Red 99 Grill Bistro

Even on weekdays, a line of would-be diners can form well before opening time at this longtime Temple City mainstay. Red 99 specializes in Shanghainese cuisine but executes Sichuan, Cantonese and even Hunan-style dishes with surprising speed and technical finesse. Compared to other Shanghainese joints, the dishes here run on the oilier side, but the flavors still shine in staple dishes like soy-braised eel, stir-fried rice cakes, burnt scallion noodles and various stir-fried dishes made with luffa, a type of mellow gourd popular across much of Asia. An $11.99 all-day special includes Shanghai’s famous red braised pork belly, listed on the menu as “braised pork in brown sauce.” Interestingly enough, I saw several other diners ordering Cantonese specialties like steamed tilapia in sweetened soy sauce (“grill tilapia fish w/ green onion”) and Sichuan-style soups (“chili water boiled” items on the menu. No matter how you order, it seems, Red 99 will satisfy your craving. Just be sure to steel yourself for a wait if you can’t arrive early; the restaurant opens at 11:30am for lunch and 5pm for dinner.