Comments (0) Best Asian Chatchkes - 2001

Truong An

A wild and untamed space overrun with stuff everywhere, Truong An supports a healthy video trade for its Asian-language constituency. But you don't have to speak Vietnamese to appreciate the place, where you can browse racks filled with satiny silk or rayon Chinese pajamas, poofy chiffon party dresses for children and dragon-lady frocks for women. The store also stocks haphazardly

arranged embroidered slippers, sparkly stickers and plastic see-through purses and trendy notebooks favored by pre-teens of any cultural background, as well as Hello Kitty and Pokémon-splashed items. Buddhas in all sizes and shapes abound, along with other Buddhist deities, live potted good-luck bamboo shoots and small red envelopes for monetary gifts at the lunar new year. A walk through the crowded aisles reveals a gold mine of teapot sets, scrolls, planters, kids' clocks and fierce dragons, carved in anything from jade to opalescent green plastic. After you're sated by all this trash and treasure, head over to the nearby Saigon Bowl for a bowl of steaming pho