Did you know Houston has a Chinatown? Never dawned on me during the half a dozen times I’ve visited here. After all Houston is the land of street tacos and smoked meat. When in Houston, eat Texas-size like you’re shooting for the moon. Then there’s Chinatown.
It’s not your typical Chinatown here. There’s no bright decor and interesting architecture. There’s not even a familiar, friendly Chinatown gate which DC boats. But unlike DC, this Chinatown is a genuine ethnic community with a broad range of delicious ethnic cuisine.
This area known to locals as “Chinatown” is actually a mishmesh of several Asian countries: Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian even Indian and Pakistani.
I was sitting inattentively in my truck enjoying my cold roast duck and hot rice from H-Mart when a Vietnamese man in a pickup truck with a camper shell stopped in front of me and started honking. First I tried to waive him away like I’m not interested Bro, but he wouldn’t budge. It didn’t seem like he wanted to sell me any tools or jewelry, and with social distancing, I didn’t feel like getting out of my truck to see what he really wanted.
But he stayed put, smiling and waving. I hesitantly set my duck down and exited my vehicle.
As soon as I got within an earshot. “Don’t park here!” he shouted. “They will tow you. I know a perfect place to park. Come follow me, now.”
The man took me through the lot and behind loading docks. We then left the strip mall and across the street beside some new store fronts: Yun-Lu Center and onto Westline Drive
“Park here!” he insisted. “You’ll be safe here. It’s usually a busy street so if someone knocks, don’t open the door. However, with the coronavirus, things have really slowed down”
Then he pointed me to his truck. “See my tanker is parked here also.”
Came to find out he was an owner operator, too. And once lived in Northern Virginia, but has called Houston his home for the last ten.
“Things have changed alot. When I moved here, the place was friendly for Asians. But we’ve had some bad politicians and things have changed for the worst.”
So, here I slept unfettered through the night. Not a single soul walked by. And woke just before lunchtime to hit H-Mart again for some roast pork (hot this time) and rice.
