Thuan Kieu

$Com Tam Thuan Kieu Com Tam Thuan Kieu specializes in broken rice (com tam in Vietnamese, hence the restaurant's name). Broken rice is exactly what it sounds like: rice grains that have been fractured into smaller pieces during processing. It tends to be slightly drier than regular rice and mixes well with sauces. The best dish to order here is the charbroiled chicken over broken rice. It's moist, flavorful and comes with pickled vegetables and a light pork soup. The charbroiled beef and pork chops aren't bad either. The egg rolls are excellent and, unlike at many Vietnamese restaurants, they're made with rice paper wrappers, giving them a soft and crispy exterior. The ambience is low key and the clientele is mostly from the area. Don't expect attentive waiters or exotic Asian décor. What you do get is cheap food and quick service. Rice dishes are about $5 or $6, and you get more than a belly- full. On most nights, you can get a table right away, but the weekends tend to be a little more crowded. Getting there: Com Tam Thuan Kieu, 120 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 280-5660. -- Jason La$

( Steven Fletcher )

Com Tam Thuan Kieu

Com Tam Thuan Kieu specializes in broken rice (com tam in Vietnamese, hence the restaurant's name). Broken rice is exactly what it sounds like: rice grains that have been fractured into smaller pieces during processing. It tends to be slightly drier than regular rice and mixes well with sauces. The best dish to order here is the charbroiled chicken over broken rice. It's moist, flavorful and comes with pickled vegetables and a light pork soup. The charbroiled beef and pork chops aren't bad either. The egg rolls are excellent and, unlike at many Vietnamese restaurants, they're made with rice paper wrappers, giving them a soft and crispy exterior. The ambience is low key and the clientele is mostly from the area. Don't expect attentive waiters or exotic Asian décor. What you do get is cheap food and quick service. Rice dishes are about $5 or $6, and you get more than a belly- full. On most nights, you can get a table right away, but the weekends tend to be a little more crowded.

Getting there: Com Tam Thuan Kieu, 120 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 280-5660.

-- Jason La