In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Alumni and @converse have teamed up to highlight some of our favorite Asian-owned restaurants showcasing cuisines from Tibet, Vietnam, India, Philippines, and Thailand.
Sangjienben is the man behind one of the most celebrated not-so-hidden gems in the five boroughs: Lhasa Fast Food. He moved to the United states 17 years ago from Tibet to try to make enough money to send some to his family back home. He started working at a Chinese restaurant because he knew some Mandarin. With time, he was able to start his own spot, Lhasa Fast Food, behind a cell phone repair shop in Queens. He had some regulars and new converts, but Anthony Bourdain made his restaurant famous when he visited Jackson Heights for ‘Parts Unknown’. Lhasa Fast Food opened a location in the East Village in 2020, but tragically the original location burned down earlier this year. If you can, show Sangjienben support and help him rebuild the original Lhasa Fast Food by visiting the East Village spot or donating to his GoFundMe.
