Chinese in Budapest
Last summer when Jacob went to Budapest for a conference, he took an few hours to stroll around the city's "Chinatown." Except there wasn't much of one, at least not the kind with red-and-gold gates and tons of indistinguishable souvenir vendors - kitschy but telltale signs that a city at least tries to embrace its multicultural identity.
With Hungary, the situation is a little more complicated. Through numerous conversations with Hungarians, many of them ultra-liberal on a range of political issues, there was an underlying resentment of recent Chinese immigrants. The country's Chinese population mostly consists of Fujianese who arrived starting in the 1980s, a good portion who may have entered illegally, and who have not really integrated into Hungarian society yet. It seems like an instance of vicious-cycle tension: newcomers keeping to themselves because of societal disdain, society feeling disdain because newcomers keep to themselves. Despite this, Chinese restaurants were doing okay business, though not nearly the lunch volume as their US counterparts
Of course, it's common for previously homogenous cultures to take a backlash to immigration, at first. (Like China's current situation with African merchants, for example.) The US took almost two centuries to feel reasonably comfortable in its multi-cultural skin. Ditto with England and France. Even if a full-blown Chinatown never develops, it may take a couple decades before Hungarians will enthusiastically venture into immigrant enclaves in search of some good sweet and sour pork.
Or judging by this ironic Budapest billboard, maybe they would be more receptive to momos...
Chinese in Budapest & Germany
My parents went to Budapest for an Overseas Chinese conference many years ago (my dad was the chairman of the Overseas Chinese in Germany for many years). There's a similar problem with integration in Germany, and many other European countries too. It takes a lot of hard work on both sides, and my dad worked very hard for 30 odd years to help the Chinese integrate in Germany.
Xenophobia is getting worse
Xenophobia is getting worse in whole Europe, not only in Hungary. And it's not easy to find a really good (authentical) Chinese restaurant in Budapest. The one I like is mainly for Japanese working in Budapest: Xiang Shan (Fragrant Mountain) in district II. The other one is the New Lanzhou Restaurant, which offers mainly dishes from Yang-Zhou area of the Chinese Jiang-Su province.
I almost forgot to mention
I almost forgot to mention the Chinese Market in Budapest. It's not the Chinatown as you would expect in NY or SF, but has several small and cheap Chinese restaurants. I'm not sure about the hygiene though...
Chinese market in Budapest
The Chinese market in Budapest is bit far from the city center. You are absolutely correct that it has a few more authentic Chinese restaurants but on my visit the restaurants were mainly Vietnamese with only a single Chinese restaurant from Fujian in the market (a few more line the outside of the market).
The fare was pretty standard and nothing spectacular. Hygiene...well you don't go to the Chinese market in Budapest for the hygiene (or the food for that matter), you go to buy jeans in massive bulk (or flashlights, batteries, rugs, etc. etc.). The food is dirt cheap though so its a great place to buy jeans and make your money stretch.
Finally you are absolutely right Budapest's "Chinatown" is not like NYC or SF. It is just a wholesale market that is predominaltely Chinese run.
Keep these posts coming! As
Keep these posts coming! As much as I love recipes, it's refreshing to a food blog with commentary on food in different cultures.
General Statement on your blogs
I am SO glad I found your website. The combination of pictures, recipes, critique and impressions of food is just perfect and mouth-watering! I am a student who is an avid foodie on the side (mostly eating I must admit). Throughout my schooling I see my family maybe 1 or 2 weeks out of a year. I definately get pangs of homesickness and the memories that my tastebuds cannot be subdued because of my lack of asian cooking skills. You are an inspiration, and I would like to try out all your recipes one by one in the coming year(s). I like how your recipes are varied and actually there is an infusion of all cultures (reflecting modern times) while highlighting the distinctiveness of each. Please keep on continuing to blog.
PS. Have you encountered a spicy fish head soup with bitter greens (or melon?) ...it is greenish in colour and is a clear soup. I have yet to seen the recipe anywhere.
Also, portuguese egg tarts... are they hard to make?
Different Chinese Cuisine
Chinatown dwells everywhere, i m sure wherever you go, you will find it somewhere, and my fav cuisine is Chinese too, mwah, and i m sure it would be of many too, but taste are variant at different places, i have also heard that there are also regional cuisines such as Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang, followed by Beijing cuisine and Shanghai cuisine.
Interesting points
You bring up some interesting points and the pictures you provide are great. The detail in multicultural establishments everywhere really does leave much to be desired. online casino
Oh, Foodie Heaven
Love your blog. Great theme and concept. I'm an opinioned foodie so I'm just eating this blog up. (Sorry, bad joke). Great pictures. It's weird, but I always try to find the "Chinatown" when I'm international, too. I feel comfortable and at home there. I know I'm going to get some food just like home. I'm a black woman who lives in the South. This is a paradox I must now wonder about.
Yoli - It seems like a
Yoli - It seems like a paradox at first but these days Chinese restaurants are as pervasive in the US as McDonalds franchises, and you probably grew up with Chinese take-out. It's like how curry has become the national dish of England. A century ago nobody would have thought of spaghetti as American food.
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