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"what to eat? how to eat?"this seems to be the soul-searching question that every chinese stomach has to face when traveling around the world. even the most tolerant chinese stomach, after days of pizza, steak, and fine dining, probably needs the comfort of a hot pot meal.

of course, the current overseas chinese food is no longer what it used to be. it not only has the traditional flavor of chinatown, but alsothe new generation of asian chefs’ dishes are in line with international standards.it is not difficult for a chinese stomach to find "cultural confidence" overseas.

potong general pharmacy 📍bangkok

but when we look at the changes in chinese food in different periods through the filter of "culture", we can see that "eastern food spreads to the west", and also reflect the different generations.the lives of chinese catering people overseas and their little world.

next time you travel around the world, feel free to bring your chinese stomach with you and let it take you on a journey of "food culture".

01

China Town

how many people are entrusted with chinatown?

overwhelmed by homesickness

chinatown is a fascinating place. it is not only a community and a place for early immigrants to make a living, but also ait is the best place for international students to relieve their homesickness.the 5-pound lanzhou ramen in london’s chinatown not only has warm soup that heals the chinese stomach, but more importantly, it is affordable.

unsplash@Marc Kleen

when we become travelers, chinatown can be used not only as a place to eat, but also as a time machine for doraemon.the following chinatowns each have their own unique flavor and contemporary style.

bangkok chinatown: gold shops and carts everywhere

the most classic shooting angle of bangkok's chinatown is the colorful shop signs and neon lights at night. under the delicious food, there are alsothe story of chinese immigrants' struggle two centuries ago。

unsplash@Sana H

chinatown originally emerged as a commercial center, where early chinese immigrants opened food stalls, handicraft shops and trading shops, gradually forming an area with concentrated commercial activities.

in chinatown in bangkok,fujianese is a very classic label.for example, i ate fuzhou specialty snacks such as guobian there, and was instantly amazed by their authenticity.

unsplash@phatthanan tuppocha

in addition to classic chinese snacks, you can also see them in bangkok chinatownmany gold shopsthis has a lot to do with the chinese culture of liking to wear gold jewelry.

recommended itinerary:the stories of chinatown are, of course, more interesting when told by the locals themselves. take the private walking tour of bangkok chinatown on klook, where you can spend a day listening to the locals tell their stories, which is much more in-depth than just walking around on your own.

flushing, new york: frozen old times

if i were to say which chinese community gave me the greatest cultural shock, it would be flushing in queens, new york. different from the hong kong style of chinatown in the center of manhattan,flushing brings you the pure shock of a chinese city.

photo | jiayan

when i first visited here seven years ago, based on my fujianese genes, i accurately identified it with the urban style of fuzhou in the early 21st century.the buildings seem to have traveled back to the fuzhou city of that time.you can even see many of the same restaurant chain brands as those in fuzhou. these fuzhou-based restaurants have gone overseas before leaving the province.

photo | jiayan

singapore's chinatown: keeping up with the times in a cultural melting pot

compared with the old-fashioned and traditional bangkok and new york chinatown, singapore has a social feature that fully integrates western and eastern cultures.chinatown cuisine has also kept pace with the times.amoy street is lined with bistros that combine diverse cuisine and culture, as well as exquisite cafes and bars.

photo | jiayan

for example, native, which is both a restaurant and a bar, is good atwestern food frameandmalay and indonesianthe combination of fusion cuisine allows us to taste familiar asian flavors in an unfamiliar western dining environment. this allows us to take an extra step in our exploration of gourmet food, guided by the flavors.

photo | jiayan

xiamen street, as its name suggests, was a gathering place for chinese immigrants in the early years. it was named after the chinese community in the early 19th century.most of them are from xiamen, fujian province, chinait was also one of the important gathering places for the early chinese community in singapore.

recommended itinerary:a very rich and fulfilling itinerary, with local guides telling historical stories based on their personal experiences, which was very exciting and gave us a deep understanding of the experiences of the chinese people working overseas. the itinerary also included lunch, which was enjoyed in one of the oldest places in singapore.

02

the more resourceful chinese stomach,

finding security in vietnamese food.

if we trace back vietnam’s history, we can find a lot of political and cultural exchanges with china.therefore, chinese stomachs can easily find resonance in vietnamese cuisine.for example, soup noodles, spring rolls, etc., have many similarities with our daily diet.

at the same time, vietnam is also a country that was colonized by france.you can also find a lot of french influences in its cuisine.for example, how to make clarified beef soup and how to use western spices.

unsplash@Lightscape

vietnamese cuisine also flows with the global population, just like our chinatown. our predecessors who went abroad were closely united in a corner of chinatown due to language barriers or cultural differences, but also because of this,they have preserved the ancient taste of traditional food.perhaps it tastes more authentic than what you can find in china right now.

with curiosity about "authentic culture", if you encounter areas where vietnamese communities gather in overseas countries, next time you can not only use it as a dining option for your chinese stomach, but it will also be an interesting culinary and cultural exploration.

paris 13th arrondissement: it is said that the best pho in the world is in paris

the 13th arrondissement of paris is known for itssignificant asian communitythe vietnamese community in this area is very popular, which naturally brings rich culture and cuisine.

you can find it in vietnamese restaurants, food stalls and food shops on the main streets and squares.authentic vietnamese cuisine, such as vietnamese rice noodles, spring rolls, french banh mi and vietnamese coffee, for example, "pho 14" is on many tourists' must-see list.

Usplash@Ulysse Pointcheval

besides food, vietnamese culture is also reflected in the streets and architecture of this area.street art and murals often feature traditional vietnamese motifs and stories.we can also find out the development of the vietnamese community in this area.

at the same time, vietnamese communities still retain traditional religious and community activities, such as temples and community activities, which are an important link between community members.

melbourne sunshine community: growth of the immigrant community

compared with the clear "vietnamese community" label in the 13th arrondissement of paris, melbourne's sunshine community is much more diverse as a post-war asian immigrant community.it is a fusion of immigrants and descendants from many asian countries including vietnam, india, and the philippines.

Usplash@David Clarke

here, in addition to asian restaurants,there is also a rich and colorful culture on the streets that is worth exploring and experiencing.for example, on important festivals such as the chinese new year, indian festivals and vietnamese new year, various celebrations and performances are held in the community, attracting local australians and tourists from different backgrounds to participate in the experience.

03

eastern food spreads to the west.

asian cuisine in an east-west context

all have reached next level

as mentioned earlier, singapore’s chinatown keeps pace with the times.asian cuisine is no longer just an immigrant cuisine in the global context.it is also a hot commodity in the fine dining industry. whether it is in the michelin or best 50 list, asian fusion has become a popular concept in the international catering industry.

Usplash@Poul Hoang

for our diners,asian fusion is a nice middle groundwhether it is the ingredients, tastes or cooking methods that we are familiar with, we find a sense of familiarity in these western-style meals, which also helps us enter the narrative of western food and broaden the tolerance of our appetite.

using the following two outstanding players as examples, i hope that my next trip will bring me more food inspiration.

restaurant tim raue 📍berlin

western chefs discover asian fusion cuisine

this is a restaurant named after tim raue himself.it carries tim's own understanding and interpretation of asian cuisine.tim has shown his asian food journey in netflix's "chef's table" and explored the possibilities of expressing various asian food ingredients in western cuisine.

Photo | Chef's Table

in restaurant tim raue, you can also seepeking duckandwasabi langoustineasian cuisine, etc., may still seem to us to be chinese food with certain stereotypes, but it can be said that it was western chefs who began to experiment with asian fusion cuisine very early on, and brought asian fusion cuisine to the attention of the world's catering context.

from the official ins

potong general pharmacy 📍bangkok

a chinese female chef transformed her old pharmacy into a fine dining restaurant

after watching westerners cook asian dishes, in the current international fashion context,how do orientals cook their own dishes?

from the official website

potong is a new and popular fine dining restaurant located deep in chinatown.not only is it ranked among asia's best 50, it is also a michelin one-star restaurant.at the same time, it is even more difficult to make a reservation than many other restaurants on the list, and it basically takes 2-3 months in advance to make a reservation.

however, their bar opium on the top floor of the "pharmacy" is very easy to make reservations, and you can also order restaurant snacks at the bar. if the fine dining experience is not in your schedule, you might as well try the bar experience, which is equally good!

why is it so popular? this restaurant has too many labels:asian immigrant female chef, ancestral pharmacythe restaurant was renovated from a five-story townhouse, and the entire meal will be spent in different spaces. the entire meal will be both an experience of chinese food stories and an immersive chinatown family history.

from the official website

when dining here, first taste homemade kombucha at the bar on the first floor, then take the elevator to the fourth floor. the various sausages and spices hanging on the ground floor create the atmosphere of a traditional dry goods store. the waiter will also serve grilled sausage slices and pan-fried carrot cakes.it is exquisite yet has the familiar taste of chinese cuisine.

photo | jiayan

the menu includes 20 dishes, which reflect chef pam’s understanding of chinese cuisine:“salt, acid, spice, taste and the maillard reaction”, presenting dishes in a storytelling way that is more familiar to westerners, and mixing flavors in the way that is most familiar to orientals.

Photo | [email protected]

it looks like fine dining, but everything belongs to us.taste buds safe zone, a new generation of asian chefs have expressed the idea of ​​"eastern food going west".

a new generation of oriental chefs has already made their mark in the international context, but are the appetites of the world’s citizens ready?