The Brief

With the Lunar New Year starting Tuesday, a certain type of cuisine may be on your radar.

Most of us probably chow down on "Chinese food" without really thinking about what style it’s in or from which region it comes. Given that China is similar in size to America, it would be like eating "American food" without realizing that maybe you’re eating Maryland crab, Louisiana gumbo or New York-style pastrami sandwiches.

If you want to explore further, there's a wide variety of regional cuisines in L.A., from Cantonese dim sum to fiery and numbing Sichuanese food, as well as other lesser-known, delicious styles.

There are eight “great traditions” of Chinese cuisine, plus variations within them. Certain cities like Shanghai are also well known for their own style of food and dishes.

Here’s a guide to 12 restaurants you should check out.

Colette (Pasadena)

Region: Guangdong / Hong Kong (Cantonese)

An array of colorful dishes at Colette in Pasadena

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Cantonese food is one of most common Chinese cuisines in L.A., with Hong Kong cafes and dim sum restaurants all over the San Gabriel Valley. Colette in Pasadena, however, serves some Cantonese dishes that are harder to come by, like Cantonese-style lamb stew. A must-order is the hundred flower chicken (labeled “crispy stuffed chicken” on the menu).

XIBEI (Arcadia)

Region: Shanxi and Inner Mongolia

XIBEI serves oat noodles, characteristic of this Northwest region of China.

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The term “xi bei” means “Northwest” in Mandarin, so naturally XIBEI serves food from the Northwestern part of China, which includes Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Dry and mountainous, oats grow more easily in this area compared to wheat and rice. That’s why you’ll find oat noodles on the menu at XIBEI, including honeycomb-shaped noodles topped with a tomato-based sauce. XIBEI also serves various lamb dishes that are typical in Inner Mongolia, from grilled lamb to lamb soup with turnips.

Hengry (Alhambra)

Region: Guizhou

Guizhou food is known for its sour and spicy flavors

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Guizhou is an inland province in Southwestern China with mountainous terrain. One of the unique characteristics of its food is its sour and spicy flavor, as the area historically relies on fermentation to preserve food. Guizhou is also known as a home to the Miao and Dong ethnic groups, both of whom have their own food traditions. Hengry in Alhambra serves a traditional Miao sour soup, made using fermented tomatoes. (The proprietor’s father visited a Miao tribe in order to learn its recipe). Another Guizhou staple at the restaurant is the spicy chicken, stir fried using Ciba chili paste.

Chef Tian's (City of Industry)

Region: Hunan

Chef Tian’s originally opened in Vancouver, B.C., but recently brought its Hunan-style cooking to City of Industry. Instead of the numbing spice of peppercorns used in Sichuan cuisine, Hunan food tends to use fresh chopped chilies. Some of the signature Hunan dishes here include baby abalone and pork, stir fried with chopped chilies, of course. Being from Vancouver, Chef Tian’s menu also showcases the fresh seafood that the Pacific Northwest is known for. One of the special dishes at Chef Tian’s is the geoduck, a large clam, wok-fired with a heaping pile of chili peppers.

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine (Alhambra)

Region: Xinjiang

Uyghur food is a combination of Chinese and Middle Eastern influences.

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Xinjiang is an autonomous region in Northwestern China that is home to a Turkic ethnic minority group called Uyghurs (pronounced WEE-gers), who've been in the news because of their persecution by the Chinese government. The food at Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine is a combination of Chinese and Middle Eastern influences. The Uyghur dish called polo is reminiscent of pilaf: a plate or rice with carrots, onion, raisins and lamb. Lamb is the protein of choice in Uyghur cooking, used in everything from kebab to laghman, the traditional hand-pulled noodles stir-fried with meat and vegetables.

Mien Nghia (Rosemead)

Region: Chaozhou (Chiu Chow)

Chaozhou (or Chiu Chow in the Cantonese pronunciation) is a city in the Chaoshan region of the Guangdong province. While Mien Nghia is a Vietnamese-Chinese restaurant, it actually serves Chiu Chow (also called Teochew)-style noodle dishes, as Chiu Chow people have had a history of migration to Southeast Asia since the 18th century, including to Vietnam. Chiu Chow food tends to be more delicate in flavor compared to some of the other regions, so the noodles, like the ones found at Mien Nghia, are served in a light, clear broth and usually topped with fish or meatballs, shrimp, fish cakes and quail eggs.

Chengdu Taste (Alhambra)

Region: Sichuan

Chengdu Taste in Alhambra is recognized as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city

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Today, one of the most popular regional Chinese cuisines you’ll find around Los Angeles is Sichuan food. Numerous Sichuan restaurants have opened here, but this recent popularity can be attributed to Chengdu Taste in Alhambra, which opened in 2013 and was quickly recognized as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Sichuan food is known for its spicy and mouth-numbing flavors, thanks to the combination of chili peppers and peppercorns used liberally in dishes like toothpick lamb or boiled fish with green peppers.

Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle (Monterey Park)

Region: Yunnan

One of the most famous dishes from Yunnan, an inland province in Southwestern China, is called Crossing the Bridge noodles, the name of which comes from a story. Once upon a time, the wife of a scholar would bring him lunch while he was studying on an island in the middle of a lake. The wife would bring a noodle soup with all the ingredients in separate bowls in order to keep the chicken broth warm. She would combine all the ingredients once she crossed the bridge and reached her husband. Today, at Yunnan rice noodle shops like Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle, all the ingredients are still served in separate bowls, and the guest combines them at the table. The restaurant’s name refers to the hot soup cooking the other ingredients in ten seconds. Typical toppings for this noodle soup include thinly sliced meat, corn, pickled vegetables and more.

Liu’s Cafe (Koreatown)

Region: Taiwan

While not part of the People’s Republic of China, the island of Taiwan’s culture and cuisine are certainly deeply rooted in Chinese culture and cooking. Taiwanese cuisine is a blend of the various groups of people who inhabit the island, both in the past and present. It draws from Hakka and Hokkien (Fujian) cuisines, indigenous Taiwanese and influences from Japan, among others. Take for example the iconic dish of Taiwan, the beef noodle soup (niu rou mian). The dish was created by migrants from China’s Sichuan province who adapted the Sichuan beef noodle soup to the local palate. Taiwanese restaurants around L.A. like Liu’s Cafe serve classic comfort dishes such as cold sesame noodles, braised pork belly over rice and Chiayi chicken rice.

Bang Bang Noodles (Downtown)

Region: (Shaanxi)

Biang biang noodles are hand-pulled, chewy noodles that are unique to the region of Shaanxi

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Not to be confused with Shanxi mentioned in the entry for XIBEI, Shaanxi is a province in northern China that actually borders Shanxi to the east. Shaanxi is known for its rich history as its capital, Xi’An, was the eastern end of the Silk Road. It is this history that brings about one of Shaanxi’s iconic dishes: biang biang noodles (the restaurant, Bang Bang Noodles, uses an Anglicized version). Biang biang noodles are hand-pulled, chewy noodles, unique to Shaanxi, that are typically tossed in a spicy oil made with chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and more. They’re also topped with lamb, which is commonly used in Shaanxi cooking.

Auntie Qiu Kitchen (Alhambra)

Region: Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the four cities in China that is not part of any province, and Shanghai has evolved its own style of cuisine, which is generally characterized by its use of soy sauce and its sweeter flavor compared to other regional cuisines. Auntie Qiu Kitchen is a locals’ favorite that serves up Shanghainese street food, including what is perhaps the most famous Shanghainese dish, soup dumplings or xiao long bao. Equally good, though, are the pan-fried pork buns, or sheng jian bao. Auntie Qiu also serves Shanghai-style shumai, filled with sticky rice instead of the more commonly found version of pork and shrimp.

Traditional Guilin Noodles (Monterey Park)

Region: Guilin

Guilin is a city in Southern China that is most famous for its limestone mountains and rice noodles. Guilin rice noodles have been a local specialty since the Qin Dynasty over 2,000 years ago. These rice noodles at Traditional Guilin Noodles are silky and bouncy, typically served with a savory and spicy sauce made of chili and fermented soy beans. It’s usually topped with slices of meat, roasted peanuts, scallions and pickled vegetables, which should all be mixed together with the noodles and sauce. Traditionally, the noodles are served without soup, although these days, places like Traditional Guilin Noodles also offer a soup version.

The Los Angeles County fires last year drove up insurance costs for many Californians. Now, a proposed settlement means some State Farm policyholders whose premiums rose won’t see additional increases, and others should even get refunds.

State Farm, the largest insurer in the state with about 20% market share, received approval for unprecedented emergency insurance rate increases in California last May. The company told the state that the billions of dollars it expected to pay out after the deadly fires placed it in financial peril.

The proposed deal among the state Insurance Department, consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and State Farm, disclosed late last week, comes after months of public hearings convened by the insurance department and settlement talks.

Consumer Watchdog, which questioned the rate increases State Farm asked for, says the settlement saves the company’s California policyholders a total of $530 million. From the proposed settlement:

• Homeowners’ rate hikes will stay at the previously approved interim rate of 17% instead of the 30% the company sought.
• Condo owners who saw interim rate hikes of 15% will see their rates drop to an increase of 5.8%, and get refunds with interest dating back to June 1, 2025.
• Rental unit owners with interim rate hikes of 38% will see those increases drop to 32.8%, and receive refunds with interest. 
• Renter policyholders will see an increase of 15.65% vs. the interim rate hike of 15%.

In addition, State Farm has agreed not to cancel any new policies this year, and it won’t be canceling some policies it had planned not to renew in wildfire-affected areas. The insurance department characterized those provisions as important to the continued stability of the state’s insurance market, which has been beset with availability and affordability issues.

“When consumer advocates are able to challenge the data and present their own analysis, excessive requests are reduced and consumers are protected,” said Harvey Rosenfield in a statement. Rosenfield founded Consumer Watchdog and wrote Proposition 103, the voter-approved law that governs insurance in California.

State Farm has paid out more than $5 billion in claims from the L.A.-area fires so far, said spokesperson Tom Hartmann.

After consumer complaints and lawsuits, the insurance department is investigating the company’s handling of claims from the fires and expects results from that examination later this spring.

The agreement, which must be approved by an administrative law judge, also requires State Farm to undergo additional review of its rates in 2027. The company will be required to make a one time 2.5% premium discount available to renewing policyholders if its ratio of premiums to available cash reaches a certain level; Consumer Watchdog litigation director Will Pletcher said the deal will give the group more timely access to the company’s annual financial statements to help keep it accountable.

The insurance department expects the judge to decide on the settlement by April 7. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will then review the judge’s decision and have the final say.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

Iran's state media issued what it said was a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and keep up attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 13th day.

It was purported to be the new leader's first statement since he succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war.

The statement said Iran will avenge the blood of its "martyrs," including the victims of a March 1 attack on a girls school in the city of Minab, which Iranian officials say killed at least 165 people, many of them children. NPR has confirmed the U.S. military is investigating how it could have targeted the school.

The Iranian statement said the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for a fifth of the world's oil supply, should remain closed. It said Iran continues to believe in friendship with its neighbors but will continue targeting U.S. bases in the region.

"The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used.," the statement said, according to an English version published by Tasnim News Agency, run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

It's unclear if the statement was from Mojtaba Khamenei himself. Another person was heard reading out the remarks on Iranian state media, with a photo of Khamenei posted on the TV screen, as it was broadcast around the world.

There's been speculation about the leader's current condition and whereabouts. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that Khamenei was lightly injured early in the war.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

Here are other major updates about the conflict.

To jump to specific areas of coverage, use the links below:

Attacks on vessels | Oil stockpiles | Strikes across the Gulf | Israel-Hezbollah escalation | Iranian school attack

Two oil tankers hit in Iraqi waters

Two oil tankers were hit in Iraqi territorial waters near the southern port area of Basra, Iraqi officials said Thursday. It is the first oil-related strike reported in Iraq's waters during more than a week of war, in another sign of the conflict's escalation.

Iran, a critical ally of Iraq, took responsibility for attacking one of the tankers, which it said was owned by the U.S.

A port official said the attack targeted vessels near Basra's port approaches, and Iraq's security spokesman described it as sabotage.

Iraqi officials said one person was killed, and 38 crew members were rescued, with search operations continuing.

Iran has stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial shipping in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, warning that the world should brace for oil prices to double.

— Jane Arraf

U.S. and allies to release record oil stockpiles  

The U.S. confirmed it will release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of a coordinated International Energy Agency (IEA) release of 400 million barrels from emergency stockpiles.

The U.S. contribution amounts to roughly 40% of the total, to be released gradually over about four months.

The IEA's executive director, Fatih Birol, said the goal is to keep the supply of oil flowing as the conflict disrupts shipping routes and energy infrastructure. But analysts warn stockpile releases can only partially offset prolonged disruption in the Gulf, where roughly a fifth of global oil consumption normally transits the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, President Trump said the price spike is temporary and said the reserve release would push prices down.

According to the popular app Gas Buddy, the current average cost of regular unleaded is now up to $3.61 a gallon.

- Camila Domonoske

Iran continues attacks on Gulf States

Countries in the Gulf reported new incoming threats and interceptions Thursday, as Iran continued firing drones and missiles across the region – including at U.S. military bases.

The UAE's defense ministry said air defenses were responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks, and that sounds heard in parts of the country were from intercepts.

Kuwait's defense ministry said its air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles and drones that penetrated the northern and southern parts of the country's airspace.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed drones headed toward the Shaybah oil field.

The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Wednesday condemning Iran for recent attacks across the Persian Gulf region, calling them a "breach of international law" and "a serious threat to international peace and security."

- Rebecca Rosman

Israel launches large strikes on Hezbollah sites in Beirut after rocket fire into Israel

People inspect homes damaged by a projectile launched from Lebanon, in Haniel central Israel, on Thursday.

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The militant group Hezbollah launched its biggest rocket attack against Israel since the start of the war with Iran. The Israeli military said the Iranian-backed group fired heavy volleys toward northern Israel overnight into Thursday, triggering interceptions and sending residents repeatedly into shelters.

The Israeli military responded by launching more attacks against what it said were Hezbollah launch sites and command infrastructure.

Huge booms were heard across the capital and large black smoke billowed from the Dahieh neighborhood in south Beirut, while an attack in central Beirut – where thousands of people are displaced – killed 8 people and injured 31, according to Lebanese officials.

Wide evacuation orders for south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs have displaced at least 800,000 people so far, according to the Lebanese government.

Lebanon, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has unusually called for direct talks with Israel to end the escalating fighting with Hezbollah. Israel has not officially responded.

Israeli strikes on Iran have continued, with Iran firing missiles at Israel intermittently, including overnight.

Israeli military officials say about half of the missiles Iran has launched at Israel have carried cluster warheads, which spread out into smaller bombs over a wider area – increasing the risk to civilians.

- Daniel Estrin, Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Rebecca Rosman

Pentagon: Preliminary assessment suggests U.S. likely responsible for strike on Iranian school

The Pentagon has opened a formal investigation into the missile strike on an Iranian girls school that killed at least 165 civilians, many of them children, after a preliminary assessment suggested the U.S. was at fault, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The investigation is expected to take months and will include interviews with all those involved, from planners and commanders to those who carried out the strike.

If a U.S. role in the attack is confirmed, it would rank among the military's most deadly incidents involving civilians in decades. Congress created a special Pentagon office to prevent the accidental targeting of civilians but it was dramatically scaled back by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth soon after he took office last year.

"This investigation is ongoing. As we have said, unlike the terrorist Iranian regime, the United States does not target civilians," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.

NPR previously reported — based on commercial satellite imagery and independent expert analysis — that the strike was more extensive than initially reported and appeared consistent with a precision strike on a nearby military complex, raising questions about whether outdated targeting information contributed to the tragedy.

- Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf, Geoff Brumfiel

Rebecca Rosman contributed to this report from Paris, Jane Arraf from Erbil, Iraq, Hadeel Al-Shalchi from Beirut, Daniel Estrin from Tel Aviv and Camila Domonoske, Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf and Geoff Brumfiel from Washington.
Copyright 2026 NPR

The story first appeared on The LA Local.

If you’re a soccer fan — or just a fan of South Korean phenom Son Heung-min — you may have heard that the Los Angeles Football Club planned to put up a larger-than-life mural of the footballer in Koreatown last month. But the mural has yet to appear. 

LAFC planned to reveal the mural during the launch of their 2026/2027 jersey at The LINE Hotel. Now the reveal has been pushed back to sometime in June. 

The delay stems from issues with the city’s mural approval process, at least according to city officials. 

Gabriel Cifarelli, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, said they received a mural registration application for the site. But the department said it could not issue a notice to proceed because the application was “ineligible and incomplete” under the city’s mural ordinance and administrative rules.

“DCA staff offered the applicant advice and further guidance, and remains available for questions,” Cifarelli said. 

If a mural includes a team logo it is considered an advertisement and not original artwork, according to the city department. In that case, the permit must be issued through the city’s Building and Safety Department.

A new application has not been submitted through the mural program, Cifarelli said, and it was not immediately clear whether LAFC applied for a permit through the Building and Safety Department. 

LAFC spokesperson Danny Sanchez didn’t confirm if a new permit has been submitted.

“The mural unveil was rescheduled to June to better align with World Cup festivities,” Sanchez said. 

Dave Young Kim was commissioned to paint the mural and previously painted a Son mural on the side of the Crosby building in Koreatown in October, but that was only up for a few weeks.

He still plans to paint the mural on The LINE Hotel in June.

“I’m assuming at this point, LAFC is likely trying to line it up for a more opportune time,” said Kim. “The mural was originally supposed to line up with the launch of the new jersey so something similar.”

Leo Hernandez, 35, said he hopes the mural goes up before the World Cup.

“I didn’t know it was pushed back all the way to June,” he said. “I’ll be in Mexico for the World Cup.”

Hernandez, who goes by “El Soccer Guy” on Instagram and has nearly 50,000 followers, has been attending LAFC games since 2018. He said Son’s arrival to L.A. has brought a new wave of fans to the club.

“I’ve never seen so many Koreans,” he said. “He’s bringing a whole new community to LAFC. I don’t know if they love soccer or they love Son or both, but it’s amazing to see.”

“Son is starting to be my favorite on the team,” he added. “He’s so good. He wants the team to shine. And I love his positivity and energy.” 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all about people with superpowers living in a world very much like our own.

And there’s a lot of real Los Angeles mixed into the recent MCU series “Wonder Man,” now on Disney+, which makes for a version of the MCU that feels a little more grounded in reality, especially for Angelenos.

It's an action-comedy about two struggling actors also dealing with superhuman forces and secret government agencies. Think The Studio meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sir Ben Kingsley reprises his Iron Man 3 character Trevor Slattery, the messy British actor hired to play a bad guy called The Mandarin. And Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man.

Through their adventures trying to book the gig-of-a-lifetime while surviving the perils of the MCU, L.A. landmarks and cultural references abound, and ground the series in a relatability for many Angelenos, including lots of inside jokes for those working in the entertainment industry.

3 cultural references that make Wonder Man feel like real Los Angeles

Historic places, some we’ve had to part with

There’s a series of roughly 100-year-old small, independent movie houses used as locations in Wonder Man — the Eagle Theatre now home to Vidiots, Westwood's Village Theater now operated by American Cinematheque (with views of The Bruin Theater across the street), and the Highland Theatre which closed in 2024.

A scene from 'Wonder Man' on Disney +.

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Speaking of iconic L.A. spots breaking local hearts, the vintage bar within Echo Park’s Taix French Restaurant was used as an interior location for the series. Taix is closing at the end of the month to make way for new development.

“Taix, the Highland Park Theatre — these places that it was only three years ago were there,” Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest told LAist, “a lot of these establishments sadly, are not surviving. And this town is in a rough, rough place.”

(Though actor/director Kristen Stewart recently said in an interview with Architectural Digest that she bought The Highland Theatre and is restoring the building.)

L.A. traffic (especially around the Hollywood Bowl on a performance night)

Traffic is part of life in Los Angeles and with so many scenes shot in Hollywood, even the main characters of Wonder Man must experience that bumper-to-bumper frustration.

Though, because it is a TV show, they were able to indulge in the fantasy of beating that traffic in a way that in reality would be highly dangerous (and illegal).

“We got to shut down Sunset Boulevard for a little while to shoot a car going onto the sidewalk in front of the Palladium,” said Guest. And surprisingly, he explained, they didn’t have to shoot in the middle of the night to make the shot happen: “That was Friday night…. We didn't close all lanes of traffic. The street was open. We were shooting while Los Angeles was still going strong.”

The scene also references the frequent traffic back up during big shows at the Hollywood Bowl, even earning the show a social media repost of the scene from Chaka Khan.

Having family and friends 45 minutes away, who you rarely visit

Wonder Man includes an episode titled Pacoima where the main character visits his family and childhood home.

“My wife grew up in Chatsworth, and one of the things I found fascinating about her experience growing up there was that many of her friends and their families never went to Los Angeles,” said Guest.

“The idea that Simon grew up close to, but far enough away that Hollywood and Los Angeles did not feel like they were part of his life…so when he moved to the city, Pacoima is not a place he goes to a lot. And I feel like that's a part of L.A. that is true to this city. That doesn't get explored a lot and felt like it was another detail that we got to sort of throw into the show.”

There’s lots of other Southern California. references to enjoy from the Talmadge Apartments, an historic renaissance revival building on Wilshire Blvd., a mural of Danny Trejo, and even a cameo from Gisellle Fernandes, real-life L.A. broadcaster for Spectrum 1 News.

Should you get lost in the multi-verse, at least this L.A will be pretty familiar.

BONUS: Could there be a Season 2 of Wonder Man? And would it still be set in L.A.?

Guest couldn’t confirm anything about a possible Season 2, but told LAist, “It’s still on the table as an option, potentially."

As for whether a potential Season 2 would also film in Los Angeles and continue to highlight the city in new ways, Guest said it’s occurred to him that one of the best ways to write about Hollywood could be “ to send our show somewhere else because everybody in this town who's working has to move — whether it be Budapest or London or Ireland or Vancouver — very little is actually happening in this town. And that’s a story that I don’t think is being told right now about L.A.”

Season 1 of ‘Wonder Man’ is now streaming on Disney+.

Watch Julia Paskin's interview with actor/comedian X Mayo, who plays Simon Williams' agent in 'Wonder Man':