Our base of operations here was Rowland Heights, about a 40 minute drive from L.A. The area is known as “Little Taipei” because of the large number of Taiwanese immigrants who settled here. Like many parts of the U.S., English is only the second-most-useful language one can speak in this area. You guessed it (I hope), Chinese is the first. Our AirBnb hosts have lived here for a decade, at least, and they speak very little English.
The neighborhood is pleasant, like many in this part of the country, palm trees, well-manicured lawns and abundant views of mountains. It looks safe and family friendly but, sorry to say, our car did get a smashed window and some items stolen out of it :(.
On to happier things – the neighborhood is full to brim with numerous, cheap and (to my somewhat-informed palate) quite authentic Chinese restaurants. The tremendous variety of flavor sensations reminds me of my days in, well, China. Google reviews don’t tell you what you need to know about these places – just call in or show up and order (they may or may not understand your English on the phone, if that’s what you choose to speak).
Inside a little complex of restaurants is New Golden City Dumpling House. 
Assorted comestibles, including a DYI soup. 
Cold smoked duck, kung pao chicken and seaweed from that looks almost like American Chinese food from Hsin Hsin Shau May Deli. (Not a deli.) 
Shau Mei has an ever rotating selection of food from which to choose; our new Taiwanese friends recommended it. 
Some delectations from Little Shanghai, with a few extra buns thrown in. 
Taiwan does bakeries too! (Asian bakeries are just not as good as Western bakeries though 🙁 .) 
We got these bao from Qing Feng Bao Food. They were only OK. 
But the beef soup was great. 
Oh and for some reason this neighborhood has Panda Express for when you don’t think you deserve anything beter. 
Some highly delicious soup, rice bowl and popcorn chicken from Umami Cafe.
The supermarket here is an experience of itself. Kids and grown-ups will delight at the things that are food.
They do more than just Chinese here. Japanese food, Korean food, Filipino Food – everything you need to turn yourself into the super Asian fusion food creation.