Ever since the first handful of Chinese set up shop along Grant Avenue in the 1850s, San Francisco's Chinatown has piqued the curiosity of non-Chinese adventure-seekers.
More than 140 years later, the fascination has grown, turning Chinatown into one of San Francisco's biggest tourist draws. Yet, whether you're a local or an out-of-towner, this colorful district - with its maze of bustling streets and its array of shops and restaurants - can prove a most elusive community.It's tough enough finding a parking spot, let alone trying to learn about the community's rich history and cultural traditions.
And, more importantly, where can you find out which teahouses serve good dim sum?
Author/cooking instructor Shirley Fong-Torres, also known as the "Wok Wiz," has made it her business to show visitors a Chinatown they might never see.
For the last five years, Fong-Torres has been leading small groups through the streets and back alleys of Chinatown, offering people a glimpse into the heart and soul of the community.
On a recent Saturday morning, Fong-Torres began a tour by introducing her group to some of the Chinese men who congregate daily in Portsmouth Square to gamble and socialize. "Jo sun!" said Fong-Torres cheerily waving to friends around the square. "Jo sun means good morning," she tells her group.
Later, standing in front of the Bank of Canton building on 743 Washington Street, formerly the Chinese Telephone Exchange, she points out the unique Chinese American architecture of the community.
But whether it's a visit to an herbal shop, kung fu studio or the kitchen of a pastry shop, what makes the tours so intriguing and popular are the the tales and tidbits of culture and history Fong-Torres shares.
Oddly enough, while most Chinatown merchants continue to struggle through one of their harshest economic slumps, business has never been better for Fong-Torres. Her Wok Wiz Walking Tours business averages 40 to 50 visitors daily, up 35 percent from last year, she said, adding that "August and September have been phenomenal."
No opium dens or tunnels made popular by Hollywood movies are shown on this tour. But Fong-Torres does lead her group through Ross Alley, once notorious for gambling, prostitution and the famed Rickshaw Bar.
Then, strolling through Wentworth Alley between Jackson and Washington streets, Fong-Torres tells of how alley residents once dried trays of fish and shrimp along the cobblestone roadway, and thus it came to be known as "Hom Yu Gai," or Salted Fish Alley.
Her tours end with a dim sum lunch at one of her favorite teahouses with a variety of Chinese pastries and dishes. "We work hard to offer them a wonderful ending to the tour," she said.
Fong-Torres attributes the tour company's success to her and her staff's friendliness, a courtesy she says is lacking among many Chinatown merchants. "There is definitely a problem. There are some business owners whose attitudes are really bad," she said. "If you want (visitors) to buy, why don't you work at being more friendly?"
Fong-Torres also capitalizes on her bicultural upbringing. By combining her love and intimate knowledge of the community with her years of corporate experience, she has tailored her tours and cooking classes to appeal to mainstream America.
Fong-Torres, a product of Oakland's Chinatown, is as comfortable conversing with a vegetable store owner in Cantonese as she is joking in English with a Midwestern couple.
When she was old enough, Fong-Torres began helping out in the family's Chinese restaurant, peeling prawns and onions. She became a junior high school teacher in Texas and then worked for Levi Strauss & Co. as a women's wear merchandising manager.
In 1984, she left the corporate world to pursue her passion, teaching Chinese cooking. Occasionally she gave tours of Chinatown to her students.
One day, her tour was written up in a local hotel guidebook, and a business was born. "There was a need for such a tour in San Francisco, " said Fong-Torres. "People wanted to learn about Chinatown."
Initially a one-person operation, Fong-Torres now operates the company with husband Bernie Carver. They have 12 bilingual guides to help handle the increased demand for tours.
The additional guides also give Fong-Torres time to host TV cooking shows, promote her new book "San Francisco Chinatown: A Walking Tour" and write a new cookbook.
Fong-Torres says she considers herself an ambassador for Chinatown. "I want people to leave my tour with a good knowledge of our Chinatown," she said. "I want them to know there is more to Chinatown than fortune-cookie factories and eggrolls."