Growing up in Los Angeles in the ’90s, Chinatown was that dodgy area near downtown that no one really wanted to go to — save for the forced field trip at school or an uneducated run for dim sum.
It wasn’t always like that. Chinatown used to be the center of Chinese American life. In 1933, a Chinese American man named Peter SooHoo Sr. rallied support and bought what is now Chinatown after the Chinese were kicked out of their homes a few blocks south. The new area became the first Chinese enclave in the country to be planned and owned by Chinese Americans. They hired Hollywood film set designers to create the whole thing. The result: an extremely kitschy version of Shanghai. Flash forward to the 1980s, when the immigration floodgates opened. Folks from Hong Kong and Taiwan started making their way to Los Angeles but bypassed the slums of central Los Angeles and opted for the suburbs. After all, they had more spending power than previous waves of Chinese immigrants. Chinatown began to lose its luster and in the ’90s things began to look somewhat hopeless. As recent as 2010, the Los Angeles Times declared the area “a virtual ghost town after dark.”
Honestly, it still is. But if you look closely and know where to go, you’ll spot the blips of emerging life. Chinatown is going to be big. Hip dining establishments are edging their way in. Independent art galleries are getting more ink. There are even a few solid watering holes — altogether a formula for gentrification and hipsters if there ever was one.
Yes, there’s still Chinese food around, but take our advice: The key to Chinatown is to skip the Chinese. Real Chinese cuisine is 20 minutes east in San Gabriel Valley — there’s simply no way around that fact. There are better options than Yang Chow and Empress Pavilion. Here’s a list of what is worth your time in Chinatown:
Far East Plaza: Hipster rice bowls, ice cream, pad Thai, and ramen
We have food-truck king Roy Choi to thank for the revitalization of Chinatown. He opened Chego herein April of 2013, slinging out Asianfied rice bowls and “ooey gooey” fries. The chubby pork belly is spiked with gochujang and balanced with spinach, basil, and broccoli. Pickled radishes are thrown in for that much-needed acidic element, and the Mexican influences of Choi are apparent with the cotija cheese dusting and salsa verde.
Taking a cue from Choi, a slew of sleek stores opened in the same plaza. Artisanal ice cream specialist Scoops signed on as a tenant in the same plaza serving flavors like bianco bread and butterscotch hazelnut. Then Portland Thai-food-centric restaurateur Andy Ricker got acquainted with the space. In December, he opened up Pok Pok Phat Thai. Think plates of pad Thai and pad see ew. The most recent newcomer is a darling, bold place known as Ramen Champ, where the chefs whip up brilliant bowls of thick tonkotsu ramen with a bright pink radish for garnish. Their chicken karaage is one of the best in town. It’s hot and crispy, but retains all the marvelous juices. And if you absolutely must have Chinese, Qin West Chinese Cuisine is a newish spot that has Guangxi and Shaanxi influences. There’s a hearty rice noodle soup with pickled vegetables from Guilin (a city in Guangxi) and liang pi — bouncy, extremely chewy wheat noodles flavored with chili oil and vinegar.
Chung King Road: Art galleries
Chinatown’s art galleries have been around for the past 15 years but they also have a notoriously high turnover rate. Currently, there’s Cause Gallery, whose selections rotate monthly and The Good Luck Gallery, where folk art is frequently featured. Fifth Floor is one of the most stimulating of the current selections, mainly because it’s half gallery and half boutique. Cutesy gadgets like fluorescent geodes and handmade baby rattles line the walls; they’re all available for purchase.
Cheap Tacos at Mexicali Taco & Co.
Mexicali is a tribute to northern Baja and cofounders Esdras Ochoa and Javier Fregoso are adamant about serving foods representative of that area. Crowd favorites are the Mexicali taco — harina or maiz tortilla stuffed with your choice of meat, and the vampiro, a crisp “quesadilla” infused with a special garlic sauce. And their Mexican Coke? Real sugar cane, actually made in Mexico, the real deal.
Home-Style Cambodian at Golden Lake Eatery
The facade of this eatery is a bit run-down. The new owners haven’t bothered with revitalization. However, the food is fantastic and well worth the price. Most items fall within the $5 to $7 range. Golden Lake Eatery specializes in Cambodian food and the bak kut teh is truly the best in town. Prioritize this as a lunch spot. There’s also a great lok lak — beef cubes that are tender and work well over a platter of jasmine rice.
Drinks at Melody Lounge
Melody is a lovely lounge with 24 craft beers on tap and DJs occasionally spinning rare vinyl. The place is appropriately decorated with glowing lanterns (a clear tribute to its locale) and happy hour is a sweet 5 to 9 p.m. Cash only.
