Lupe’s regulars notice his Spanish agility and word has spread that Hop Woo is the Spanish-friendly Chinese restaurant, and the comida is delicious too. When he’s not busy leading his cooking staff, he works the room like a Chinatown Wolfgang Puck greeting diners with nǐ hǎo, hello, and como estas from table to table. Of all the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, Hop Woo is the most popular with the Mexican community, so much so that Mexican celebrities adorn his wall of fame including Norteño musician Ramón Ayala.įrom observing his dining room over the years, Liang estimates that 50 percent of his customers are Latino-a clientele he’s cultivated. Judy, always draped in a glamorous sequined qipao or Chinese gown in the restaurant, runs the front of the house at Hop Woo. Like Liang, Judy hails from the Guangdong province but from a small town while her husband is from the big city. His matchmaking proved successful and they got married. “That is not normal.” Liang’s father continued to eavesdrop and eventually introduced himself and asked Judy, who was visiting her cousin if she would like to meet his son. “My father heard two ladies speaking Cantonese in Mexico at my brother’s restaurant,” explained Liang. Mexico is also where Liang would meet his future wife, Judy. However, it was Liang’s grandfather who was the very first to relocate to Mexico from China over 100 years ago. Liang, then a resident of Hong Kong, moved to Mexico to help him. In 1978, he operated a Chinese restaurant in Mexico’s Rosarito Beach that is still open specializing in Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine.
The first in his family to run a restaurant was his third eldest brother, Simon. With a total of ten siblings (7 brothers, 3 sisters), it was inevitable that someone in the family would own a restaurant.
Liang lived in China’s Guangdong province, learning his trade as a cook. Thus began Lupe Liang’s journey to Mexico.īefore he was known as Lupe he was Liang Ye Ning. For the first time in its vast history, people could freely leave China’s borders. Deng Xiaoping, then China’s leader, opened up China to the world.
“Because I moved to Mexico in 1978.”ġ978 was a historic year for China as well as other nations. Y Español better than my English,“ explains Chef Lupe Liang of Hop Woo BBQ & Seafood restaurant.
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