Bistro 1968 (San Gabriel, CA)
Bistro 1968
402 S San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
626-766-1968 / 626-766-1698
www.bistro1968.site
Wed 03/26/2025, 06:35p-08:30p
A friend from my early food blogging career was recently back in town and in the mood for dim sum, so we ended up checking out the much-bandied about Bistro 1968 (架勢堂, Jiàshì Táng), which serves dim sum all-day. Interestingly, the place is actually a redux of Enlighten Bistro 168 (一攬天, Yī Lǎn Tiān) in Arcadia, which opened inside a former Marie Callendar's in November 2021. That restaurant quickly made a name for itself thanks to its high-quality dim sum, but closed in February 2022 for "renovations" before reopening that April with a new Sichuan-centric menu. That iteration only survived a few days, and the space has remained empty ever since. Apparently, this was all due to conflicts between the kitchen staff and ownership. Well, it turns out that much of that staff along with Enlighten's General Manager Gary Ye (Mattlorna Cafe, Lunasia, New Concept) decided to launch a new spot together, and thus Bistro 1968 soft-opened on December 3rd, 2022 to considerable fanfare.
Bistro 1968 resides on the ground floor of the San Gabriel Skycourts condominium development, in a location previously occupied by hot pot spot Dong Lai Shun, which opened in June 2017 but closed just two years later. The space has been redone pretty thoroughly, and now sports a brighter, more utilitarian aesthetic.
Pictured above are Bistro 1968's dim sum menu and selection of kitchen dishes, along with the restaurant's all-you-can-eat option, which features a much more limited subset of items from which to choose from (we did not partake in AYCE). Click for larger versions.
And here are the banquet menu alternatives, available at three different price points. Click for larger versions.
We were also given a separate book listing two of the three banquet choices above, along with an array of fancier dishes. Click for larger versions.
西汁合桃蝦 Walnut Shrimp [$28.00]
First to arrive was the hétáo xiā, a pretty by-the-book preparation replete with a creamy, just-sweet-enough dressing and some crunchy, sugary walnuts. My quibble here was that I would've liked more "snap" on the actual shrimp.
香煎芋絲餅 Sliced Taro Cake [$6.98]
I quite liked the yù sī bǐng thanks to its gratifyingly "gritty" consistency and nutty, subtle sweetness.
金沙蝦卷 House Special Crispy Shrimp Roll [$8.98]
Shrimp rolls featured light, shattery exteriors and well-textured insides imbued with a restrained salinity. They were tasty alone, but better with a dab of that sweet-ish sauce on the side.
蠔油蘭芯 Chinese Broccoli w/Oyster Sauce [$12.00]
Gai lan was seemingly extra crunchy, with a potent, vegetal bitterness that paired easily with the sweet-savoriness of that oyster sauce.
Given that Bistro 1968 offers free corkage, I BYOB'd a few beers this evening, the first of which was the 2018 Drie Fonteinen Hommage (blend № 28 • season 17|18), a lambic brewed with sour raspberries and cherries that I actually purchased from Playground back during the pandemic. The nose here was funky and acidic, with bright red fruit layered over light florals. On the palate, think puckeringly tart, with loads of sour red berry, though not as much earthiness, depth, or concentration as I was hoping for.
香煎蘿卜糕 Pan Fried Turnip Cake [$6.98]
Luóbo gāo is a must-try for me at yum cha, and tonight's version delivered with its healthy sear and savor, commixed with the signature bitterness of radish. I would've liked some more dried shrimp in there, though.
鮮蝦腸粉 Shrimp Rice Noodle [$8.98]
Up next was a textbook preparation of chángfěn, one that seemed to have a slightly more potent than usual application of soy sauce.
法式和牛粒 Stir Fried Diced Wagyu Beef Steak [$25.00]
The French-style beef was a favorite of mine. I was impressed by how tender the meat was, and was also a big fan of its zippy black pepper spicing. Nice incorporation of those onions, too.
蟹肉蝦籽春捲 Crab Meat Egg Roll [$8.98]
These were some of the longest chūnjuǎn I'd ever seen, but also some of the best. I liked their crispy, flaky, shattery outsides, while their insides were well-textured, and loaded with those xiān flavors I was looking for.
鴛鴦煎堆 Pumpkin Sesame Ball [$4.98]
A somewhat unconventional preparation of jiān duī was what I expected texturally, and I enjoyed the sweetness of the pumpkin filling, but I wanted to taste more from the actual sesame.
Next to imbibe came the 2014 Hangar 24 Barrel Roll No. 3 Pugachev's Cobra Aged in 25 Year Old Bourbon Barrels, a Russian imperial stout brewed with maple syrup, then barrel-aged for 14 months. The beer smelled of chocolate-y malt and bourbon-y heat, with hints of licorice and barrel. Taking a sip, I got smooth, malty flavors commixed with more cacao, dark fruit, boozy heat, and woodsy tang. It's been over a decade since this was released, and I'd say it's held up relatively well.
X.O醬海鮮炒飯 Seafood Fried Rice w/X.O. Hot Sauce [$14.88]
The fried rice was a table favorite, and for good reason. Both the shrimp and scallop were great texturally, and unsurprisingly, their oceany flavors paired like clockwork with the umami-laden depth of XO sauce. This was something that just made me want to keep eating.
傳統蒸叉燒包 Steamed Bbq Pork Bao [$6.98]
Sadly, I didn't get to try the chāshāo bāo, as they were all gobbled up before I could get around to 'em.
黑金剛流沙包 Creamy Egg Yolk Bao [$6.98]
Liúshā bāo featured sweet, luscious, super liquid-y interiors surrounded by a soft, fluffy bun.
鮮蝦韭菜花餅 Leeks and Shrimp Dumpling [$6.98]
These were my favorite of the dumplings due to how well the brininess of the shrimp married with the bright, zesty qualities of jiǔcài (garlic chives).
星洲炒米粉 Singapore Style Pan Fried Vermicelli Noodle [$14.88]
The Singapore-style noodles were also a standout, and something that I could just eat a big plate of. The dish's curry seasoning was right on point, as was the cook on both the char siu pork and veggies.
I specifically wanted to bring some beers celebrating their 10th birthday, hence the 2015 Firestone Walker Sucaba, a barrel-aged English-style barley wine. Aromas here were sweet and malty, but with a woodsy astringency and hints of bourbon. Taste-wise, I got lots more of that maltiness, but going in an even more sugary, nearly candied direction, with counterbalancing elements of oak and heat.
娘惹鹹水角 Minced Pork Dumpling [$6.98]
One of my go-to dim sum items is the xiánshuǐ jiǎo, but I'd never encountered a green version until now. Whatever they included to attain that coloration seemed to impart a sort of sweetness to the wrapper, which I didn't mind. Said wrapper also had a pretty "sticky" consistency, and made sense with that salty pork filling (though I could've used more of it).
鮮蝦餃 Shrimp Har-gow [$6.98]
Naturally, we had to get the xiā jiǎo, and it was basically exactly what you'd expect, though I'm not so sure about the texture on those wrappers.
Condiments included a potent mustard as well as chili oil.
海鮮南瓜餅 Seafood Dumpling [$6.98]
These yellow-tinted dumplings incorporated both shrimp and scallop I believe, and showed off a surprisingly multifaceted interplay between the seafood and this herbaceous element that I couldn't put my finger on.
椒醬鳳爪 Steamed Chicken Feet [$8.98]
I've never been a huge fan of fèng zhuǎ, but didn't mind these. They displayed the gelatinous texture that you'd expect, while flavors were pretty prototypical.
Our final beer was another 10-year-old, the 2015 Cycle Lost DOS, a rather uncommon (528 bottles produced I believe) version of Rare DOS stout that was bourbon barrel-aged for an extended period, over a year from what I understand. The bouquet here brought sweet malt and cacao, but with a distinctly steely edge to it. In the mouth, the beer was smooth, viscous, its boozy, oaky, chocolatey, and dark fruit notes joined by a woodsy funk that lingered long.
瑤柱燒賣 Pork & Shrimp Siu-mai [$6.98]
My shāomai was pleasingly textured, and showcased a delectable back-and-forth between the shrimp and the dumpling's heady, porcine qualities.
瑤柱鮑汁糯米雞 Jumbo Sticky Rice Wrap [$8.98]
Growing up, I was never a huge fan of nuòmǐ jī, but I've since learned to appreciate the dish. Tonight's version was to my liking, with its savory, scallop- and abalone-fueled flavors joined by a homey warmth and sweetness, along with a hit of saline from that salted egg.
We were also provided a complimentary serving of House Special Spicy X.O Hot Sauce (瑤柱XO醬), if you're inclined to add some extra oomph to your dim sum.
豉椒排骨 Spareribs w/ Black Bean Sauce [$6.98]
In terms of mouthfeel, the páigǔ had a nice "bounce," while the ribs' porky, almost funky flavors were joined by complementary notes of black bean and pepper.
The evening's final tipple was the 2007 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine Niagara Peninsula VQA, which was meant to be a blast from the past for my aforementioned friend. He'd actually brought it to a dinner we had at El Condor back in 2014, but we didn't get around to opening it that night. I ended up saving the bottle, waiting for a chance to drink it with him, and tonight provided to be just that opportunity. Despite the rather "mature" color of the wine, it was still drinking pretty well, offering notes of sugary raisins combined with tangy citrus and distinct nuances of apple juice.
紫米糕 Purple Rice Cake [$4.98]
Tiándiǎn ended up being on the house, and fit the bill nicely, delivering familiar, not-too-sweet flavors that you'd expect from a Chinese dessert.
I generally enjoyed tonight's dinner, though given all the hype that Bistro 1968 and its predecessor have garnered, I was expecting a bit more. I suspect that the opening Chef may have decamped, so perhaps that's why the meal wasn't as revelatory as I was hoping for. This suspicion is bolstered by the fact that some of the more "unique" dishes (such as the oft-talked-about abalone tart) have seemingly disappeared. All that being said, I'd come back here, and in fact, wouldn't mind trying more of the non-dim sum menu, which actually seems quite promising.
402 S San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
626-766-1968 / 626-766-1698
www.bistro1968.site
Wed 03/26/2025, 06:35p-08:30p
A friend from my early food blogging career was recently back in town and in the mood for dim sum, so we ended up checking out the much-bandied about Bistro 1968 (架勢堂, Jiàshì Táng), which serves dim sum all-day. Interestingly, the place is actually a redux of Enlighten Bistro 168 (一攬天, Yī Lǎn Tiān) in Arcadia, which opened inside a former Marie Callendar's in November 2021. That restaurant quickly made a name for itself thanks to its high-quality dim sum, but closed in February 2022 for "renovations" before reopening that April with a new Sichuan-centric menu. That iteration only survived a few days, and the space has remained empty ever since. Apparently, this was all due to conflicts between the kitchen staff and ownership. Well, it turns out that much of that staff along with Enlighten's General Manager Gary Ye (Mattlorna Cafe, Lunasia, New Concept) decided to launch a new spot together, and thus Bistro 1968 soft-opened on December 3rd, 2022 to considerable fanfare.
Bistro 1968 resides on the ground floor of the San Gabriel Skycourts condominium development, in a location previously occupied by hot pot spot Dong Lai Shun, which opened in June 2017 but closed just two years later. The space has been redone pretty thoroughly, and now sports a brighter, more utilitarian aesthetic.
Pictured above are Bistro 1968's dim sum menu and selection of kitchen dishes, along with the restaurant's all-you-can-eat option, which features a much more limited subset of items from which to choose from (we did not partake in AYCE). Click for larger versions.
And here are the banquet menu alternatives, available at three different price points. Click for larger versions.
We were also given a separate book listing two of the three banquet choices above, along with an array of fancier dishes. Click for larger versions.
西汁合桃蝦 Walnut Shrimp [$28.00]
First to arrive was the hétáo xiā, a pretty by-the-book preparation replete with a creamy, just-sweet-enough dressing and some crunchy, sugary walnuts. My quibble here was that I would've liked more "snap" on the actual shrimp.
香煎芋絲餅 Sliced Taro Cake [$6.98]
I quite liked the yù sī bǐng thanks to its gratifyingly "gritty" consistency and nutty, subtle sweetness.
金沙蝦卷 House Special Crispy Shrimp Roll [$8.98]
Shrimp rolls featured light, shattery exteriors and well-textured insides imbued with a restrained salinity. They were tasty alone, but better with a dab of that sweet-ish sauce on the side.
蠔油蘭芯 Chinese Broccoli w/Oyster Sauce [$12.00]
Gai lan was seemingly extra crunchy, with a potent, vegetal bitterness that paired easily with the sweet-savoriness of that oyster sauce.
Given that Bistro 1968 offers free corkage, I BYOB'd a few beers this evening, the first of which was the 2018 Drie Fonteinen Hommage (blend № 28 • season 17|18), a lambic brewed with sour raspberries and cherries that I actually purchased from Playground back during the pandemic. The nose here was funky and acidic, with bright red fruit layered over light florals. On the palate, think puckeringly tart, with loads of sour red berry, though not as much earthiness, depth, or concentration as I was hoping for.
香煎蘿卜糕 Pan Fried Turnip Cake [$6.98]
Luóbo gāo is a must-try for me at yum cha, and tonight's version delivered with its healthy sear and savor, commixed with the signature bitterness of radish. I would've liked some more dried shrimp in there, though.
鮮蝦腸粉 Shrimp Rice Noodle [$8.98]
Up next was a textbook preparation of chángfěn, one that seemed to have a slightly more potent than usual application of soy sauce.
法式和牛粒 Stir Fried Diced Wagyu Beef Steak [$25.00]
The French-style beef was a favorite of mine. I was impressed by how tender the meat was, and was also a big fan of its zippy black pepper spicing. Nice incorporation of those onions, too.
蟹肉蝦籽春捲 Crab Meat Egg Roll [$8.98]
These were some of the longest chūnjuǎn I'd ever seen, but also some of the best. I liked their crispy, flaky, shattery outsides, while their insides were well-textured, and loaded with those xiān flavors I was looking for.
鴛鴦煎堆 Pumpkin Sesame Ball [$4.98]
A somewhat unconventional preparation of jiān duī was what I expected texturally, and I enjoyed the sweetness of the pumpkin filling, but I wanted to taste more from the actual sesame.
Next to imbibe came the 2014 Hangar 24 Barrel Roll No. 3 Pugachev's Cobra Aged in 25 Year Old Bourbon Barrels, a Russian imperial stout brewed with maple syrup, then barrel-aged for 14 months. The beer smelled of chocolate-y malt and bourbon-y heat, with hints of licorice and barrel. Taking a sip, I got smooth, malty flavors commixed with more cacao, dark fruit, boozy heat, and woodsy tang. It's been over a decade since this was released, and I'd say it's held up relatively well.
X.O醬海鮮炒飯 Seafood Fried Rice w/X.O. Hot Sauce [$14.88]
The fried rice was a table favorite, and for good reason. Both the shrimp and scallop were great texturally, and unsurprisingly, their oceany flavors paired like clockwork with the umami-laden depth of XO sauce. This was something that just made me want to keep eating.
傳統蒸叉燒包 Steamed Bbq Pork Bao [$6.98]
Sadly, I didn't get to try the chāshāo bāo, as they were all gobbled up before I could get around to 'em.
黑金剛流沙包 Creamy Egg Yolk Bao [$6.98]
Liúshā bāo featured sweet, luscious, super liquid-y interiors surrounded by a soft, fluffy bun.
鮮蝦韭菜花餅 Leeks and Shrimp Dumpling [$6.98]
These were my favorite of the dumplings due to how well the brininess of the shrimp married with the bright, zesty qualities of jiǔcài (garlic chives).
星洲炒米粉 Singapore Style Pan Fried Vermicelli Noodle [$14.88]
The Singapore-style noodles were also a standout, and something that I could just eat a big plate of. The dish's curry seasoning was right on point, as was the cook on both the char siu pork and veggies.
I specifically wanted to bring some beers celebrating their 10th birthday, hence the 2015 Firestone Walker Sucaba, a barrel-aged English-style barley wine. Aromas here were sweet and malty, but with a woodsy astringency and hints of bourbon. Taste-wise, I got lots more of that maltiness, but going in an even more sugary, nearly candied direction, with counterbalancing elements of oak and heat.
娘惹鹹水角 Minced Pork Dumpling [$6.98]
One of my go-to dim sum items is the xiánshuǐ jiǎo, but I'd never encountered a green version until now. Whatever they included to attain that coloration seemed to impart a sort of sweetness to the wrapper, which I didn't mind. Said wrapper also had a pretty "sticky" consistency, and made sense with that salty pork filling (though I could've used more of it).
鮮蝦餃 Shrimp Har-gow [$6.98]
Naturally, we had to get the xiā jiǎo, and it was basically exactly what you'd expect, though I'm not so sure about the texture on those wrappers.
Condiments included a potent mustard as well as chili oil.
海鮮南瓜餅 Seafood Dumpling [$6.98]
These yellow-tinted dumplings incorporated both shrimp and scallop I believe, and showed off a surprisingly multifaceted interplay between the seafood and this herbaceous element that I couldn't put my finger on.
椒醬鳳爪 Steamed Chicken Feet [$8.98]
I've never been a huge fan of fèng zhuǎ, but didn't mind these. They displayed the gelatinous texture that you'd expect, while flavors were pretty prototypical.
Our final beer was another 10-year-old, the 2015 Cycle Lost DOS, a rather uncommon (528 bottles produced I believe) version of Rare DOS stout that was bourbon barrel-aged for an extended period, over a year from what I understand. The bouquet here brought sweet malt and cacao, but with a distinctly steely edge to it. In the mouth, the beer was smooth, viscous, its boozy, oaky, chocolatey, and dark fruit notes joined by a woodsy funk that lingered long.
瑤柱燒賣 Pork & Shrimp Siu-mai [$6.98]
My shāomai was pleasingly textured, and showcased a delectable back-and-forth between the shrimp and the dumpling's heady, porcine qualities.
瑤柱鮑汁糯米雞 Jumbo Sticky Rice Wrap [$8.98]
Growing up, I was never a huge fan of nuòmǐ jī, but I've since learned to appreciate the dish. Tonight's version was to my liking, with its savory, scallop- and abalone-fueled flavors joined by a homey warmth and sweetness, along with a hit of saline from that salted egg.
We were also provided a complimentary serving of House Special Spicy X.O Hot Sauce (瑤柱XO醬), if you're inclined to add some extra oomph to your dim sum.
豉椒排骨 Spareribs w/ Black Bean Sauce [$6.98]
In terms of mouthfeel, the páigǔ had a nice "bounce," while the ribs' porky, almost funky flavors were joined by complementary notes of black bean and pepper.
The evening's final tipple was the 2007 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine Niagara Peninsula VQA, which was meant to be a blast from the past for my aforementioned friend. He'd actually brought it to a dinner we had at El Condor back in 2014, but we didn't get around to opening it that night. I ended up saving the bottle, waiting for a chance to drink it with him, and tonight provided to be just that opportunity. Despite the rather "mature" color of the wine, it was still drinking pretty well, offering notes of sugary raisins combined with tangy citrus and distinct nuances of apple juice.
紫米糕 Purple Rice Cake [$4.98]
Tiándiǎn ended up being on the house, and fit the bill nicely, delivering familiar, not-too-sweet flavors that you'd expect from a Chinese dessert.
I generally enjoyed tonight's dinner, though given all the hype that Bistro 1968 and its predecessor have garnered, I was expecting a bit more. I suspect that the opening Chef may have decamped, so perhaps that's why the meal wasn't as revelatory as I was hoping for. This suspicion is bolstered by the fact that some of the more "unique" dishes (such as the oft-talked-about abalone tart) have seemingly disappeared. All that being said, I'd come back here, and in fact, wouldn't mind trying more of the non-dim sum menu, which actually seems quite promising.
posted by kevinEats at
6:35 PM
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