Last night I dreamed I devoured a snake. I had slow-roasted it, like a pig on a spit, split it down the middle and scooped out its steaming flesh with my fingers.  As I lay in bed contemplating the oddity of my slithering supper, it hit me: It's the Year Of The Snake.

Ancient Chinese lore states that a snake in the house ensures your family won't starve. To guarantee you won't go hungry for Chinese cooking, let's take a trip to the largest Chinese-American community in the U.S.

Just 20 miles from L.A., the San Gabriel Valley isn’t your cliché Chinatown: tourists, tchotchkes and a towering, dragon gate.  It is China-Country--200 square miles of authentic eats.