If you were lucky enough to dine at Jamilla Garden in Tustin before it closed a few years ago, you will want to make the trek to Long Beach's Marketplace on Pacific Coast Highway. Tucked behind the United Artists Theater and a Twisted Kilt is the best Islamic Chinese food you'll find in Southern California. The reason: Nomad is owned by Linda Campillo, and her mom, Jamilla Ma—the Jamilla of Jamilla Garden—is the head chef. The menu is all halal, so no pork or alcohol, and many of the items are inspired by the family's ethnic Hui roots, so there is a distinctly Middle Eastern influence, none more obvious than the freshly baked sesame flatbread. All the food is fresh and handmade, including the noodles.
