Mas' Islamic Chinese Restaurant

One of my favorite restaurants in LA isn't actually in LA.  It's in Anaheim, which, despite what the Angels would have you believe, is not Los Angeles.  Traveling from LA to Anaheim can be a painful, traffic ridden nightmare, but Mas' Islamic Chinese Restaurant is worth the drive.

Before I go any further with this post, I should note that Mas' isn't a Xinjiang restaurant.  (Xinjiang is a region in China inhabited by Uyghurs, who are traditionally Muslim, and who have a fantastic cuisine that I'll save for a future post.)

The main differences between Mas' and non-Islamic Chinese restaurants are:
1. The food is halal.
2. There is no pork on the menu.  (see 1.)
3. The menu has a section for lamb.
4. You can order bread instead of rice.

In many ways, Mas' is just a very good version of a standard American Chinese restaurant, with offerings that should be familiar to anyone who has ever had Chinese food.  But it's the differences that make it worth the drive.

You'll understand what I mean if you go there and order:

Knife Cut (Dough Sliced) noodles - it's like lo mein, but about a billion times better, with thick noodles that are truly satisfying to bite into.  I dream about these noodles.

Stir-fry Leek with Five Spiced Beef - if you're not Chinese, your waiter probably won't let you order this dish.  Not at first, anyway.  He'll try to talk you into ordering Orange Chicken, or some other unchallenging dish that Americans are supposed to prefer.  Insist on the five spiced beef.  If you're not familiar with the Chinese five spice mixture, the flavors might be different from anything else you've ever tasted, and sort of strong, but most people I've gone to Mas' with have loved this dish, and no matter how much we've overordered, there haven't been five spiced beef leftovers.

Moo Shu Lamb - lamb makes for excellent moo shu, and the the portion size is pretty awesome: eight burrito sized pancakes, plus an extra plate of leftover moo shu.

Sesame Bread with Green Onion - one of the best things about Islamic Chinese food is that you can eat your food with bread instead of rice.  Not that there's anything wrong with rice, but Mas' sesame bread is pretty awesome- it's a flat bread, encrusted in sesame seeds and studded with green onions.  The bread comes in two styles: big and thin.  One order of either is easily enough for six people - possibly eight.  I always order both breads and I always end up with far too much.  Unless you're looking for leftovers, you may as well just order one.  Get the thin.
(A note to the onion phobic: the bread can also be ordered without green onion.)

Also think about ordering:
Lamb with Pickled Cabbage - the waiter will probably try to talk you out of ordering this one, too, but it's very good, and has a nice acidity that cuts through some of the heavier flavors.

And I hear the Beef Noodle Soup is very good, but I haven't tried it yet.


I would probably avoid ordering anything that you can find at any other Chinese restaurant.  Mas' versions are fine, but nothing special.  For example, the honey walnut shrimp are fine (and people on yelp rave about them), but I've had better closer.  If you're going to drive that far (I'm assuming that most of my readership lives outside the Anaheim environs), the food had better be special.

Also worth noting before you make the trek: while I haven't had any problems, I've heard that if you show up in shorts and a tank top (or other revealing clothes), that you might get sent away.  It is a halal restaurant after all.

The portions are fairly large, and the prices are very reasonable.  Bring a group (6 - 8 people would be ideal - try to make reservations first, because it gets busy), and expect to pay less than $20 per person (including tip) for more food than you could possibly eat.

And if anyone wants to carpool, let me know.

601 E. Orangethorpe Ave.  Anaheim, CA 92801
714-446-9553