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Savoy Kitchen
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
138 E Valley BlvdAlhambra, CA 91801
Neighborhood: Alhambra
(626) 308-9535
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1356 reviews for Savoy Kitchen
Review Highlights
"YUMMMM the Hainan Chicken is soooo delicious."
(in 982 reviews)
"The ginger sauce is tangy and flavorful."
(in 152 reviews)
"Next time I'm going to try the shrimp rolls."
(in 105 reviews)
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1355 reviews in English
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Review from Connie C.
Arcadia, CA
2/9/2012
I absolutely love love love this place. The chicken is perfectly cooked and the accompanying sauces are what makes this dish. I have to admit that in terms of the rice, I've had better. Maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of mushy rice and their's are a bit on the mushy side.
Now about the dipping sauce. The ginger and chili sauce are to die for. I'm pretty sure I keep going back mostly because I want to eat the sauces. People eat the chicken with a bit of sauce, i eat the sauce with a bit of chicken.
Coming here wouldn't be complete without also getting their lemon iced tea. I love that they give you the simple syrup so you can control how sweet you want your iced tea.
The place is small and they're quite popular so don't be offended if the waitress there hover a little bit to clean up your finished plates. This is a place you go for the food, not necessarily a coffee shop where you yammer on with your friends. Despite them hovering a bit, they're actually very nice and attentive so don't be put off by that. -
Review from Marvin C.
2/5/2012
Currently, there are 982 review highlights that mention Hainan Chicken. If you decide to ignore the 982 raving reviews about Savoy Kitchen's Hainan Chicken and order something else, you probably should eat somewhere else.
I didn't really think I would enjoy a dish that looks like unflavored boiled chicken with white rice. First off, the rice was AMAZING. I finished my rice (and the remaining rice on my girlfriend's plate) before I even finished my chicken. I have no idea what they put in it but it definitely is not ordinary white rice.
The chicken itself was incredible. You have the option to order it as DARK, WHITE, or REGULAR (combination of dark and white meat). I ordered the dark meat and it was delicious. It comes with 3 different sauces: ginger, hot, and soy. I went to town with the sauces and eventually all 3 sauces blended together on my plate to become one ultimate sauce that rocked my socks off.
The shrimp rolls were ok. Not sure what the big deal was.
The beef curry was ok too.
If you order iced tea, you have to put syrup by yourself. I ended up putting a little too much in mine and probably have a couple cavities and diabetes. I think a tablespoonful should be enough. -
Review from Lana N.
2/5/2012 3 photos
Hainan Chicken... the simplest of dishes: chicken, rice, ginger, and soy sauce... simplicity though is a hard thing to master; and at 4-stars and 1000+ reviews, my interest was peaked. I haven't had too much Hainan Chicken and don't have much to compare off of, but I wanted to come to Savoy and see what all the hype was... and I guess that was all it was, hype. I mean it was good and something I could easily eat now and again, but it was nothing mind blowing... nothing that will have me rushing back for more.
Also had the Roasted Duck Pasta... meh. I really don't understand this Chinese+Italian fusion that I keep seeing at all so many different Chinese restaurant... all I can say is its probably best to stick to the tried and true classics. -
Review from Diana I.
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here in a pretty large group (9 of us) so we were seated outside after waiting about 30 minutes. Inside seating is really limited!
I finally tried their famous HAINAN CHICKEN!! A long time ago, I had tried a bite of my friend's once who had bought it to-go and I remembered it being pretty good.. but actually coming here and ordering it for myself was even better! I chose to get the regular hainan chicken which comes with both white and dark meat (instead of getting one with all dark meat which is another option). The best part was the sauces that come with the chicken--3 kinds: ginger sauce, hot sauce, and soy sauce. My fave was definitely the hot sauce. SOOO GOOD with the chicken! The rice was yummy too because it wasn't just your plain white rice--it had a chicken broth-like flavor. MMM so moist and delicious! My bf actually liked the rice more than the chicken haha. Portions are just right. One order is perfect for one person. Don't share because it will not be enough for two!
We also tried the shrimp rolls which were okayyy. Not amazing but it's a pretty good appetizer/side to complement your meal.
Their iced tea here is also great! Unlimited refills for $2. It's the kind where you pour in the sugar syrup yourself a.k.a. the best kind! Love it! -
Review from Ellerton W.
Pasadena, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't get it. Maybe I don't get Hainan chicken, because I've never had it before. I did not dislike it, nor did I like it. The spicy sauce was decent. But, this was very average to me. I liked the rice, it was fluffy. Cramped place but at least we got to sit inside. Why the hype though?
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Review from Hector J.
Long Beach, CA
2/4/2012
Gotta admit I'm not to familiar with Hainan chicken, but the little I learned I didn't like. A bit too subtle in flavor for me. Beef Curry was decent (don't have it with Pasta though) and the Duck chicken was great, amazing bread.
Ultimately it's a good price for what you get, just not my taste I guess. -
Review from Sandy L.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
SAVOY SAVOY SAVOY... I finally got a taste of Savoy. I must say the chicken is pretty good. I liked how I was able to order DARK meat only. :) Hainan chicken was very moist, but I wanted the chicken rice to have more flavor. The sauces were key.... ginger garlic oil, soy sauce or the rice, and some red sauce. I mixed it all in for the extra kick. I also tried the escargot, nice and buttery. YUMMY!
Good food, clean, reasonably priced and fast service! Defiantly a recommendation when you're in LA. -
Review from Richard K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have no idea why this place is called Savoy Kitchen because this place has nothing to do with France aside from their crème brulee dessert and the closest entrée to anything Savoy is their Italian sausage pizza. Moreover, their menu is all over the place and consists of a strange mishmash of pastas and curries. What the hell?
Anyways, too much fucking fusion scares me so I always stick to their House Specialty which is the Hainan Chicken or as people in the know call it, chicken rice.
So what is this chicken rice? It consists of poached chicken with rubbery jello skin that is served with rice steamed in chicken broth, soy sauce, and two dipping sauces - a chili sauce, and a mashed ginger and oil sauce. The chicken meat is so tender that it just melts in your mouth. As for the skin, it has a rubbery texture that is chewy like tripe (you will either love it or hate it). You can eat the chicken by itself or you can dip the chicken in the dipping sauces. Either way, you've got some bomb ass Chinese comfort food.
The regular white meat chicken rice is $6.95 and the dark meat chicken rice is $8.95. While both taste really good, I prefer to get the white meat for the following 3 reasons: it's cheaper, it's healthier, and it comes with more meat than the dark meat counterpart. Also, I like to get a cup of their savory chicken broth ($1.75) to wash my meal down. All in all, Savoy Kitchen is good food at a very reasonable price.
I love chicken and I love rice, that's what makes this place so fucking nice. And since this place is all about the chicken, I think they should change their name from Savoy Kitchen to Savory Chicken. 5-Stars based soley on the chicken and the cheap price.
Some tips:
There is no parking lot.
Make sure to sign in - the wait can be long.
Stop by the ATM beforehand because it's cash only. -
Review from Calvin H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012
The hainan chicken is all the rage at Savoy's and it deserves every bit of it! Even though it may be a staple dish on dinner tables at home for most reviewers, at Savoy you just can't shy away!
What's important to know is that nearly ALL of Savoy's menu offerings are just as good and should be tried as well! Their pizzas are great as they are made to order and have all sorts of offerings beyond just pepperoni and sausage. [Roast Duck!] Their pasta's are also very good as well! To let everyone in on something, if you're a fan of Chicken Alfredo, give it a try here! It isn't on the menu, but just order the Chicken Pasta and ask for Creme sauce instead! Can you imagine it? Savoy's hainan chicken thrown into your fettuccine alfredo? Amazing. Seriously. The staff is amazing too because they know if I don't get the hainam chicken, I'll be going with that and memorize it down to every last detail [I request extra garlic]!!
Overall, Savoy is a great place to dine! Menu items that can fit everyone's cravings and can easily become a go to spot for first timers!
P.S. Flip the menu over once in a while to discover their daily special menu. Everyday is different, and I love when they have the Ox-Tail. When it's available, I always order the Ox-Tail with pasta. If you're a fan of Ox-Tail, just trust me and try it once. -
Review from Tiffany T.
Arcadia, CA
1/31/2012
WOW! I remember as a kid, I wasn't too fond of this place because my parents never ordered what I wanted, but upon trying the Hainan Chicken Rice and the Creamy Halibut, I can finally see the hype!
I was seriously having one of those moments where I couldn't help but chew my food with a silly grin on my face, because it was THAT good and my taste buds were in heaven for a moment. The chicken is okay; there were some dry pieces but the wonderfully flavorful chicken-broth rice made up for that. I don't think I've ever had a better Hainan Chicken dish.
What surprised me was how tasty the Creamy Halibut was. Ooey, gooey cheese on top of a bed of mushrooms and tender halibut, for a moment, it was an explosion of creamy, buttery, rich goodness. It wasn't even my dish but luckily, my dad shared with me. Eat this rich and creamy dish with some white rice to round it off. The fatty in me compelled me to eat this twice within two days.
We actually got our food to go, so I can't really say much about the service of ambiance. But every time I pass by the place on Valley, it's pretty crowded, which means it hasn't changed very much over the years since my childhood days.
I'll definitely be eating here more, now that I have finally jumped onto the Savoy Kitchen bandwagon! -
Review from Lionel G.
Long Beach, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best hainan chicken rice in LA area.
Big plus for their neat to go box.
The food still look great when you take it to go.
Space is small for sit down, so expect long wait or just buy to go. -
Review from Nadine F.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/5/2012
I just went to Savoy Kitchen for the first time the other day and the Hainan Chicken completely won me over. You get the option of white or dark meat. I asked for the dark meat and it was unbelievably tender. It will be hard for me to order anything other than this for future visits. A MUST in Alhambra!
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Review from Bernice C.
Irvine, CA
1/19/2012 1 photo
Thank you chickens for your sacrifice. Y'all have died for a good cause.
The famous Hainan chicken is my go-to dish here. Moist and even cuts of chicken over chicken-aroma-ed rice has yet to disappoint me once. I have tried to imitate the rice here and steamed it in chicken broth. NOT EVEN CLOSE, sigh. I love that EACH piece of chicken still had the skin attached. I can't stress enough how much I loveeee chicken skin. There are some places I go to where there is only skin on 3 measly pieces out of 8!!! Chicken-skin villian makes the Hamburgaler look straight up evil. I'm onto you, buddy. Also, you can pass on the escargot here, tastes just like what you think a snail would taste like. A little snail story and a glimpse into my life: my dad would chuck and skip snails on the pavement like he was skipping stones on the water. Animal cruelty, right?
Two condiments that I always run out of when eating the Hainan chicken is ginger and soy sauce. Pass on the mildly spicy, orange sauce. I love the soy sauce it comes with! It's a little sweeter than the typical soy sauce, and I like to drizzle it all over my rice. Where can I get a bottle of this at?! With the ginger, I generously coat the chicken with it, and then rub it allll ovaa my rice.
Cramped seating both inside and outside, so close that you could freeload a piece of chicken off your neighbor's plate. Inside, you feel like you're dining in a cafe in Hong Kong; outside, you feel like you're dining in the streets of Paris. Just ignore the parked Hondas and Toyotas in front of you on the side of the street, and focus on the quaintness of the brick wall behind you, and the strategically strung lights and vines. Also, this is a cash only establishment, and depending on the time of day you go, expect a wait.
I'll be back to try the dark meat, but I'm skurred. Once you go black, you never go back right? I kid, I kid.
Tip: Get the doong ling cha (lemon iced tea), and not the chrysanthemum tea. There's only unlimited refills on the doong ling cha! My friend told me it reminded her of the ones in Hong Kong. Also, don't forget to add the sugar syrup. Getting the taste jusssst right takes a couple of tries, so maybe that's why it's unlimited. Savoy must know our struggles. -
Review from LUBY H.
Arriving at the wait of almost 40 minutes on a weekday evening, I really expected more.
It's a small cozy restaurant that is pretty limited in seating, but has an expanded outdoor seating area to enlarge it's capacity. The crowd is mostly teens for some reason though which surprised me. I guess the youngsters like them chicken.
I was seated at the bar, which was quite honestly, very interesting. We ordered the Hainanese Chicken Rice, of course, with the lamb pasta that was one of the worst choices we ever made in our lives. When we left, the pasta, which we all had a bite of, was fuller than ever. I am not sure why or how the waitress can suggest such a dish to us, but sorry to say, it was disgusting. Please do not order this or your heart will also be filled with regrets.
As for the Hainanese Chicken Rice, you get a place of tender chicken with green onion sauce and crushed pepper spicy sauce with rice on the side. I think you are supposed to put some of the sauces on the rice and mix it up to eat it with the chicken. For some reason, I personally feel that the chicken would taste better dipped with a chili sauce that was sweet sour, but maybe that's just me.
Overall, the rice and chicken was good, but it wasn't something that I would go out of my way to eat, or wait again for over 40 minutes. I have to admit, the price was extremely reasonable though. For 4 people, 3 Hainan Chicken Rice, and the lamb pasta, our bill only came out to be around $30. That's a heck of a deal if you ask me! -
Review from James W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
Savoy Kitchen is one of my favorite haunts for some Chinese comfort type food. What I mean is Hainan Style Chicken and Rice.
Savoy may not be the best in town, but they were one of the first Asian restaurants to touch on the fusion idea. A touch of French and a touch a Chinese, I was told there was very similar places in Hong Kong that transplanted itself into LA.
In the 80s there were two locations, one in the LA Chinatown and one on Valley just across from Savoy's current quaint little corner location. They had delightful Mango and Coconut shakes and a very large menu of both French and Hong Kong inspired dishes.
Their menu now is short but still good. Hainan Chicken is what most customers go for. The seafood pasta is also delicious. I am a creature of habit and thus need to venture outside of my cravings more, but I have never been disappointed here.
Expect a bit of a wait during Friday and Saturday evenings, and they are closed on Sundays. -
Review from marian z.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
Came here just to write a review to get the bottomless ice tea with liquid sugar. It's soo good and i prefer it over the tea at boba places : ) great deal compared to those places too.
...and get the pizza bread and ask for olive oil with vinegar because most of the time they do not give it to you unless you ask.
A friend introduced me to it for my 18th birthday and I have been coming here consistently getting the same dish of hainan chicken. 6 years and still not sick of it. shows how amazing delicious it is! : ) -
Review from Ed H.
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Here's what I get. Hainan chicken (love that they have a white meat only option), chrysanthemum tea, pork chop curry, sausage pasta. Yummmy
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Review from Jireh H.
Temple City, CA
1/10/2012 2 photos
Ah, *Chicken Rice*.
Could any Singaporean be really Singaporean if they do not profess dedication and love to *Chicken Rice*? Yes, anywhere else, it's properly addressed as Hainan Chicken Rice. But, "true blue" Singaporeans like me...call it the way we believe it should always be called - "chicken rice". I mean, after all, I cannot really picture another cuisine style that would be more intriguing to possibly overwrite the imprint in our minds as to when those two words come together. Meh, every other style has been a degradation to the endless poultry that martyred themselves for our satisfaction! [I'm biased - so what?]
I could tell you one fact about this dish that makes me often wonder why it never became our official national food. For one, it is *ALL* over the freaking place with Makan Sutra showcasing once in a while where the *best* Chicken Rice spot is [running joke is that the best one is in Geylang but I'll stop before I get carried away]. I'm equally sure that the day you stop seeing it being sold anywhere within a mile radius in Singapore is when you know the country is going to implode.
So the initial withdrawals that I went through when I came here to pursue my master's degree was gloriously sated when I was introduced to this place. Yes, I was only two weeks into the country and I could feel my head throbbing from chicken rice withdrawals. This was...ages ago.
So revisiting this place last night with a foodie friend reminds me of how much this place continues to make the cut.
One, the chicken is still tender. Two, the sauces are still legit. Three, they still don't give 2 cents about ambiance, which is what Singaporean hawker centers [or glorified street food locations] are about.
Ah, *Chicken Rice* indeed. -
Review from ana z.
Rosemead, CA
1/27/2012 5 Check-ins Here
AMAZING!
I've been coming here since I was kid and I love this place. It's great during lunch time since they have lunch specials and it's different everyday. Baked pork chop rice on Mondays is DELICIOUS! Hainan chicken rice is delicious and it's great with their hot sauce. Shrimp rolls are yummy, crispy and warm each time I order them.
Cons:
Cash only, street parking, cluttered seating on the side walk, CLOSED on Sunday. -
Review from Caye B.
Los Angeles, CA
1/11/2012
Mmmm Savoy...!
The Good
+ Best Hainan chicken rice in town. Juicy, moist chicken that comes with two savory sauces (a green gingery one and a red spicy one) with broth-flavored rice.
+ Escargot = Very flavorful, though probably not very healthy. It was pretty fun pulling those suckers out of the shell with the tongs, though as you may image, the five snails alone are not enough to fill you up.. A great snack to share.
+ Iced cappuccino was surprisingly yummy for something that came out of a machine
+ Complimentary pizza bread with olive oil/balsamic vinegar, droool
The Bad
- Cash only
- Crowded. There aren't many seats, so avoid coming here with a large party
- The Italian Sausage pizza was not worthwhile. Lots of cheese and thick bread (same as the free bread), but it was definitely nothing special. Stick to what they are known for here! -
Review from Caroline S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was surprised by how small the place was. We were a big party so we had to wait to sit outside. Hainan chicken was very good, I got the all dark meat chicken. The rice that they serve with it is cooked with the chicken broth from the chicken which gives it a good flavor. Which sauce to dip it in? I like a mix of the spicy and ginger sauces. The beef stew curry and shrimp rolls were alright but not my fav. The star of dinner though? Gotta say the baked halibut was my favorite. It was cooked perfect and covered in cream and cheese and it was this yummy, globby, cheesy, rich goodness that was pretty AMAZING.
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Review from Joyce M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hainan Chicken Rice.
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Review from Christina T.
San Diego, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't understand what the hype is about.
Good hainan chicken, but I've had the same quality dish elsewhere. The conch pasta was much more enjoyable. Shrimp rolls were bland.
Rude service. Don't think I'll be coming here again. -
Review from suban h.
Arcadia, CA
2/5/2012
I love their hainan chicken rice its' delicious their escargot are also pretty good....
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Review from Radford T.
Manhattan, NY
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
On my holiday trip to LA, my friend brought me here. Apparently, Savoy Kitchen is all about the Hainan Chicken. They have different options for how you want it. With rice, without rice, dark meat, white meat, etc. The most awesome thing about their menu of Hainan Chicken was that they charged more for dark meat, as opposed to almost all Western restaurants, which charge more for white meat. You see, Chinese people prefer the dark meat of poultry. It's more tender.
I ordered the basic Hainan Chicken with rice. It was good, but truth be told, it wasn't that memorable either. Granted, Hainan Chicken is not an uncommon dish in Cantonese or Malaysian Chinese restaurants and it's one of those basic dishes that you have to be exceptionally good at to rise about the rest.Listed in: Los Angeles Eats
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Review from Tiffany H.
Irvine, CA
Updated - 1/12/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Savoy, I swear I tried really hard to like you! I went again with coworkers and tried the curry this time. The curry was oily and bland. The chicken in it was very tender (obvi from the hainan chicken rice).
I even tried the shrimp egg rolls for good measure. They were good and there were at least 10 (a bit like taquitos as they were thin) but the most important part - the sauce - was so subpar :(
I'm sticking with the Hainan Chicken rice (and that at best is mediocre!)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2011
Ehhh, I definitely think there's too much hype. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the rice+… Read more »
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Review from Amanda H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been coming here ever since I was a kid, and it has never let me down. Their Hainan chicken is one of the best in the 626 [I'm torn because the Hainan chicken at Dong Nguyen is also incredible].
Their pastas are good too. I especially like the shrimp & prosciutto pasta and the creamy mushroom pasta. I also like their chrysanthemum tea too....it's pretty legit and not just sugar water like what most other places serve.
The only downside is that the restaurant is tiny and parking can be hard to find. Be prepared to wait awhile during rush lunch and dinner hours, but also be prepared for delicious food! -
Review from Charles F.
West Los Angeles, CA
1/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great Hainan chicken. Too bad the wait is so long. This place is way too popular. I would come here more often if it wasn't so packed. I like how they make their rice steamed in chicken broth. It really gives the rice a nice flavor kick.
I usually get the Hainan chicken with rice and salad. If you look around, most people do the same. The curries are also good. But if its your first time here, just get the Hainan chicken. Its what they're known for. Oh yeah, get the regular iced tea to go with your meal. Free refills! -
Review from Kimthy D.
San Diego, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dark meat hainan chicken. Get it. Ask for extra soy sauce.
Baked escargot, salty but yummy.
Shrimp rolls are good as well but needs a sweet and sour sauce instead of their special hot sauce.
Beef stew could use more flavor and less spice. I'd pass next time.
We got everything to go. We were stuck in traffic so it worked out perfectly. No waiting for a table, it was in and out in minutes! -
Review from Margaret C.
Long Beach, CA
12/29/2011
First off, Savoy Kitchen is delicious!!
I went with my cousin and my sister. I got the Hainan chicken rice dish and it was really good. The rice actually has a flavor to it, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was. My sister got the creamy conch pasta and it was soo light and tasty. With an pasta order, you get bread, which is also really good. I wasn't sure what kind of bread it was, but from afar it looks like grilled chicken.
It is pretty small inside, but they do have outside seating. Oh, and it is cash only, so no cards!!Listed in: Asian Persuasion ^_^
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Review from erin h.
Los Alamitos, CA
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place specializes in Hainan chicken and it's almost always crowded. You get a plate of chicken and rice accompanied with ginger, hot sauce and a special soy sauce. The chicken is moist (both the white and dark meat) and the skin is left on. I personally take the skin off to make it a bit healthier. The rice is my favorite part as it's cooked in the chicken juices. This is comfort food at its best.
Of note, the place is cash only and parking may be difficult on the street. Seating is either outside crammed with everyone else or inside where it's also kind of tight. The place is good for takeout.
If you want hainan chicken, this is the only place you should go to!! -
Review from Daisy W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/19/2012
My mom and I regularly drive 30 minutes to Savoy just for the Hainan Chicken. They have the BEST Hainan Chicken and delicious accompanying sauces. The ginger sauce is very flavorful and not greasy like other places and the chili sauce is equally delicious. The chicken is always fresh and juicy. I have been here many times and it is always consistently good. The rice is also A+. It has a well rounded, subtle flavor and is not pungent like other places. And they are very generous with their rice servings, so for an Asian girl like me, woohoo!
Now this is an Asian restaurant, so ordering all dark meat comes with an extra charge! Yup, weird right? I always get the white meat and it has never been dry. Service is quick and everyone who works here is very polite (an anomaly in many of these San Gabriel/Alhambra restaurants.) -
Review from Anna C.
Rosemead, CA
12/30/2011
I PROMISE you that this place had the absolute bestest best Hainan chicken out there. They have definitely mastered it! Yum! It's so good it that I don't even think about their other items. I would never miss a chance to eat their Hainan chicken whenever I come here. Shrimps rolls are also pretty good :) I totally hate egg rolls, but yum :)
They have corn syrup instead of sugar here. Is that weird?
No parking lot :( So you have to suffer finding parking on the street. -
Review from Angel L.
12/27/2011
I've been coming to this place for YEARs!
Location: parking can be a PAiN! residential street parking and there's also a very very small lot behind the buildings.
Seating: with their popularity in mind, this place is WAYy too small. you will feel it too.. especially if you go during lunch/dinner times. they quite literally have like 4-5? small tables inside with a counter bar lined with four chairs. outdoor seating is a little more flexible but you'll be accompanied with impatient and hungry patrons along with cars driving by. Since this place can get BUSY, and this place is soo small, the wait can be RIDICULOUSLY long. (-1 star) but what IS nice to know is that their employees are not afraid to let you know they have a long line of customers waiting to be seated once they know you've paid, and don't need anything else.
Ambiance: I loveee sitting outdoors at night, they have those white xmas lights and heaters! outdoors. you can really feel that they started out as a little ma and pop restaurant. (:
Food: yes, yes, the hainam chicken is really good. (: but I used to get the noodles with seafood plate and it was amazing! flavorful, and perfectly seasoned... until i got food poisoning back in the summer of 2007. Im just going to blame that on myself though.. or my mom? she left it out a couple hours before i actually came home to eat ): anywayssss.. a friend of mine always ordered the chicken salad and that was yummy too (: the pizza bread is really tasty!( you can order extra but it usually comes as a side to certain orders) Ive also had their creme brulee and it was deeeelicious!
all in all, this is a MUST try (:
TIP: big party? don't want to wait? order to go! ps. go before the usual lunch and dinner rush hours... you won't regret it! -
Review from Diana H.
Pasadena, CA
1/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Call in your order and pick it up at the side of the restaurant to avoid the crazy line. Get the shrimp rolls and the hainan chicken rice. The chicken is already juicy so it's not really worth it to get the dark meat only. Make sure to ask for extra ginger sauce. For some reason I think they give you more when you take out vs. eating at the restaurant. I've been burned every time I tried one of their pasta dishes. Just stick with the hainan chicken even if it means everyone in your party is ordering the same thing.
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Review from Cathy H.
I was referred to this place for one thing only: Hainan Chicken Rice. I'm from VA and there is not a plethora of chicken rice places, so I was excited to try it for the first time, especially after seeing Bourdain murder it in a Singapore episode. I ordered dark meat chicken (of course) as well as a side of shrimp rolls (spring rolls with shrimp inside).
The chicken rice: yum-o! Tender, fatty chicken with three sauces: ginger, mystery spicy, and soy. The rice had a lot of flavor since the broth is used to cook it.
The shrimp rolls: hot, crispy, and delicious! Order this as your appetizer -- you will not regret it.
I dined outside, so an assessment of the decor cannot be made.
I haven't had the chance to try chicken rice at any other place, but I'm not sure I need to seek out competitors since this dish is excellent here. -
Review from Michael W.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hainan chicken rice for the win!
Extra $2 for all dark meat? No extra money for all white meat? Score!
Fantasmic ginger sauce and hot sauce? Score!
Unlimited refills on the sauces? Score!
Under $7? Win!
There you have it. 3-0. Win. -
Review from Michelle l.
Monterey Park, CA
1/9/2012
5 stars for their
HAINAM CHICKEN (i get all white meat) best homey, comfort food..
BAKED HALIBUT- cheeeesy, tasty deliciousnesss! ( i always have a big debate with myself because i can't decide on this or their hainam chicken, so you KNOW it's good.. )
SHRIMP ROLLS - piping hot, crunchy rolls with some magic saucee, goes perfectly with your meal..
& YAY for BOTTOMLESS LEMON ICED TEAS
+ who can forget HOSPITALITY ?! these lovely little ladies remind me of mommmmm. always checking on you and making sure you get enough iced tea :)
doesn't get better than this! quick bite with an everlasting effect on your taste buds... i'm craving this as we speak if you can't already tell..
the wait can get pretty bad, but if you're on the way and there's a long line ahead of you, they have no problem with putting your name down on the wait list if you call before your arrival :) -
Review from Joanne N.
Orange County, CA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ga hai nam special was good. Rice was moist and flavorful. Some guy next to us ordered 2 extra portions of rice! Chicken was very soft and the sauces were amazing. A little bit different from the Vietnamese style ga hai nam.
Curry was very strange tasting. I am not really sure how Chinese curry is supposed to taste, but this one tasted very odd to me. Lacks coconut milk or a dairy product of some sort. I'm used to Vietnamese and Indian curry so i am not sure how accurate my review of this curry is.
The sweet tea drink was really good. They give it to you in a togo cup and they gave unlimited refills. WIN!
Shrimp rolls just tasted like shrimp rolls...nothing special. The wait was kind of long, but they got the customers in and out at a very good pace. Loved the outdoor seating, too bad we got indoor seating because we were desperate to eat.
Would return for the Hai nam chicken dish. -
Review from Bunny B.
North Hollywood, CA
12/21/2011
Minus 1 star for the newly smaller portions. And since when is dark meat more expensive than white meat?
Still tastes great tho....
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