Asians in North Potomac/Rockville (Eden: DMV, restaurant, vs.)

[macroy]

Originally Posted by ion475

They still exist from Rockville to White Flint area or so on 355. That corridor remains the go-to place for authentic Chinese restaurants. Wheaton Asian businesses are more or less gone, though (other than that Jollibee).

Seems like (just from observation) that the area didn't really see a huge influx of northern mainland Chinese similar to places like LA or NYC, though - i.e. there's definitely nowhere the amount of Lanzhou noodles or Chongqing Hot Pot similar to places like Flushing or even Houston Chinatown (the one in Bellaire Blvd). The 1980s wave sounds about right as most of the immigrants to US back then are from HK, Taiwan, and southern China (Guangdong).

Yes, there are still some. But nothing like it was back then, IMO. Maybe it's more just nostalgia vs. reality. But there were staples of restaurants that were there for 20 or so years. There were a bunch that came and went as well. Far East, China Garden (Which I remember when it was originally located in Downtown Bethesda), A&J, and Bob's Shanghai are really the only ones that I'd consider the "originals". And even then, A&J and Bob's weren't there until later.

House of Chinese Gourmet, Hunan Palace, Hunan, Four Rivers, Taipei-Tokyo, etc. These were the other places that are no longer around. These were places where you always ran into other families when you're there.

As for the influx - It makes sense that LA, NYC, SFO (and Seattle) are more the immigration hot spots as they are right on the flight routes and have more established support systems. Going to Monterey Park back in the day was almost like going back to Taipei. Wheaton was always where we'd go for dim sum or Cantonese (Far East was def. not originally a Cantonese restaurant). So I'm wondering if perhaps folks from Taiwan tended to settle in Rockville and HK more in Wheaton area?

I will say - there are more "street" eats places these days with noodle houses, bubble tea shops, etc. and not to mention "The Spot" in Rockville.

Hm... maybe I'm just getting old and can't let go of the past

[ion475]

Originally Posted by macroy

As for the influx - It makes sense that LA, NYC, SFO (and Seattle) are more the immigration hot spots as they are right on the flight routes and have more established support systems. Going to Monterey Park back in the day was almost like going back to Taipei. Wheaton was always where we'd go for dim sum or Cantonese (Far East was def. not originally a Cantonese restaurant). So I'm wondering if perhaps folks from Taiwan tended to settle in Rockville and HK more in Wheaton area?

Going to Rowland Heights nowaday still feels like going to Taipei. The population even in Greater LA are shifting more to Irvine, though .

(I know...have relatives that lives in Alhambra, and one that move to Irvine).

Rockville itself is definitely more "Little Taipei", though - even Bob's Shanghai is more Taiwanese style Xiaolongbao (i.e. closer to Din Tai Fung than Nanxiang Bun Shop in Shanghai).

Funny that you mentioned "The Spot" - which is supposedly open by a HKer .

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by ion475

Running ACS2020 data (Since the ACS2021 one is not really complete):
........................

What does the abbrevation ACS stand for? Is it related to the US Census? Is the identification based on birthplace or language spoken at home? I am just curious where these useful figures can from.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Originally Posted by ion475

LOL it's a far, far cry from SGV. Cities like Monterey Park is like what? 60% Asian (40% Chinese)? Rockville Pike doesn't even come close to Valley Blvd from I-710 to Rosemead Blvd or so.

Even Ellicott City or Annandale VA with all the Koreans (population and business) there is a far cry from LA's Koreatown or 32nd St in Manhattan.

I wrote "is turning into". Even the SGV at some point started out as mostly white people. Asians slowly trickled in as the whites people left.

Unless the Chinese population in MoCo has pretty much stabilized and been at the 20% for a long while now. Then yes, it will not become an SGV.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

I dont know why I never visited this area growing up. I have relatives in DC, and my family would often take trips to DC. We always ate in what was left of the DC Chinatowns. Never did we eat in these MoCo suburban Chinatowns. I mean I have been in the towns but only to the residential parts. I never ventured into the strip malls, and never saw any asian businesses.

[ion475]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

What does the abbrevation ACS stand for? Is it related to the US Census? Is the identification based on birthplace or language spoken at home? I am just curious where these useful figures can from.

American Community Survey...which came from Census Bureau.

The ethnicity came straight from Census form.
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blog...n-designs.html

There are certainly birthplace data which will tell you whether people are 1st generation immigrants or 2nd/3rd/etc, and language data as well.

Of course, keep in mind that the number are not 100% exact - but it does provide a good picture of demographics.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by ion475

Going to Rowland Heights nowaday still feels like going to Taipei. The population even in Greater LA are shifting more to Irvine, though .

(I know...have relatives that lives in Alhambra, and one that move to Irvine).

Rockville itself is definitely more "Little Taipei", though - even Bob's Shanghai is more Taiwanese style Xiaolongbao (i.e. closer to Din Tai Fung than Nanxiang Bun Shop in Shanghai).

Funny that you mentioned "The Spot" - which is supposedly open by a HKer .

Yup! That's what my brother (moved out there for college and stayed) said. It's spread to Rowland Heights, Arcadia, Chino Hills, etc.

My mom moved out to Newport Beach years ago - and when I go visit her, we usually just go to Irvine, hehe. It's too much of a pain to go towards LA.

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

I dont know why I never visited this area growing up. I have relatives in DC, and my family would often take trips to DC. We always ate in what was left of the DC Chinatowns. Never did we eat in these MoCo suburban Chinatowns. I mean I have been in the towns but only to the residential parts. I never ventured into the strip malls, and never saw any asian businesses.

Yea - the DC chinatown is pretty abysmal. We used to call it "China block". Tony Cheng's is pretty much the only place that we would make a special trip downtown for and that was in the 80/90's.

The most interesting thing about that area (IMHO) is that one of the buildings where a small carryout place (Wok n Roll) is now used to be the Boarding house of Mary Surratt. And it's said that John Wilkes Booth met with other conspirators there during the planning of the Lincoln Assassination.

[prospectheightsresident]

Originally Posted by macroy

Yup! That's what my brother (moved out there for college and stayed) said. It's spread to Rowland Heights, Arcadia, Chino Hills, etc.

My mom moved out to Newport Beach years ago - and when I go visit her, we usually just go to Irvine, hehe. It's too much of a pain to go towards LA.



Yea - the DC chinatown is pretty abysmal. We used to call it "China block". Tony Cheng's is pretty much the only place that we would make a special trip downtown for and that was in the 80/90's.

The most interesting thing about that area (IMHO) is that one of the buildings where a small carryout place (Wok n Roll) is now used to be the Boarding house of Mary Surratt. And it's said that John Wilkes Booth met with other conspirators there during the planning of the Lincoln Assassination.

I love China Boy on H Street in DC. I'll make a trip down there for that place. Agree that the area is sad as far as Chinese food on the whole goes today.

More on the OP, my spouse is Taiwanese and we love the Chinese cuisine in Rockville. Jin River (Szechuanese spot) is a particular favorite of ours. For hot pot, we eat at Hot Pot City. Love the food in the area, which I argue is reflective of the people in the area.

[ion475]

Originally Posted by prospectheightsresident

I love China Boy on H Street in DC. I'll make a trip down there for that place. Agree that the area is sad as far as Chinese food on the whole goes today.

More on the OP, my spouse is Taiwanese and we love the Chinese cuisine in Rockville. Jin River (Szechuanese spot) is a particular favorite of ours. For hot pot, we eat at Hot Pot City. Love the food in the area, which I argue is reflective of the people in the area.

There's Chinese food in DC "Chinatown"?

The only Chinatown thing about that area is that paifang, but that's it. Quite frankly unless you live within DC (and there are not even that many Chinese that lives within the DC limit) it's not even an convenient area.

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

I dont know why I never visited this area growing up. I have relatives in DC, and my family would often take trips to DC. We always ate in what was left of the DC Chinatowns. Never did we eat in these MoCo suburban Chinatowns. I mean I have been in the towns but only to the residential parts. I never ventured into the strip malls, and never saw any asian businesses.

Rockville Pike doesn't even feel much like a "Chinatown" though - it does have a number of good authentic Chinese (along with other Asian) restaurants but you definitely won't feel it.

Maybe it's the lack of Chinese signs on the name of the strip malls...Rockville Pike certainly doesn't have anything like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7047...7i16384!8i8192

(Houston "New" Chinatown in Bellaire Blvd)

But rather feels more like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.5894...7i16384!8i8192

(Sugar Land, TX...which is where all the Chinese professional lives in Houston area)

The latter even has a 99 Ranch, as Chinese as it can go - alongside quite a few Asian restaurants in that strip mall. But no, unless you know the area you wouldn't even notice as the strip malls look no different than the one just across the highway.

(I grew up in Sugar Land, which is why I know that area so well).

[prospectheightsresident]

Originally Posted by ion475

There's Chinese food in DC "Chinatown"?

The only Chinatown thing about that area is that paifang, but that's it. Quite frankly unless you live within DC (and there are not even that many Chinese that lives within the DC limit) it's not even an convenient area.

I'll gladly continue making the occasional trip to get some grub from China Boy: https://www.yelp.com/biz/china-boy-washington