Meet Lu & Jodie—Foodies, Cultural Advocates (Story 5/40)

“I’ve eaten at this restaurant since I was a kid, and it’s comforting to still be able to eat here so many years later. It hasn’t changed. That’s one of the things I love most about City Heights: the food scene here is quiet, consistent, and you could spend your whole life trying new dishes.”

That’s Lu Wong speaking, a former City Heights resident and someone who spends time in the community as often as possible. Lu grew up around here and has family in the area.

Lu continued: “You can go to a find dining place and find the ‘who’s who’ of the business world, and little places like this are similar. You show up at a historic restaurant like Trien Chau and you’ll encounter the ‘who’s who’ of this neighborhood. People eat out in places like this for the food, of course, but also for the community. There’s something special about traditional food shared together in community.”

Jodie and Lu didn’t even need to order. “The usual, thanks.” The hostess smiles and asks about Lu’s mother as she scoops up our menus. 

When asked what they would change about City Heights, the couple had to think for a bit then shared, “I wouldn’t change much. Maybe a fresh coat of paint here and there, but I hope City Heights can find ways to change without losing that intangible ‘soul’ of the community.”

As we’ve interviewed locals about City Heights and what they love about the community, would change about it, and so on, this is a common theme: many hope for improvements, but not at the expense of what makes City Heights so special. That sun-fired, tough exterior. It’s that multi-cultural, immersively international atmosphere created by displaced migrants and refugees who fought tooth and nail to make a new home here, and you can sense it in the Trien Chau Restaurant and others like it.

“As Asians, we go to quote-unquote, ‘Asian restaurants’ and can immediately tell if it’s more of an Anglicized Asian place or if it’s more like our place, more like home,” Lu said. “I don’t mind Asian restaurants geared toward white people, it’s fine, but it doesn’t hold a candle to authentic places made for us, by us, and that’s why I keep coming back. Food is about belonging and identity, and places like this offer that security and sense of place. It’s why we love City Heights. It feels like home.”