Why isn't the Indonesian-American population larger?

[SInNYC]

What's also interesting is small proportion of Thai's compared to the number of Thai restaurants. It appears that there as many Thai restaurants as Vietnamese restaurants despite far lower Thai immigrant populations.

Around here, many Thai restaurants are run by Chinese (I know since Chinese dining partners claim they are speaking Mandarin in the kitchen). Some of the [bad] takeout joints just sprinkle red paper flakes and peanuts on lo mein and call it pad thai. To extend this, many cheaper sushi places are Chinese run, and cheaper Indian places are Bangladeshi run (which is why I always look for a turban when I want north Indian).

Where I used to live, the Vietnamese places were mostly run by Hmong (and a Hmong friend told me that the food at one place was really Hmong + some phos).

In short, there is little correlation between restaurant genre and chef/owner.

[SInNYC]

What's also interesting is small proportion of Thai's compared to the number of Thai restaurants. It appears that there as many Thai restaurants as Vietnamese restaurants despite far lower Thai immigrant populations.

Around here, many Thai restaurants are run by Chinese (I know since Chinese dining partners claim they are speaking Mandarin in the kitchen). Some of the [bad] takeout joints just sprinkle red paper flakes and peanuts on lo mein and call it pad thai. To extend this, many cheaper sushi places are Chinese run, and cheaper Indian places are Bangladeshi run (which is why I always look for a turban when I want north Indian).

Where I used to live, the Vietnamese places were mostly run by Hmong (and a Hmong friend told me that the food at one place was really Hmong + some phos).

In short, there is little correlation between restaurant genre and chef/owner.

I’m guessing you currently live in Queens or Brooklyn, and used to live in the Upper Midwest? Aside from a lot of sushi places being run by Koreans, you generally won’t encounter that problem on the West Coast.

Close, the Bronx. But I think its more true of Manhattan than Queens/Brooklyn as far as Chinese/Korean sushi houses and Bangladeshi Indian restaurants (though less true for Thai). But I have seen a few Chinese/Vietnamese crosses in CA, and sushi is weird everywhere like you say. North Indian is less of a problem on the west coast probably due to a traditional Sikh presence in the agricultural sector.

Basically, more educated immigrants dont want to run restaurants.