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Before the end of the 1980's, Chinatown was packed with people and was one of the prime destinations for a night out. Tons of people, massive energy. A lot like Westwood was in the 1980's before things there went downhill.
However, since about 1985, I guess, Chinatown has gotten worse and worse and to the point where today, not nearly the kind of pedestrian traffic during the day and by then the nightlife was just about dead.
The irony is that the Chinese population there has greatly decreased. Most people there are Vietnamese. As for the huge Asian population in the SGV: overwhelmingly Vietnamese. The Chinese here have been overshadowed by the more recent Asian immigrants NOT from China.
Even the Chinese have moved on from Chinatown and represent a tiny minority of the Asian population here in the LA area with Koreans having taken what was Mid-Wilshire, now Wilshire Center, and adjoining Koreatown that didn't even exist as an official district until the 1980's. But the Koreans also have spread out the few decades to places like Sunny Hills in Fullerton and neighboring La Habra: Korea for the north OC. No Chinese. Although they open "Chinese" restaurants with disastrous results.
There are still some great food to be had in Chinatown, but one has to know where they are. And one up-side to the fall of Chinatown is that once impossible parking, is not available and not too badly priced with many restaurants picking up 100% of the cost with validation.
BTW, the current Chinatown was LA's Italian section. Dario's Deli and Little Joe's was still there in the 1980's, but finally closed by the 1990's. Chinatown was also a prime lunch spot for city, county, and state employees and many people serving on juries as well as some of the rich folk from the tall towers downtown.
Sad to see it today. It would be nice if we could regain the hustle and bustle and strong vibe it once had. People couldn't even get into the restaurants there. Sometimes an HOUR wait. Believe it or not, sometimes when we considered eating in Chinatown in those days, it was always with some apprehension because parking was a challenge and some places required reservations we might not get seated for a very long time. Those were the days.
As for the huge Asian population in the SGV: overwhelmingly Vietnamese. The Chinese here have been overshadowed by the more recent Asian immigrants NOT from China.
i disagree. the san gabriel valley has had a massive influx of immigrants from mainland china since the late '90s; these people are the primary reason for the huge surge in the SGV's asian population. if you look at the city-by-city census statistics for the suburban cities already mentioned - alhambra, monterey park, san gabriel, san marino, arcadia, rowland heights, etc - you'll see that the great majority of asians in these areas are chinese.
also, many of the vietnamese in the SGV (such as in rosemead and el monte) are actually ethnic chinese. and even if you were to count these vietnamese chinese as being separate from the mainland chinese/taiwanese/cantonese, they'd still be dwarfed in comparison. the biggest vietnamese enclave in socal remains little saigon in north orange county: westminster/garden grove with adjacent cities like fountain valley also gaining a large viet population in recent years.
to be honest, i think filipinos are the second-best represented asian group in the SGV, due to a few large concentrations in places like west covina and moderate numbers in many other SGV cities, which adds up to a pretty high total.
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Even the Chinese have moved on from Chinatown and represent a tiny minority of the Asian population here in the LA area
there are roughly 500K chinese in the LA CSA (almost 25% of the asian total), which makes them the most-represented asian ethnic group in the region, with filipinos a very close second. this figure doesn't even count the numerous undocumented chinese immigrants, which would undoubtedly inflate these numbers even more. either way, the chinese in the LA area greatly outnumber koreans, vietnamese, japanese, indians, thai, cambodians, and all other asian ethnic groups in the region other than filipinos.
i think there are two reasons why the chinese population in the region might be underestimated by some people:
1) so many chinese in the LA area live in the suburbs and not in LA proper
2) because koreatown is so much larger and more prominent than the official chinatown, it seems like there are more koreans than chinese, when in fact that isn't the case. ktown takes up such a large amount of space in the center of the city that as a result, koreans enjoy a higher profile as the "dominant LA asian group" despite their actual numbers being less than chinese and filipinos and about the same as vietnamese.
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But the Koreans also have spread out the few decades to places like Sunny Hills in Fullerton and neighboring La Habra: Korea for the north OC. No Chinese. Although they open "Chinese" restaurants with disastrous results.
plenty of chinese (and filipinos) in fullerton and other cities in north OC, although koreans are certainly the best represented asian group in fullerton. as for your last sentence, are you referring to korean-style chinese cuisine? i'll admit that it's an acquired taste, but if you grew up eating it like i did, then you might consider it "delicious" rather than "disastrous".
i disagree. the san gabriel valley has had a massive influx of immigrants from mainland china since the late '90s; these people are the primary reason for the huge surge in the SGV's asian population. if you look at the city-by-city census statistics for the suburban cities already mentioned - alhambra, monterey park, san gabriel, san marino, arcadia, rowland heights, etc - you'll see that the great majority of asians in these areas are chinese.
also, many of the vietnamese in the SGV (such as in rosemead and el monte) are actually ethnic chinese. and even if you were to count these vietnamese chinese as being separate from the mainland chinese/taiwanese/cantonese, they'd still be dwarfed in comparison. the biggest vietnamese enclave in socal remains little saigon in north orange county: westminster/garden grove with adjacent cities like fountain valley also gaining a large viet population in recent years.
to be honest, i think filipinos are the second-best represented asian group in the SGV, due to a few large concentrations in places like west covina and moderate numbers in many other SGV cities, which adds up to a pretty high total.
there are roughly 500K chinese in the LA CSA (almost 25% of the asian total), which makes them the most-represented asian ethnic group in the region, with filipinos a very close second. this figure doesn't even count the numerous undocumented chinese immigrants, which would undoubtedly inflate these numbers even more. either way, the chinese in the LA area greatly outnumber koreans, vietnamese, japanese, indians, thai, cambodians, and all other asian ethnic groups in the region other than filipinos.
i think there are two reasons why the chinese population in the region might be underestimated by some people:
1) so many chinese in the LA area live in the suburbs and not in LA proper
2) because koreatown is so much larger and more prominent than the official chinatown, it seems like there are more koreans than chinese, when in fact that isn't the case. ktown takes up such a large amount of space in the center of the city that as a result, koreans enjoy a higher profile as the "dominant LA asian group" despite their actual numbers being less than chinese and filipinos and about the same as vietnamese.
plenty of chinese (and filipinos) in fullerton and other cities in north OC, although koreans are certainly the best represented asian group in fullerton. as for your last sentence, are you referring to korean-style chinese cuisine? i'll admit that it's an acquired taste, but if you grew up eating it like i did, then you might consider it "delicious" rather than "disastrous".
I don't know about korean-style chinese cuisine, but I know that korean-style Vietnamese cuisine is disastrous. They need to leave it to the Vietnamese to make good food rather than the Koreans trying to make a quick buck....Did someone say PhoCiti? Blech!
I don't know about korean-style chinese cuisine, but I know that korean-style Vietnamese cuisine is disastrous. They need to leave it to the Vietnamese to make good food rather than the Koreans trying to make a quick buck....Did someone say PhoCiti? Blech!
totally agree. korean-style viet is a new fad that developed over the past few years and has become really popular in korean enclaves across the u.s. (not just in LA).
seriously though, it needs to go away, as it is absolutely wretched. i'd rather drive down to OC to get real viet cuisine than to eat the korean-made dreck masquerading as viet food in ktown.
korean-style chinese is a totally different animal, though. it's a type of preparation that was introduced by shandong (northern) chinese immigrants to korea 100 years ago and has become a popular subcuisine in its own right. unlike korean-style viet food, which is nothing more than koreans trying to capitalize on the popularity of pho and spring rolls by badly rendering authentic viet dishes for a korean palate, korean-style chinese was actually created and perfected by ethnic chinese living in korea. these people not only understood the intricacies of their own cuisine, but also the korean palate, and consequently developed a modified hybrid cuisine that successfully melded the different styles.
totally agree. korean-style viet is a new fad that developed over the past few years and has become really popular in korean enclaves across the u.s. (not just in LA).
seriously though, it needs to go away, as it is absolutely wretched. i'd rather drive down to OC to get real viet cuisine than to eat the korean-made dreck masquerading as viet food in ktown.
korean-style chinese is a totally different animal, though. it's a type of preparation that was introduced by shandong (northern) chinese immigrants to korea 100 years ago and has become a popular subcuisine in its own right. unlike korean-style viet food, which is nothing more than koreans trying to capitalize on the popularity of pho and spring rolls by badly rendering authentic viet dishes for a korean palate, korean-style chinese was actually created and perfected by ethnic chinese living in korea. these people not only understood the intricacies of their own cuisine, but also the korean palate, and consequently developed a modified hybrid cuisine that successfully melded the different styles.
Pretty much.
Jja Jang Myun and Jjam Pong noodles along with Tang Soo Yook is definitely not disastrous, although it's hard to find a place that makes it well. Drooool.
Pretty much. Jja Jang Myun and Jjam Pong noodles along with Tang Soo Yook is definitely not disastrous, although it's hard to find a place that makes it well. Drooool.
Chinatown can use some revitalization... A lot businesses were in Chinatown for over 100 such as Little Joe's Dario's Italian deli. the city came into many businesses forcing upgrades to the buildings and bringing everything up to city code . costing The business property owners so much money and putting them out of business so this is what you have to deal with today good city council members ... now you drive up Broadway the buildings are empty. Nice job.. Now you want cry! why the city streets are empty and nobody shops and goes out to dine. Even Lincoln Heights known as little Italy.. That was some of the greatest Italian restaurants. Southern California had to offer City council members have managed to push everybody out I think it might be better if the city was to help businesses relocate. In my opinion.. would you like to go out to Burger King for a nice hamburger..
Last edited by Pulizzoito; 12-02-2015 at 02:08 PM..
There has been a lot of activity in Chinatown in the past few years. The large Jia Apartments finished next to the dragon gate. Next to Jia is a new temple/association center. A large apartment up the hill finished. The Blossom Plaza under construction across the Gold Line is almost done and will allow people coming off the Gold line to enter directly onto the shops at the Plaza. There is a small office building nearby the Gold Line just finished. This brick building near Won Kok is under construction. Also the work along Gallery alley. I also like the new Vhils art mural. Nearby, the State Park (Cornfields) is still under construction. There are proposals for more apartments for many hundreds across the Gold Line Station. Towards Downtown, there are plans to develop hundreds of apartments from Olvera Street up to the High School and freeway to Cesar Chavez. The turtle restaurant I think, was torn down at Hill/Ord across the library a while ago but now collects overgrown weeds.
Also this Chinatown is not too far from the nearest SGV chinese shopping center. I drove it this past summer. What is that little area in between called again? At some point I can see chinese moving into that area too, and basically connecting SGV with the old chinatown.
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