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adventures

Old Chinatown in Chicago

August 27, 2014 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Chicago’s Chinatown was just about what I expected.

Every big city has its own cultural diversity, each has their own neighborhood where they live, shop and gather. If you have never been to China or a metropolitan Chinatown then it’s an experience not to be missed. Now that my son is living in Chicago I have the opportunity, and excuse, to visit Chicago on a regular basis, and I’m going to play tourist whenever I can find the time. This trip we took in a boat ride, Billy Joel in Wrigley Stadium and Chinatown.

It’s easy to get to Chicago’s Old Chinatown from the Chicago CTA, just take the Red line to the Cermak-Chinatown stop and it’s only one block from the station.

Chinatown Chicago

From the CTA Station you turn right and go into a very modern shopping mall that looks very much like every other shopping mall, but the signs and decor is oriental in nature.But just to the left is a walled and gated shopping area and when you walk through the gates it feels like China, or what China might look like in Chicago anyway.

Shopping in Chinatown
Shopping in Chinatown

The signs are in Chinese characters, the smell is different, the food is distinctly authentic Chinese and you can buy everything from dried sardines, duck, Dim Sum, to Chinese herbs in the apothecary herbal shop. Some stores were trendy tourist traps with trinkets, but these are items you won’t find at Walmart or Target, so it was fun!

Shopping in Chinatown
Buying China in Chinatown

My favorite shop was the candy, or snack shop. Small bulk bins of wrapped candy, unwrapped dried fruits, sugared plums of all flavors, and for the more adventurous pickled duck tongue, and dried anchovies. Most of the bins had a small sample bowl for tasting, and all four of us had fun tasting and deciding what to buy.

5pcs Japanese Bamboo Chopsticks Gift Set Multi Color Design (MNT)5pcs Japanese Bamboo Chopsticks Gift Set Multi Color Design (MNT)Japanese Chopsticks Gift Set Rice Paddle IncludedJapanese Chopsticks Gift Set Rice Paddle Included5 pair Japanese Style Chopsticks Gift Set Crane5 pair Japanese Style Chopsticks Gift Set Crane

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We timed our visit for the summer festival and the main street and vendors, food booths packed the street. You could buy everything from straw hats to live turtles. It was noisy, it was crowed, and I expected more Chinese entertainment. On their website saw Chinese musicians, acrobats, and the infamous Chinese parade dragon. Maybe those were scheduled events and we got there at the wrong time. The stage was in the middle of the street and there were no bleachers to sit and watch.

Old Chinatown Chicago
Summer Festival in Old Chinatown Chicago

We ate at the Flaming Pot and sometimes you eat at a restaurant for the experience. Because of the crowds, their only English speaking waitress was very busy and did not have the time to fully “coach” us in how to properly prepare our food. It was very good, and a great place to go if you are in a group of people.

Plastic Ninja Chopsticks for kids - 12 pcsPlastic Ninja Chopsticks for kids – 12 pcsFred Chopstick Kids Chopsticks Holders (colors may vary)Fred Chopstick Kids Chopsticks Holders (colors may vary)

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This is a hot pot style of dining where you chose your flavored broth, meat, and vegetables and then you dipped the food into the boiling broth to cook. About halfway through we decided to just dump everything in and fish it out with a ladle. Much easier. A variety of sauces were available for flavoring the food and in that way it was very much like Hu Hot.

Flaming Pot Restaurant in Chinatown

Although the Flaming Pot was very clean and modern, it is apparent some of the buildings and markets in Chinatown are very unkempt and not up to standard American standards. We even saw a large rat (no I didn’t take a photo) running along side a building during the middle of the afternoon. Those things don’t freak me out. I’ve been to Europe and I understand life is not sterile.

Fortune Coin Green Money Toad/ Frog /Chan Chu - Feng Shui Chinese Charm of Prosperity Decoration Gift US SellerFortune Coin Green Money Toad/ Frog /Chan Chu – Feng Shui Chinese Charm of Prosperity Decoration Gift US SellerBrussel's Lucky Bamboo, FenceBrussel’s Lucky Bamboo, FenceBrussel's CT9005CE Chinese Elm BonsaiBrussel’s CT9005CE Chinese Elm BonsaiDeluxe Coolie Hats - Deluxe Traditional Asian Conical Coolie Hats - Pack of 2Deluxe Coolie Hats – Deluxe Traditional Asian Conical Coolie Hats – Pack of 2

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We all had fun and spent the afternoon at the festival, bought gifts and added to our cultural experience. Now I want to explore the “new” Chinatown which is located in North Chicago, I can see it from the Red Line train and it looks very authentic. Bet I can get some good food there and it’s closer to my son’s apartment. I bet they deliver.

Learn More About the History or Chicago’s Chinatown

Chinese in Chicago: 1870 – 1945 (IL) (Images of America)Chinatown Chicago, Illinois Original Vintage PostcardLing Long Museum: the Highlights of Chinese History and Chicago’s Chinatown

Explore Other Chinatown Cities Across the Country

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Today, the New York State Tenant Protection Unit served a subpoena on Marolda Properties, investigating allegations that the landlord had harassed tenants in an attempt to make them leave their rent-regulated Chinatown …

Explore Oakland’s Chinatown

Chinatown, Oakland: The Oakland Chinatown StreetFest will commemorate the Year of the Horse with a two-day street party this weekend. The festivities include lion dancers, live bands and other performers taking to a pair of stages, while small …

Toni On! New York: 10 Things To Eat Under $5 In Chinatown

This week, WLNY’s Toni Senecal is going cheap and scouring Chinatown for the 10 best foods for under $5. Follow along as we score Chinatown’s best cheap eats. You can catch up with Toni on her blog, and loyal Toni On! followers can score a sweet VIP …

Filed Under: Travel Adventures Tagged With: adventures, Chicago, chinatown, chinese, dining, family, midwest, tourism, tourist, travel, traveling

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