An array of dim sum, above, and sticky rice in lotus leaves, top, at Elite.

THE QUESTION OF which restaurant makes the most superlative dim sum in the San Gabriel Valley will never have a static answer. Making the rounds is part of the fun. Elite debuted in Monterey Park in 2007. It has settled into the scenery over the years, not often the center of conversation, but on weekends the dim sum crowds are as clamorous as ever. The basics — plump har gow with delicate wrappers, siu mai that hold their shape elegantly, fragrant lotus-leaf-wrapped bundles of lo mai gai, baked barbecue pork bao with crackly domes — remain consistent and finely detailed. Diners order from a menu rather than selecting from carts; scan the sheet for hunks of spare ribs paired with cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls) twisted into corkscrew shapes and taro cakes pungent with conpoy. Dinner service is quiet to the point of seclusion.

• 700 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park, (626) 282-9998, eliterestaurantmp.com