Yellow Fever Restaurant In California Serves Up Controversy

REDONDO BEACH, CA – More than four years ago, an Asian restaurant named Yellow Fever opened up in Torrance, California. Although some were disturbed by the name – a virus transmitted by mosquitoes or a vulgar phrase used to describe a sexual fetish for Asian women, often by white men – they kept quiet. But the business expanded, opening up a second location in Venice and, most recently, a third location as part of a Whole Foods 365 store in Long Beach, according to The New York Times.

The third restaurant's opening received its criticism loud and clear on social media, according to the Washington Post. Jenny Yang, a comedian from Torrance, wrote on Twitter: “WAS ‘ME LOVE YOU LONG TIME’ RICE BOWLS ALREADY TAKEN, @WholeFoods @365byWholeFoods????”

Jeff Yang, an Asian-American cultural critic noted minutes later that there was another important detail – the restaurant's co-founder and executive chef Kelly Kim is an Asian-American woman, The New York Times reported.

The restaurant name spurred a public debated, which created an opportunity for Asian-Americans to wrestle with bigger questions about reclaiming negative stereotypical language, and the power of corporate America, according to The New York Times.

Kim told The Washington Post that the term "yellow fever" implies “an attraction or affinity of Asian people or Asian things,” such as Korean pop music or karaoke. “I never took it to a have deeper meaning. … It’s a little tongue in cheek, but I never saw it as offensive or racist or anti-feminist,” she said.

The restaurant, which serves bowls of rice, noodles, or salad with toppings and sauces, has long embraced its name and interpretations, according to Washington Post.