I’m not sure when the concept of a Food Hall became popular, but it makes sense. Certainly the “Food Court” at major indoor malls were the precursor, piling in a bunch of quick-serve / fast food vendors in one area where everyone can congregate and order the food they want. Food Halls started really making a mark a few years back, and they range from stunning examples of industrial design, to other places that are more utilitarian. The Food Halls also tend to favor individual mom & pop shops, as opposed to the Food Courts dominated by local or national chains (McDonald’s, etc.). When a friend of ours mentioned a new Food Hall opening up in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley (which has plenty of great eats), it was a bit surprising, but we were curious what the new Blossom Market Hall might be like.
It turns out Blossom Market Hall took over a former Masonic Lodge built in the 1940’s, and walking in, the highlight of the redesign might be the beautiful watercolor floral prints on the ceiling. It makes a big difference and creates an inviting atmosphere.
The vendors & booths are laid out in a straightforward fashion, along both sides of the former Lodge, with a few vendors in the middle “island” area. It’s more utilitarian compared to say, the Anaheim Packing District (which is visually stunning, and looks more like a garden oasis).
Angel & Mason
One of the first vendors you might stumble across as you walk in from the parking lot is Angel & Mason, a Beer & Wine Bar with a variety of local micro-breweries on draft, as well as an approachable wine list.
Brewyard “Kalinga” Calamansi Pilsner (Glendale, CA):
The Calamansi citrus was apparent from the first sip, delicate, fragrant and aromatic. The Pilsner was refreshing and crisp. A nice way to start a meal. 
Indie Brewing “Pacific Kolsh Highway” (Boyle Heights, CA):
On another visit, their Indie Brewing “Pacific Kolsh Highway” was also a refreshing starter Beer, a clean, easy-drinking Kolsch from a local brewery in Boyle Heights.
Smog City “Coffee Porter” (Torrance, CA):
And for a dramatic change-of-pace, give the Smog City “Coffee Porter” a try, from the local micro-brewery out of Torrance. There was a deep, dark chocolate edge in every sip, malty, and a backnote of dark roasted Coffee.
Burnt Belly
During our 3 visits to Blossom Market Hall, the longest lines have always been for Burnt Belly (usually a solid 10 - 20 people deep(!)). Burnt Belly features 4 types of American Barbecue proteins (Brisket, Chicken, Pork Belly Burnt Ends and Brisket Burnt Ends), as well as a variety of familiar sides to pair with the food.
3 Meat Plate (Sliced Brisket, Half Chicken, Pork Belly Burnt Ends):
The 3 Meat Combo is definitely the best value at $26 (the 2 Meat Combo is just $3 less, at $23).
BBQ Chicken:
While it’s quite nice that they give you an entire Half Chicken(!) with your order, it turns out that this is only slightly larger than a Cornish Game Hen, but it was still a nice way to sample white and dark meat BBQ Chicken. Unfortunately, it was simply OK. It wasn’t bad, but it tasted like a standard Roast Chicken with some tangy (typical) BBQ Sauce slathered on top and roasted a bit more. The Chicken Breast portion was overcooked and dried out.
Miso Collard Greens (Dashi, Doenjang, Smoked Brisket, Farro):
Their Miso Collard Greens were the most unique item on the menu, definitely showing off some Asian ingredient influence. We couldn’t really taste the Doenjang, but the Farro grains were a nice touch, adding a nice creamy earthiness.
Bacon Mac & Cheese (3 Cheese Blend with Bacon Crumbles, Furikake):
This was fine. I couldn’t really taste the Furikake seasoning blend (but even that feels a bit like a shortcut (just throw some pre-made Furikake Seasoning Blend from the supermarket onto the Mac & Cheese?)). The Bacon was also non-existent in our scoop (might’ve just been the luck of the draw on what scoop you got).
Pork Belly Burnt Ends:
Similar to the BBQ Chicken, their Pork Belly Burnt Ends lacked any real smokiness. And the tangy, generic American BBQ Sauce (piquant, sweet) really overpowered this. It tasted like oven-roasted Pork Belly cubes, and it was actually a bit tough and chewy. 
Sliced Brisket:
Much to our disappointment, all the BBQ items come standard with their BBQ Sauce slathered on top of each serving. Which feels like it’s targeting a certain stereotypical ideal of “American BBQ” that the average diner thinks is proper BBQ.
Their house American BBQ Sauce overpowered the Brisket just like the Pork Belly Burnt Ends and Chicken. Super sweet and tangy, that’s all you tasted. Taking a bite of a slice of Brisket not doused in the BBQ Sauce, it was underwhelming: No smoke ring, zero smokiness, and mainly a meaty, semi-tender experience.
I’m happy for Burnt Belly’s popularity and I wish their owner and staff success. But it isn’t hyperbole in saying that we’d rather eat at Wood Ranch or Lucille’s (both are average restaurant chains) over this place.
Manduyo
Manduyo bills itself as “Authentic Korean Cuisine” and specializes in Mandu (Korean Dumplings), as well as a lesser seen offering known as Tteokgalbi. Talking with the staff it turns out Tteokgalbi is minced Beef Rib & Pork meat and marinated in a housemade sweet & savory sauce.
Signature Tteokgalbi:
The highlight was their Side Salad: The greens were very fresh with a punchy, piquant dressing. As for the actual Tteokgalbi itself, it tasted like sweet and salty Ground Beef & Pork in a Bulgogi Sauce. It was OK, but it was a bit disappointing to discover this new Korean dish we hadn’t tried before tasted like Bulgogi (Soy Sauce, Sugar, Sesame Oil, etc.) except with Ground Beef & Pork instead.
La Olla Cocina
La Olla Cocina is a Mexican cuisine vendor, and looking at their menu, it’s a bit of a hodgepodge of different things: They have Birria, Asada, Tinga, Tacos, Tostadas, and a Shrimp Ceviche, along with a Panna Cotta for Dessert. Interesting. Their vendor sub-page on the Blossom Market Hall states that they are a “specialty Mariscos concept,” when clearly their menu states otherwise. It looks like they pivoted to a safer menu perhaps? Regardless, we’re always happy to enjoy some great Tacos whenever we get a chance.
Birria Taco (Shredded Beef, Onion & Cilantro):
While the Corn Tortilla tasted like a mass produced type, the Birria de Res (Stewed Shredded Beef) was solid! Served with some of its Consome (Beef Birria Broth) juices, this was a tasty version of Beef Birria, and probably one of the better Birria de Res Tacos you can get locally.
Quesabirria (Shredded Beef, Cheese, Onion & Cilantro):
Cashing in on the local Street Taco trend of Quesabirria (Birria Tacos seared with Cheese to resemble a pseudo-Quesadilla, except the Cheese is on the outside (and melty Cheese inside)), La Olla is also serving a version.
This was less successful: The main issues is that there is too much Cheese. At times, it tasted like you were biting into a “Grilled Cheese Taco” of sorts, instead of a proper Quesabirria. The Birria itself got completely lost with how much Cheese was involved. La Unica has nothing to worry about.
But overall, we’d be glad to return to La Olla Cocina if we’re in the area and craving some Birria Tacos. It was a genuinely enjoyable rendition of the popular Stewed Shredded Beef offering that was nicely balanced for flavors (not overly salty like many versions tend to be).
Cafe Et Cetera
Walking up to Cafe Et Cetera and looking at their menu, you might be wondering what this food vendor specializes in. They have large pictures of Sweet Toast, a Burger, a Chicken Sandwich, a Chicken Salad, a variety of Sweet Crepes, and a Chinese Jian Bing(?!). Looking at their printed menu, they also have a classic American Breakfast plate, Popcorn Chicken, Tater Tots and a few other items. I suppose “Breakfast Cafe in a Food Hall” might be their angle?
Perhaps the one item that had us intrigued the most was their Jian Bing, which is a sort of “Savory Crepe” (their description) filled with a variety of items.
Jian Bing (Traditional Chinese Jian Bing with Cage Free Egg, Green Onion, Cilantro, Sesame Seeds, Bao Cui (Crispy Cracker) Hot Dog, Secret Sauce and House Special Chili Oil):
It’s nice that they make every Jian Bing (and Crepe) to order. We only recently discovered Jian Bing, but it was a bit of a surprise that Hot Dogs were a regular ingredient for this traditional Chinese recipe. Our order taker turned out to be the manager, and she mentioned that in her hometown in China, Hot Dogs were regularly included in Jian Bing. Neat.
Biting into the Jian Bing, and it is indeed sort of like a Savory Crepe, but there’s a firm crunchy aspect to it, probably due to the Bao Cui (Crispy Cracker). I liked the combination of the Egg seared into the Bing, the crispiness of the Bao Cui, a bit of Hot Dog, House Chili Oil, some Green Onions, Sesame Seeds all combining into a nice, toasty, hot bite. If anyone has recommendations for great Jian Bing to try, please let me know. (@ipsedixit @A5KOBE and all)
Spotless Burgers
Winner for the food vendor with the cutest logo in Blossom would have to be Spotless Burgers. It’s a Vegan Burger spot that focuses on serving a variety of dishes based on Alpha Chik protein, which, after researching seems healthier and better than the Impossible / Beyond Meat offerings that are the most ubiquitous out there. The Alpha Chik protein seems to be a Soy Protein, and with reasonable levels of fat (compared to Beyond & Impossible). We’re always on the lookout for a good Vegan spot to share with our friends who are vegan, so we wanted to give Spotless a try.
Bac’n Ranch (Alpha Chik Patty, Good Plant Pepper Jack Cheese, Bac’n):
This was my first time trying Alpha Chik protein. After taking a bite, the combination of Hamburger Bun, Lettuce, Ranch Sauce, melted Vegan Cheese, Bac’n and the Alpha Chik Patty, this tasted like a pretty solid “Chicken Sandwich”. While the Vegan Bacon (from Beleaf) won’t fool anyone into thinking it’s actual Pork Bacon, it has a crispy, crusty structure, it’s nicely salty, and is probably the best Vegan Bacon I’ve tried so far (not that I’ve tried that many).
The Alpha Chik Patty actually tastes more pleasant and less salty than some actual Fried Chicken Patties I’ve had at some hole-in-the-walls around town, which says a lot. 
Overall, it’s solid.
(Menu Hack) Spotless Fries, Sub Tater Tots (Spotless Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Good Plant American Cheese):
It was pretty cool that our order taker enthusiastically shared with us a Secret Menu item (one of her favorites) for this new Vegan spot: Order the Spotless Fries (essentially a Vegan Cheese Fries), but sub in Tater Tots for Fries. And?
It was delicious! 
At the heart of it are the Low Sodium, Vegan Tater Tots. These Potato chunks arrived piping hot, super crisp-crunchy on the outside, with soft potatoey insides. Then, the Spotless Sauce (sort of like a less tangy Thousand Island), but it’s the Caramelized Onions and fantastic super melty, gooey Vegan Cheese that seals the deal! This is seriously some of the best Cheesy Tater Tots I’ve ever had, and they happen to be Vegan.
Caribbean Gourmet
But the biggest surprise of Blossom Market Hall would have to be Caribbean Gourmet. Helmed by Chef Yonette Alleyne and her family. Yonette hails from Guyana, but her menu at Caribbean Gourmet spans recipes around the Caribbean, things she’s enjoyed cooking and eating growing up in that region.
Vegan Curry & Roti:
Chatting with our order taker (who turned out to be Yonette’s daughter), she highly recommended the Vegan Curry & Roti (you can also order it with Rice & Peas). Taking a bite:
An explosion of flavor! There’s so much depth of flavors and spices, the Stewed Carrots, Cauliflower, Peas, Potatoes and Squash are slowly stewed for hours in Chef Yonette’s family recipe. Notes of Thyme, Turmeric, Cumin, Garlic and more layers surface. It is unlike any of the usual Curry dishes I’ve had locally. It is delicious.
The accompanying Chickpeas are cooked down to a soft texture, but still has enough structural density to give a nice bite. Also flavorful and noteworthy.
Handmade Roti:
Then you pick up the Handmade Roti (made in-house, multiple times a day by Chef Yonette and her family) and tear off a small piece. The Roti itself is incredible. So soft, airy, fluffy, delicate. Taking a bite with the Vegan Curry or the Chickpeas and you have joy!
Oxtail Stew:
But the dish that is a can’t miss is Chef Yonette’s Jamaican Oxtail Stew. She cheerfully shares that while she’s from Guyana, her Oxtail Stew is a Jamaican recipe she picked up, not Guyanese. The Stewed Oxtails are stunning:
Tender, meaty, luscious. Chef Yonette mentions Allspice as a key ingredient but the rest is her secret recipe. Eating it with some of the Coconut Rice and Kidney Beans and you have an beautiful tropical comfort food dish that makes you feel at home, and also sitting in the tropics, relaxing and enjoying greatness at the same time. So good!
2nd Visit:
Chef Yonette’s cooking was so good, we made a 2nd visit to Blossom Market Hall just to visit Caribbean Gourmet again.
Jerk Chicken:
Caribbean Gourmet’s Jerk Chicken turns out to be another standout dish. Super flavorful, tender, juicy Grilled Chicken meat, there’s Allspice, a nice kick of heat from the Scotch Bonnet Chilies, something Christmas-y, Nutmeg perhaps? It is beautiful and so delicious with the Rice & Peas.
The Fried Plantains and Cabbage are a wonderful complement to this dish. We devoured this.
Jamaican Beef Patty:
Chef Yonette also makes a variety of Jamaican Patties in-house, every day. While the word “Patty” may cause some confusion for those of us in the U.S. who are thinking of something like a Burger Patty (disc of meat), the Jamaican Beef Patty is a Housemade Pastry filled with Sauteed Marinated Ground Beef (they also have Turkey, Chicken and Vegetarian versions as well).
The Handmade Pastries are flaky, and gives way to another flavorful infusion of herbs & spices with the Marinated Ground Beef. Delicious!
Oxtail Stew:
I had to order their Jamaican Oxtail Stew again on this 2nd visit, just to make sure of the consistency, and that our 1st visit wasn’t a fluke. Taking a bite:
Even better than the 1st visit! 
Truly succulent, meaty, tender, fatty, but also plenty of lean and tender Stewed Oxtail meat. Wow. The Allspice and her other secret ingredients lend an interesting flavor to every bite, and there’s a masterful control of heat with the Scotch Bonnet Chilies. Note that Scotch Bonnet Chilies rate around 100,000 - 350,000 Scoville Units according to Wikipedia, while Jalapeno Peppers are usually about 2,500 - 8,000 Scoville Units. For the Oxtail Stew to have this gentle heat that rises, and just caresses the palate, without overwhelming is just another example of why Chef Yonette’s version is so good. it’s just the best type of comfort food with some of her Coconut & Red Bean Rice. Highlight of the entire Blossom Market Hall! (@ipsedixit @ElsieDee @BradFord @paranoidgarliclover @js76wisco and all!)
The Fried Plantains and Cabbage are a great foil to the rich Oxtail Stew.
Blossom Market Hall is ostensibly a mixed bag of food vendor offerings. It’s nice to see many new offerings appear, and I wish them all success. For discerning food lovers, some of the food stalls are probably not worth a long drive for (e.g., Burnt Belly’s BBQ is passable at best), but there are some standouts.
Angel & Mason is a nice, casual Beer & Wine Bar where you can enjoy a variety of local microbreweries on tap. If you’re craving some solid Birria de Res (Stewed Shredded Beef) Tacos and are in the area, La Olla Cocina makes a good version. Cafe Et Cetera makes a tasty Jian Bing (Chinese Breakfast Crepe). And don’t be turned off by Spotless Burgers’ Vegan menu. Their Bac’n Ranch Alpha Chik Burger is fine, but their Secret Menu item of Spotless Fries with Tater Tots instead of Fries is excellent!
Lastly, if you can only get one thing, don’t miss out on Caribbean Gourmet. Chef Yonette Alleyne and her family are bringing soulful, nourishing, delicious comfort food from her recipes from Guyana, Jamaica and other places around the Caribbean. The Jerk Chicken, Jamaican Beef Patties are great. Her Vegan Curry with Handmade Roti (that she makes in-house every day) is outstanding! I could eat that all the time and be happy. But definitely don’t miss her Jamaican Oxtail Stew. It is my dream comfort food, so lush and unctuous and just happiness on a plate. Be on the lookout for some of her Guyanese Specials that appear from time-to-time as well.
Overall, looking a little bit deeper, Blossom Market Hall has some nice food stalls worth a visit, and is a welcome addition to folks in the area and who visit the San Gabriel Valley often.
(Note: Be sure to check each individual food vendor’s sub-page (on the website below) for hours. Most are there Wednesday - Sunday.)
Blossom Market Hall
264 S. Mission Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
https://www.blossommarkethall.com/
Update 1:
We heard about Caribbean Gourmet’s new Specials and knew it was time for a revisit!
Manduyo (Revisit)
First, a revisit to Manduyo, which despite the name consistently never had Mandu (Korean Dumplings) on the menu most of the time(!). (They basically said that their kitchen was too small and they couldn’t store enough Mandu, so they only made a small batch and it was sold on Fridays for Lunch (and gone for the rest of the week)).
But, on this visit, they revamped their organization / workflow somehow, and they are now offering Mandu all week. Neat.
They have 2 types of Mandu (Beef Bulgogi or Spicy Pork).
Spicy Pork Mandu (Korean Dumplings):
Despite the cute box label, our server says they only offer 2 types of Mandu currently.
These Handmade Dumplings were fine. A medium-thick Dumpling skin, the Spicy Pork filling was only lightly spicy (which was fine), and decently marinated. The Chili Sauce on top was actually more sweet than spicy, and the whole effect resulted in a sweetish, savory, spicy Mandu, which wasn’t that satisfying.
Caribbean Gourmet (Revisit)
Oxtail Stew:
As mouth-watering succulent as the first 2 times we tried this dish! Luscious, meaty Stewed Oxtails, the fragrant Coconut Rice & Red Beans, and Chef Yonette Alleyne’s personal recipe. Incredible!
(Special) Goat Curry Plate:
The main reason for our visit, Chef-Owner Yonette was cooking up a Special today, her Guyanese and Jamaican family recipe for Goat Curry! There are notes of Allspice, but the rest is her family recipe secret. It’s stunningly complex. She makes her Goat Curry from scratch, and the flavors are like no other Curry I’ve ever had.
The Stewed Goat meat was tender, gamy, and meaty. There was a nice heat from her Scotch Bonnet Chilies, and it was the most interesting Curry I’ve had in years.
The Fried Plantains were sweet, earthy, and just a great accompaniment to the rest of the plate.
Callaloo:
The surprise was Chef Yonette importing in legit, authentic Callaloo from a source in Jamaica! “Callaloo” refers to both the dish name, and the Vegetable itself in the dish. Some local Caribbean places use Spinach or other types of veggies that are easier to source here in the U.S., but for this Special, Chef Yonette found an importer that carried actual Callaloo Vegetables.
The taste is earthy. It tastes like you’re on a farm, earth, dirt (not like Catfish or Tilapia, but in that vein), rich green vegetal notes, a grounded herbal note. We were really glad to have been able to try it and her recipe for it.
(Special) Brown Stew Chicken Plate:
But the 2nd Special that Chef Alleyne was running this visit turned out to be even more of a surprise:
Brown Stew Chicken! Which Chef Yonette said is popular in Jamaica, but her recipe is more of a general Caribbean-style, as it’s popular in other areas around the Caribbean as well. This was a Tomato-based Stew, which makes it stand out from the rest of her menu. There were layers of flavors here (maybe Thyme, Garlic, Onions?, and many spices) that all combined together to make it outstanding!
The Brown Stew Chicken itself was tender, moist, juicy and her Caribbean recipe permeated every bite. It was satisfying comfort food, like the best Chicken Stew you’ve had in recent memory, wrapping you up in a big hug. Just delicious food!
As much as I loved Chef Yonette’s Guyana Goat Curry, her Caribbean Brown Stew Chicken might’ve been even better. She also mentioned she’ll try making a special of her Guyanese Pepperpot soon(!). I can’t wait.
Caribbean Gourmet
(At the Blossom Market Hall)
264 S. Mission Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
