Have you ever looked at a plate of fried rice, paired it with a side of maduros, and thought, “Who on Earth thought of this magic?” Well, congratulations because you’ve stumbled into the wonderland that is Chino Latino cuisine. Yes, it’s a thing. Chino Latino is so much “a thing” that there was even an art punk band in the ’70s named Chinas Comidas as a fitting tribute to this bit of heaven on a plate.
From Peru’s chaufa to Mexico’s black bean–infused stir-fries, this culinary fusion is proof that one of immigration’s greatest gifts is often found on the plate. But where did it all begin? And how did Chino Latino cuisine become the ultimate cultural mashup?
A Fusion Born of Necessity
According to NPR, Chino Latino cuisine has roots dating back to the 19th century when thousands of Chinese immigrants were unable to enter the United States during the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Therefore they sought refuge in Mexico, Cuba, and other parts of Latin America.
Professor of Chicano and Asian American studies at UCLA Robert Chao Romero told NPR: “The Chinese invented undocumented immigration from Mexico … Smuggling with false papers, on boats and trains — the infrastructure for that was all invented by the Chinese.”
But for those who stayed in Mexico and South America, necessity bred innovation. With access to ingredients like chilis, jicama, and avocados, Chinese cooks began to adapt their recipes to local flavors. “The restaurants you see now are remnants of the Chinese population that used to fill the U.S.-Mexico borderlands,” Romero says.
One example of this fusion is Mexicali, a city just south of the U.S.-Mexico border, which still has one of the largest Chinese-Mexican culinary traditions. George Lim, who runs the iconic restaurant El Dragon in Mexicali, told NPR how dishes like arrachera beef with black bean sauce highlight this blend of cultures. “Asparagus could be both Chinese and Mexican, but the sauce, the black bean, that’s Chinese,” he explains.
Chino Latino Across Latin America
While Mexico holds a special place in Chino Latino history, today the cuisine is found across Latin America. In Peru, for example, Chinese immigrants created chifa, a culinary tradition combining Cantonese flavors with local ingredients like aji amarillo (yellow chili) and potatoes. Chifa restaurants serve dishes like tallarín saltado, a noodle stir-fry with Peruvian spices, and chaufa, a fried rice dish so popular it’s practically a national treasure.
Brazil adds yet another fascinating layer to the Chino Latino story, thanks to its status as home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.
As National Geographic explains, “Japanese emigrants, otherwise known as nikkei, first began entering Brazil in 1908 and found work on the country’s coffee plantations. Thrust into a vastly different culture far away from home, these immigrants retained strong ties to their Japanese heritage—and did so with a particular regard for food.”
This influence is evident in dishes like mango sushi and inventive combinations such as beans with seaweed, a mix of a Brazilian staple and a classic Japanese ingredient.
Chino Latino in the U.S.: From Cubans to Cream Cheese Egg Rolls
The U.S. has its own pockets of Chino/Asian Latino fusion, particularly in places like New York, where immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Peru have made their mark. Restaurants like those on New York’s Upper West Side have been serving Asian fusion since the 1960s. Even dishes that seem improbable, like egg rolls stuffed with shrimp, cilantro, and cream cheese, have become staples.
“For decades, people have served cashew mofungo chuletas and fried rice, chicharrones de pollo with lo mein,” Podcasters The Fung Bros explain during one of their recent Chino Latino episodes.
And if you’re in Washington, DC, you can’t miss China Chilcano, the Chef José Andrés restaurant that pays homage to the chifa traditions of Peru. Because if there’s anyone who knows how to throw a culinary party, it’s José Andrés. “At China Chilcano, the union of Peruvian Criollo, Chinese Chifa and Japanese Nikkei is an exciting journey into a world of exciting culinary juxtapositions,” the restaurant writes on its website.
What Does Chino Latino Taste Like?
Picture this: a plate piled high with fried rice, roast pork, garlicy yuca, and fried plantains. Or maybe crispy chunks of chicken seasoned with lime and hot sauce, alongside a hearty moros (rice with black beans). And lots of soy sauce on the side.
One fan on the foodie forum Hungry Onion describes their favorite Chino Latino dish as “almost like ramen, but with a Latin twist—chicken broth, noodles, roast pork, and a poached egg, seasoned up with lime and hot sauce.” Basically, it’s comfort food on steroids.
So next time you’re in New York or DC—or, honestly, your own kitchen—give Chino Latino a try. Because, really, what’s better than a dish that combines the best of two worlds? Exactly. Now, pass the fried rice and plantains, will ya? Thanks.
