Shau May Restaurant   

Assuming the main real estate of a plaza chock full of other Chinese cafes, restaurants and businesses, Shau May is a favorite with the local late-night diners and Asians in the LA area that are in-the-know about cheap, Chinese dining. With literally hundreds of a la carte items on the wall menu (from the "thousand year old eggs" to basic chow mein), and more beverages and desserts on the adjacent wall menu, it's easy to get overwhelmed at Shau May. Especially if you don't speak Mandarin. But everything here is super affordable, making first-tries safe bets. We recommend the three-item or one-item combos, where you pick from hot vegetable, meat and tofu dishes at the counter, and come with rice and broth. Favorites include spicy mabo tofu, steamed chinese broccoli and soy sauce chicken wings. For dessert -- which you must leave room for -- visit the shaved ice counter and pick from a variety of sweet Asian treats topped with ice and condensed milk. Shaved ice fans (addicts?) call it the perfect treat for a hot day or forget-the-weather late night craving.