I don't know if it's an inherently bad word, but sometimes people can use it as part of an insult, kind of like how there's nothing wrong with the word jew but in the wrong context and delivery you can sound pretty bad.
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- Thread starter Cybit
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I don't know if it's an inherently bad word, but sometimes people can use it as part of an insult, kind of like how there's nothing wrong with the word jew but in the wrong context and delivery you can sound pretty bad.
CapNBritain
Member
Yep, I only hear it from Chinese trying to distance themselves from other Chinese acting too Chinese. I'm guilty of this.
@CapNBritain - you know, it's awesome (and interesting!) that you and I only live 45 miles away from each other, and yet have had such different experiences as Asian-Americans.
If it makes you feel better, I just assume everyone is judging me.
BTW, anyone read this thread yet?
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=139567534&postcount=1
Most of the comments are about what the guy said to the black family, so I didn't want to be like wow he was racist against that Asian lady too.
BUT SERIOUSLY. ASKING A NEWS REPORTER IF SHE EVEN SPEAKS ENGLISH... WHILE SHE IS QUESTIONING YOU IN ENGLISH?
http://www.wdrb.com/story/15473169/valerie-chinn-anchorreporter
This is the reporter in question-
It's not like she actually was an immigrant or had ANY reason at all to be questioned about English proficiency. Ugh.
This isn't even the first time I've heard this sort of shit. Half the people that say this kind of stuff are pretty much illiterate themselves. Ignorant asshole.
*edit: Bonus irony- the idiot can't speak proper English himself. Ugh.
It speaks to my privilege that I find this hilarious. I mean sure, I know that the racism is terrible, but the idea that there are people this ignorant and stupid out there just makes me laugh. Probably because I've never been personally affected by it.
Interesting, never heard a Vietnamese person use it before. Also, as I alluded to before, I feel that the meaning has changed among the people I know. FOP (first of plane) would be more appropriate. In fact, it probably refers more to the Chinese equivalent of yuppies.
Zoe
Member
They could have if they were old enough!
Of course times are different now. This all would have been around 30 years ago for my friend.
Around here it doesn't have the yuppie connotation at all--just obviously immigrant.
nah the use of the term fob / fobby is pretty common in south asian communities in my experience too, and i've even heard some eastern europeans and nigerians throw it around.
it's just a general term for someone new to the country who stands out in their unacclimated mannerisms, speech, conduct.
it's just a general term for someone new to the country who stands out in their unacclimated mannerisms, speech, conduct.
With Chinese restaurants it's always hard to say. Some give you better service if you speak Chinese, but quite a few will give you better service if you speak in English.
For the most part I've gotten used to basically only speaking Chinese when asked for how many people are in my party, ordering specific dishes that have silly English translated names, asking for a box, and asking for the check. Everything else I'll just use English.
CapNBritain
Member
I always thought that it was just Americanized Chinese saying it to put down non-Americanized Chinese. So it would be Chinese on Chinese aggression, if anything.
Yeah, how a person uses it can be important. Although I don't think I've ever heard someone use it as an outright insult.
Where are you located, if you don't mind me asking?
This is pretty fascinating. Never knew non-Chinese, let alone non-Asians used the term.
Maybe the yuppie and cliquish connotations are unique to the Chinese communities that I have observed in California? Although since i'm not really a part of those communities, I guess it's all just conjecture on my part.
Much as I like pho, ramen is superior. Plus with pho I'm always hungry after 2-3 hours later.
ActStriker
Member
Correctly cooked ramen is some of the best because of its chewiness and its texture. Pho is great, but rice noodles can't match that.
Yeah, that's part of it too. I think it's dependent on who says it.
I could be wrong about it, tho
Yeah, that's part of it too. I think it's dependent on who says it.
I could be wrong about it, tho
CapNBritain
Member
Mmm.. Pho is pretty amazing. Maybe you're-
Have to disagree. I think ramen is GOAT, and I'm Taiwanese. Sorry beef noodle soup... I still prefer pork over beef!
Even dipping ramen is AMAZING.
Oddly enough, despite living in OC and having access to amazing Vietnamese food, I don't actually like Vietnamese food at all ._.
My favorite Asian cuisine is definitely Japanese. :x
YES.
This thread is now about food. Begun, the noodle wars has.
Santouka and Daikokuya for life. Even ramen places in Japan have a hard time keeping up.
And for everyone sleeping on the awesome-ness that is Uni, just give it a shot. Eventually you'll get it and ascend to god-tier food snobbery.
Zoe
Member
Texas
I have to drive like 40 miles from San Francisco to San Jose just to eat at Santouka. I still do it every once in a while. Luckily lots of ramen places in the bay area are popping up over the years. I also like Yamadaya Ramen as well. I wish there were a Mitsuwa Marketplace closer to my city.
ActStriker
Member
Always have a place for chow mein
Favorite food growing up
Favorite food growing up
CapNBritain
Member
Oh yeah I've heard there are a lot of Vietnamese there. I now change my theory of Chinese Christmas to a Vietnamese grinch, whom other Texans mistook for Chinese.
I've been to the Mitsuwa Marketplace in San Jose around lunch time before. It was horrifying. There have been a crapton of Ramen places opening up in LA too, but most range from mediocre to acceptable.
Always have a place for chow mein
Favorite food growing up
HK style pan fried is basically the only version of chow mein I'll eat. Need that crispy goodness. I also do like yee mein though.
ActStriker
Member
Pretty much. Only Canto places do it right though
And here I was wanting to get into a vicious fistfight about food, using a coat hanger if necessary.
CapNBritain
Member
You haven't lived life if you never had home made Pho, made the way it's meant to be eaten. I'm not talking about going to a Pho restaurant (although there are some real good ones). My Vietnamese brothers and sisters would understand. Let the noodle wars begin!!
Pho is to Ramen as Union Jack to Captain Britain. Powerless against a golden god.
Uni is amazing, and if you live in so-cal, I think you just automatically become a god-tier food snob.
(BTW, if you're ever in the OC, try Nana-San. The omakase there... holy shit. Also, their uni is delicious, though I feel like there's really good uni in SD too.)
I love Daikokuya with all my heart and soul, but for dipping ramen, I only had Tsujita. That was my first introduction, and WOW.
I live near two Mitsuwas and TWO Daisos.. na na na na na.
SF is pretty legit food, though I secretly/not so secretly think LA's Asian food is better
Will definitely try Nana-San. Have you tried Maruhide Uni Club in Torrance?
Two Mitsuwas and two Daisos. Man was not meant to soar so close to the sun.
As for LA vs SF, I actually don't have a lot of experience with SF food. But I will say that the actual city of LA has mediocre and/or overpriced Asian food. You gotta go out to the East and South to get the real goods.
Chuckie
Member
Bet you never tried bakso from Indonesia.
Zoe
Member
Now are we talking about Vietnamese Vietnamese or Chinese Vietnamese?
I can't tell the difference even though one of my friends gets insulted if you assume he's the latter... >_>
Same thing with SF really. SF does have some really good Asian food, but the better stuff is a bit more down south between San Francisco and San Jose.
Slowly puts down round wooden folding chair.
I could probably go without durian.
With regards to dim sum, there are places scattered around SF that I would argue are at least measurable to the quality you'd find in HK and China (though, it varies depending on which chef prepares it a given day). Sushi quality around here isn't too bad, although I could really use a good ramen place.
Well I guess I meant that all styles or cuisines of asian food are good. I haven't found one I've wholly disliked yet.
Some of the smaller countries that are near cultural powerhouses can be a bit underwhelming though, because a lot of their food feels pretty similar to or a combination of stuff I've had already.
Some of the smaller countries that are near cultural powerhouses can be a bit underwhelming though, because a lot of their food feels pretty similar to or a combination of stuff I've had already.
Septimus Prime
Member
Here. Let me cover all your bases.
On a tangentially-related topic to everything, so far, I highly recommend the John Rain series by Barry Eisler. The protagonist is a half-white, half-Japanese guy living (at least in the beginning) in Japan who gets cosmetic surgery to look fully Asian and blend into his environment, despite his being from the US.
Also it's about assassins, so it's not ultra-boring.
They're going to adapt it as a TV show, starring Keanu Reeves, directed by the guys who did John Wick.
Santa Ramen and Ramen Dojo in San Mateo are good. If you want one in SF, I'd say Yamadaya and Katana-Ya, though I haven't been to the latter in years since it's in a busy location.
YesNOnoNOYes
Member
I like Asian cuisine, but I cant really eat spicy so I've been trying to induct my tastebuds slowly to the stronger palettes like Thai and Indian food. I did try Thai Laksa soup a while ago when I was in Thailand and that was delicious but their spicy fish was too strong for me x____x I needed lots of drinking water afterwards ha ha~
Indian curry is also something I still need to acclimatize to :>
But food, yes. Glorious Asian food o7
Indian curry is also something I still need to acclimatize to :>
But food, yes. Glorious Asian food o7
Septimus Prime
Member
LA guys, really? If you want ridiculous Japanese food, you need to eat in Torrance. It's just straight up better than other places, and even the fast food, garbage Japanese places, like Sushi Boy, are a cut above in Torrance.
Laska is really good. I just tried it for the first time a month ago.
As far as curry goes, Japanese wins for me. Then Thai, then Indian. I do like curry in general except Chinese curry. Something about it just makes my stomach unsettled.
CapNBritain
Member
Here. Let me cover all your bases.
I dragged friends with me to see this in theaters because I wanted to see Jackie Chan fight Jet Li. Was rough.
Dude.. Japanese curry is my go-to comfort food! Yummmmm... pork curry
Japanese food is probably my favorite, with Sushi as my top pick. And then you have Ramen, Curry, Tonkatsu, Onigiri, and so many more Japanese food things that it's no contest for me. I dated a Japanese girl and went to Japan a handful of times to visit her so I'm probably biased though. I miss Japan and it's a shame that I'll never return.
Pretty awesome. I actually wanted to be a writer and figured that I could write at night after making web pages during the day. That quickly fell to the wayside once real life hit.
My book recommendation is American Born Chinese. Wasn't a 1 to 1 match with my childhood, but it resonated strongly with me.
fighting words man, absolutely fighting words
that said Indian restaurants in the United States are generally shit so I don't blame you if that's your experience.
It's a really close tie between Thai and Indian curry for me, but Thai edges it out. I also dislike how most people associate Indian curry with tikka masala, which may or may not have even originated in India. Pretty sure it started in the UK.
Japanese curry is still the best though. Especially if you put shredded cheese on it and it melts into the curry.
On the subject of literature, anyone who's into theater should read the play M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang and even better if you can see it on stage. Hwang has such a deep understanding of Asian culture blending with others that he's become one of my favorite playwrights. The play hits the topic of Asian fetishism, gender stereotypes, cultural clashes, and Asian male empowerment all at once. You will either find the play ingenious or incredibly offensive. I absolutely love it.
I've pretty much given up the idea of acting altogether but if I was ever given a chance to play the love interest for that play, I would in a heartbeat.
I've pretty much given up the idea of acting altogether but if I was ever given a chance to play the love interest for that play, I would in a heartbeat.
When I self-deprecate about being the whitest Indian ever; it's more of a cultural joke (in that I'm not very aware of Indian culture), and it really only picked up when I moved out from the midwest into Seattle. Being white out here is being a hick (which, well, I still use y'all in normal conversation, so I am more or less a hick, and damn proud of it). At least out here, it's more of a "city slicker vs country boy" thing more than anything.
As for food; if any of you are in or near Seattle; next time my mom is out here I'll have to show you what real Indian food is like. I can cook pretty decently (am just lazy and won't do it for myself); but my mother can cook like nobody's business. MMMMMmmmmmm I'm hungry just thinking about it.
I am glad Asian-GAF hasn't just fallen to the wayside.
As for food; if any of you are in or near Seattle; next time my mom is out here I'll have to show you what real Indian food is like. I can cook pretty decently (am just lazy and won't do it for myself); but my mother can cook like nobody's business. MMMMMmmmmmm I'm hungry just thinking about it.
I am glad Asian-GAF hasn't just fallen to the wayside.
CapNBritain
Member
It's a really close tie between Thai and Indian curry for me, but Thai edges it out. I also dislike how most people associate Indian curry with tikka masala, which may or may not have even originated in India. Pretty sure it started in the UK.
Japanese curry is still the best though. Especially if you put shredded cheese on it and it melts into the curry.
I have never done this, but I vow to try it soon. You better not be steering me wrong!
When I self-deprecate about being the whitest Indian ever; it's more of a cultural joke (in that I'm not very aware of Indian culture), and it really only picked up when I moved out from the midwest into Seattle. Being white out here is being a hick (which, well, I still use y'all in normal conversation, so I am more or less a hick, and damn proud of it). At least out here, it's more of a "city slicker vs country boy" thing more than anything.
As for food; if any of you are in or near Seattle; next time my mom is out here I'll have to show you what real Indian food is like. I can cook pretty decently (am just lazy and won't do it for myself); but my mother can cook like nobody's business. MMMMMmmmmmm I'm hungry just thinking about it.
I am glad Asian-GAF hasn't just fallen to the wayside.
Yeah, I think nowadays I use the whitewash moniker in a self-deprecating manner. And while I do love Indian food, I keep hearing that the stuff you get at restaurants in the states isn't close to the real thing. Am I just missing out by having terrible Indian friends who refuse to cook for me?
Lines drawn in the sand. This is how Asian-GAF Civil War starts.
And I thought I liked you because you're a fellow MtG player! >;[
I do find myself making fun of my own background but to be fair I make fun of myself in general. However I do feel disturbed when I get called a twinkie because that's pretty personal to me. I'm a born and raised New Yorker and growing up as an awkward kid, I was only able to befriend people who get me. That ended with me making friends from all backgrounds despite being so close to Chinatown. It just bugs me that the people who would call me white washed are the same people who has less of an understanding of their heritage than I do of mine. Just because I have nonasian friends doesn't mean I've abandoned where I came from. To be fair my first language was English and I never learned Chinese properly so I can't speak it that well. I can still hold conversations but apparently not enough to not be alienated by my people.
In the states, it's definitely true. Although there are exceptions.
It's a combination of western expectations of what indian food is and
indian people being cheap
It's like the difference between panda express and the real mccoy, lots of overcompensating with sugar salt and fat, bad handling of vegetables, and mediocre uses of spices and flavorings.
Valkerionseven
Member
Pretty much the case in every blended culture/out of peoples actual home cooking. Heck here in the USA, theres tons of "soul food" restaurants with the same menu, none of it tastes anything like the actual food you get in coastal Georgia/Carolinas.
Japanese ramen is alright; delicious even when I visited Japan. I was more referring to the Taiwanese instant ramen with recycled cooking oil which can actually kill you or at the very least affect your health in the long run.
Out of all the Taiwanese dishes I've eaten and enjoy eating, instant ramen is just kind of...uh...I didn't even know they had those.
But most of us here were in fact referring to Japanese ramen being the best.