“Not an Asian Ghetto: More than Just Take-Out”

When I first heard of the “Durant Food Court” two years ago, I imagined fine dining and pretty décor, complete with silverware and waiters. After all, the area derives its name from the first university president Henry Durant, and well, I imagined the food court to be some upscale dining establishment, prominent enough to bear the university president’s name. But when walking around campus, I never hear anybody mention the food court by its proper namesake. Rather, the affectionate term bestowed by students, the “Asian Ghetto”, is considered the de facto denomination.

Admittedly, it’s not difficult to see why. It’s…Asian, for one. And secondly…, well, let’s just say the store owners aren’t the only ones who spend half their lives living in the food court. (But that’s a different story)

Open seven days a week on Berkeley’s southside, the Asian Ghetto is generally considered the place for cheap, tasty Asian food, a student’s best friend. As your average, busy Berkeley student, Asian Ghetto was more of a place for lunch, not exactly a location for detailed observation or meticulous note-taking.

Until now…(cue dramatic music)

Okay, admittedly this humble account is not a trip to Skull Island, or some harrowing brush with death fit for a movie adaptation. But in some ways, just sitting and observing the ghetto, not thinking about the rest of college life and just focusing on what was happening around me, opened my eyes to things that I do not notice normally whilst eating a big plate of Godfather’s favorite, or Bulgogi. Here, many different people of different ethnicities can come together to form a unique community, (and no joke), even Israel Zangwill would have been proud of the melting pot culture that defines what Asian Ghetto is today. (AP United States History at work, kids)

According to the Daily Californian, in an article titled ”Calzones and Curry: The Asian Ghetto”, the face of the restaurants in the Durant Food Court has changed significantly over the past 24 years, with regards to the types of cuisine. The Asian Ghetto of today combines Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and other Asian cuisines, and not surprisingly, the restaurants oftentimes employ many workers who speak little to no English. With all the students flowing in and out, and the constant level of activity, Asian Ghetto is almost like its own island. (Well, at least that’s what the Daily Californian calls it).

Following the lunchtime flow of traffic, my first stop was Mandarin House, a Chinese place located in the back left corner of the court. Enter this unassuming establishment, and one of the first things you will notice is the abundance of ji xiang phrases hung on the walls. Ji xiang means lucky or prosperous, and many Chinese restaurants traditionally hang good luck phrases on the walls to encourage business and income.

The four characters 連年有餘 literally mean “year after year, have abundance.” In addition, there were two other plaques, one of which read 財源廣進, which roughly translates into “fortune and resources come in plentifully.”

Naturally, it would have appeared extremely ghetto (no pun intended) to only take photos and not buy anything. I tried the “Taiwan Style Green Tea with Pearls,” (and was sorely disappointed by lack of actual tea), but what was more interesting was how the owner spoke Chinese to all the Asian students, and ran the business in the fast-paced style similar to what I have seen in Taiwan, where I spent a part of my childhood. Indeed, as I sat there slowly sipping my cup of water and sugar, the house seemed like a unique little slice of Asia, even though Mandarin House is located in an American university campus.

Right next door is Thai Basil. When I think of the Thai people, the first thing that comes to mind is their long names. (Did you know every Thai person who is not directly related through family has a unique surname?)

The second thought that arises (blame my international studies class) is the Thai custom of reverence for the King, Bhumibol Adulyadej. Indeed, right above the cash register is a picture of the king and his wife. (It’s amazing what one will notice when the primary focus is on taking pictures and watching people in lieu of eating). The king is extremely important as a symbolic representation of the Thai people in Thailand, and even in Berkeley, thousands of miles away from home and the king’s sphere of authority, Bhumibol still watches over the cash register, making sure nobody messes with the daily income.

As I walked outside, I noticed three Latino men sharing a break together. Not that there’s anything wrong with this, but the interesting thing is that they came from Thai Basil, Steve’s Barbeque, and the Ramen House, respectively. Even though they chatted about their daily life experiences working in the restaurants, they also prepare ramen, bibimbap, and sushi rolls that would make anybody’s mouth water. (Crossing of cultures at its finest, right here in Berkeley folks.)

A couple minutes after I took that photo, the owner of the VietNam village restaurant came out, gave the man on the right a back rub, and actually starting conversing in Spanish with the three men. Then, a couple of the men went into Steve’s to eat lunch, and, to my surprise, they ate authentic kimchi ramen, with chopsticks no less.

As I pondered this peculiar situation, I finally decided to grab some food at the Sushi House. Behind the counter, there were two Asian people and one Latino man, working side by side to prepare my order of sushi. I never would have guessed that the same Spanish-speaking worker I see normally joking in Spanish with the other workers from other restaurants would be so adept at rolling together rice, seaweed, and raw fish. Above all, seeing this acceptance of culture in the bustling environment of a restaurant was inspiring, reminding me of what makes Berkeley special as a cultural melting pot.

It’s fitting that Asian Ghetto exists in a place such as Berkeley, for the presence of a world-class institution in a liberal environment helps create a diverse community. But even more interesting is the fact that this harmony works, and thrives. As the face of the student body continues to diversify, the Asian Ghetto is likely to continue evolving as well. In fact, the Asian Pacific American Coalition recognizes the Asian Ghetto as a distinct component of the Berkeley culture.

And of course, it’s pretty tasty too.