Take A Trip To Texas' Very Own Chinatown For A Day Of Delicious Eating
By Katie Lawrence|Published August 21, 2019
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
In a state the size of Texas, the dining options are bounded only by your imagination. From Ethiopia to Norway and everywhere in between, there’s at least one restaurant for almost every type of cuisine. One Houston neighborhood in particular, known as Chinatown, boasts more East Asian eateries than you’d ever believe could all be located in one place.
Visit this incredibly eclectic district for a full day of Malaysian curry, Japanese ramen, Taiwanese shaved ice, Vietnamese crawfish, and so many more delicious eats.
Chinatown is dominated by two-story strip centers boasting a multitude of businesses. This makes the area ridiculously consumer-friendly, as visitors can hit up multiple places without even moving their vehicles!
Just be sure to keep some cash on hand, as many places don’t accept cards.
Despite its namesake, the area is far from exclusively Chinese; instead, it’s a beautiful melting pot of East Asian cultures. This mouthwatering spread is from the ever-popular Banana Leaf, a Malaysian restaurant known for its tropical atmosphere and traditional cuisine.
Try the Laksa noodle soup and an order of Mango Chicken (you’re welcome.)
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In the mood for Japanese? It doesn’t get any better than Tiger Den. Ramen is the house specialty, with homemade noodles and broth that slowly summers for over 20 hours to create the most robust flavors imaginable.
Choose between original, garlic black bean, miso, and spicy miso, the variety ensuring everyone leaves satisfied. If soup isn’t your thing, opt for a hearty meal cooked on the authentic charcoal grill. Unique proteins such as pork jowl, chicken skins, and squid encourage diners to step outside their culinary comfort zone.
Your taste buds won’t stray too far from home at one of many hole-in-the-wall crawfish joints. It’s the meaty, succulent crustacean we all know and love, only these bad boys have been given a little Vietnamese makeover. If you’ve never tried crawfish fried rice, it’s about time to change that.
Some of the most popular spots are Crawfish & Noodles, Crawfish Cafe, and Cajun Kitchen.
Of course we couldn’t skip dessert! There are plenty of opportunities in Chinatown to satisfy your sweet tooth after a full day of salty eats. Pictured is Nu Cafe’s "snowflake ice," which differs greatly from the refreshing summertime treat we all know and love. This stuff takes over 10 hours to prepare and comes in a large variety of flavors like Oreo, peanut butter, and sea salt caramel.
An honorable mention goes to the Thai rolled ice cream at Cafe 502!
Before heading out, don’t forget to stock up on ethnic groceries! Hong Kong City Mall is unparalleled in its selection of unique fruits, veggies, and snacks.
Super H Mart specializes in Korean and Chinese delicacies, and Viet Kia International Foods is your one-stop shop for high-quality meat and seafood.
You’ll find Chinatown in far-west Houston, just outside of the Bellaire district. Check the hours for each restaurant you plan to visit, keeping in mind that many of them stay open rather late.
Have you eaten at any of these places? What’s your favorite restaurant in Chinatown? Do any other cities in Texas have a similar neighborhood? Let us know any thoughts and/or recommendations you may have! Check out our previous article for more can’t-miss Houston attractions: 8 Absolutely Amazing Places To Visit In Houston.
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