# What's the most cosmopolitan city in Texas? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684 "2003-11-11T21:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/21 "2003-11-13T03:49:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yBeayf \* > \*\*Based on the definition of cosmopolitan meaning international, from my experience it could be nothing else but Houston. The sheer diversity of this city is staggering. There’s a shopping mall that caters exclusively to the Asian community. There’s a huge new Islamic center downtown (funded by Hakeem Olajuwon). There are five tacquerías (that I know of) within a mile of my house. Any ethnic cuisine you can think of, we have restaurants serving it. There’s a section of town where the street signs are in Chinese. And we’re bigger than Rhode Island. \*\* All this, and you live in a mud puddle? ---
**Author:** ![r.j.a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5daacb/32.png) [@r.j.a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/r.j.a)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/22 "2003-11-13T04:30:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yBeayf \* > **There’s a shopping mall that caters exclusively to the Asian community.** I’m not a regular here (or haven’t been anyway), but when I read this I couldn’t resist mentioning that I once took Chinese painting lessons at the mall you’re talking about (way out Bellaire, am I right?). It was pretty neat. I wish I’d spent some time in Dallas so I could judge better between it and Houston, though. Rod ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/23 "2003-11-13T14:24:20Z")
[Total hijack] I’m originally from Iowa. I had a buddy in the Army who was from Houston. One time he got a package from home that included a can of popcorn. “Now,” sez he, “You’ll eat some real Texas popcorn.” I picked up the can which was labeled, Jolly Time Popcorn, Sioux City, Iowa. [/Total hijack] ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/24 "2003-11-13T14:50:22Z")
> [@](#): > > All this, and you live in a mud puddle? I _am_ a toad, you know. And Houston has no shortage of mud puddles. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/25 "2003-11-13T16:01:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yBeayf \* > **Any ethnic cuisine you can think of, we have restaurants serving it.** My understanding is that Houston is sort of a hub of both Indian and Chinese dining. I know that the Indian and Chinese places that I’ve been to in New Orleans and central Mississippi have a lot of restaurant-industry contacts in Houston. Interestingly, a lot of the items you see as decor in Indian and Chinese restaurants (at least where I’ve been) are imported and sold through companies in Houston. There’s a huge printing company in Houston that does just about nothing but Chinese-restaurant menus and placemats. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/26 "2003-11-14T23:01:34Z")
Heh. Glad to see that El Paso never came up in this discussion. If it had, I’d have to track down whoever made the post in order to find out what dimension they’re living in. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/27 "2003-11-14T23:43:32Z")
Feh! El Paso has Chico’s tacos. 'nough said. My kingdom for a double order, I tell you! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/28 "2003-11-16T05:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by r.j.a. \* > \*\*I’m not a regular here (or haven’t been anyway), but when I read this I couldn’t resist mentioning that I once took Chinese painting lessons at the mall you’re talking about (way out Bellaire, am I right?). It was pretty neat. > > I wish I’d spent some time in Dallas so I could judge better between it and Houston, though. > Rod \*\* I have… lived in Dallas for almost 5 years now, and grew up in Houston (behind that Hong Kong Mall on Bellaire, as a matter of fact!), and there’s really no comparison from an international perspective. Although the Dallas area has significant international populations, they don’t figure into the flavor of the town the same way that they do in Houston. Dallas is definitely more hip and trendy… if you like that kind of thing. I’m 31 and I feel distinctly more comfortable going out in Houston- there isn’t nearly the trendy/pretentious vibe going on in most places like there is in Dallas. \*\* Age Quod Agis \*\* got it right on the stereotype too- there are lots of people like that. Lots of $30,000 millionaires too- it’s a very image-conscious social scene. ---
**Author:** ![Jonmarzie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jonmarzie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonmarzie)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/29 "2003-11-16T05:47:03Z")
Well, I think y’all are all wrong. I’ve lived in Texas for all 20 years of my life, and I think it’s most definately Abeline. …or Lubbock. Take your pick. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/30 "2003-11-16T06:07:51Z")
Wrong! It’s Happy, Texas. Went to religious convention for many years there, I did. :::shriek::: ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684/31 "2003-11-16T06:08:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > **Using Dallas as an example (as I haven’t been to houston)** You need to get your hiney down there, hon, if for no other reason than [The Menil Collection](http://www.menil.org). Renzo Piano building. Rothko Chapel (which is a Philip Johnson). Great surrealist collection, especially strong in Rene Magritte and Max Ernst. If we judge by the number of stars awarded in _Texas Monthly_’s restaurant reviews, Houston has better food than Dallas. But hey, Dallas can claim to be the home of big-time Grammy winners Norah Jones and the Dixie Chicks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-cosmopolitan-city-in-texas/212684.md?page=1)