Triumphal Palace looks nothing like any Chinese restaurant I've seen in L.A. Instead of the glaring chandeliers, the restaurant is lighted by soft, molded glass fixtures covered with a Chinese lattice. The ceiling is dimpled with dozens of can lights, so many it looks like the installation for a planetarium. Wallpaper in chinoiserie or Chinese brush characters covers the walls. Ruched Austrian curtains dress the windows; heavy linens cover the tables.
Every meal I had at Triumphal Palace was a real feast. If there's an indifferent dish on the menu, I didn't find it.
I loved the fire-roasted pork belly, big squares of fat and lean with an ineffably subtle smoke and firm texture. It's like bacon gone to heaven. Crispy squab deep-fried to a dark gold (heads and all) are suffused with the haunting taste of star anise. The flesh is dark and moist. We count on half a squab per person, which is perfect if you're having a number of other dishes.
-- S. Irene Virbila
Times Restaurant Critic
Oct. 12, 2005
September 5, 2007
Mary Alhambra, CA
I've read the reviews on different foodie blogs and I thought I'd check it out- WHAT A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! The food was mediocre and the service was terrible. After we got seated (which was a long wait to begin with), we had to wait at least 15 minutes for anyone to even notice that we were there! My family and only ordered a couple of plates and decided to have dim sum some place else. We ended up going to the Ritz Garden down the street (old fashioned cart-dim sum).
August 22, 2006
Gnawme Downey, CA
A satisfying dimsum experience. I had no issues with the service, which was prompt and efficient, or the food, which was exquisitely prepared and perfectly portioned (not too big, not too small like other, similar nouveau dimsum places). I appreciated the venue, which was spare and elegant without being pretentious.
January 1, 2006
DeeZ SantaMonica, ca
Excellent!!!!!!!!!! Just like many restaurants in HongKong & Guanghzou, taste great & in more upscale decor place.
absolutely recommending this place to all for dim sum.
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