Howard Wang's Uptown China Brasserie

When I was growing up in Southern California in the early 1970s, going out to dinner was a rare treat, and Ho Toy’s — a Chinese restaurant near our house in the San Fernando Valley — was my favorite destination. We’d climb a flight of stairs and be met by a well-dressed maitre d’, who would lead us to a table — with white linens, naturally, and red leatherette booths. The lighting was low and romantic. My parents would order Mai Tais dolled up with paper umbrellas, and we’d dine on wor won-ton soup, fried prawns with Chinese mustard and ketchup for dipping, barbecue spare ribs, sweet-and-sour pork and the like. Pork fried rice (known in my family as PFR) was a must (Full review)