent for the price and portion sizes. We also got some of the frozen pork dumplings and cooked those. Those were also very good! Only issue was how small the place was. Will return again.

A small hole in the wall place with the ambiance of a little bodega. A huge freezer takes up much of the dining area but what is in that freezer is pure foodie gold. Ziplocks filled with dumplings, buns, and pot stickers are crammed tight, waiting to be taken home. The food is excellent. The pork balls, potstickers, and buns are excellent. The beef roll has a delicious eggy twist. I can go back time and again because it is always top notch. The true hidden gem is Mama. Always smiling and joking. Helpful and happy. She's an extremely proud grandmother with pictures of her grandson right on the counter. Also, like all good grandmothers, after she feeds the kids, she's ready for the kids to give her a hug. Honestly, with it's small store front, it is really easy to drive past this place 100 times without ever stopping. Unfortunately, you'll be missing out on one of the Arcadia food scene's gems.