Mixed people get all the luck

It is often said that mixed people get the best of both worlds. We have better immune systems, we’re generally more attractive ;-) , and we get access to some of the best fusion cuisines.

Growing up I remember my friend who is half black and half Japanese telling me about her family’s interesting take on Thanksgiving. For one, they ate sushi piled into the shape of a turkey. Moreover, they ate sticky rice with black-eyed peas. Joy overcame me as imagined her table, a place where soy sauce, sriracha, and collard greens sat next to one another in harmony.

Fusion cuisine has been around since colonization and moreover, has been an integral part of the American experience. Many families use American holidays as an occasion to fuse their heritage with mainstream culture. At my Filipino Aunt’s house it’s as simple as a side of rice with a turkey dinner because god forbid a Filipino ever ate a meal without rice. Nothing excites me more than when I see a new and interesting fusion of good food.

In L.A, I found what I consider the most perfect marriage yet, Mexican and Indian food. Appropriately called Cowboys and Turbans, its cheeky name should give you an idea of the atmosphere and food. Located in Echo Park it is both cheap and unpretentious. Thus far my favorite item on the menu- masala cheese fries. I realize cheese fries aren’t Mexican but good god is this concoction delightful. Other worthwhile ventures on the menu are the tandoori tacos, tandoori burritos, and quesadillas. What starts off as an ordinary chicken taco, becomes a symphony for your taste buds when you add an Indian twist of chutnies (yes plural), raw onions, and crispy pea bits. When I bit into it my immediate thought was, why didn’t I think of this sooner? It’s perfection!



The menu contains many witty takes on fusion food with naanwiches, turban salads, and even pizzas. Who doesn’t love a pun right? Sadly, while I did not get a chance to try everything, I do want to go back if only for the breakfast samosa, which sounds utterly delicious. What makes this venue even more appealing is that it contains something for almost anyone. It’s not gourmet. It’s good food done right.

I mentioned this happy marriage to my friend in Wisconsin who told me that he too just discovered this perfect combination through his creation of a curry bean burrito. Brilliant I thought. I too stumbled across this perfect pairing one day after debating what to do with my left over chana masala. I wanted salsa but didn’t have black beans. What was to become of my poor tortilla chips slowly becoming stale on the shelf? Then, I realized salsa and chole contain many similar components: tomato, spice, and a legume. From here it was easy to doctor my chana masala into a delicious salsa.

My general philosophy about life is that we are more similar than we are different. Why I didn’t translate this into food sooner is beyond me. With that said, I think with a little imagination fusion cuisine is an amazing way to discover interesting twists to already great food. A friend asked me, if you could be a sandwich what would it be? Like any polapina (Polish-Filipina) I answered roast pig and sauerkraut on a sourdough roll. Think about it-