| Let's first get one thing straight right off the bat. | | | | Aside from your chow mien dishes you have |
| Anybody who thinks that when they walk into a | | | | your lo mien dishes. The only difference between |
| Chinese restaurant and order their meal that they | | | | these two are the kinds of noodles they use. |
| get anything resembling what Chinese people | | | | Other than that, they are pretty much the same, |
| really eat, has been eating in Chinese restaurants | | | | at least at most restaurants in the states. The |
| either way too often or not often enough. Having | | | | whole key to a Chinese dish is the vegetables |
| said that, we're going to concentrate on what we | | | | that they put in it. Most of a Chinese dish is |
| refer to as "Chinese American" restaurants, | | | | pretty much vegetables. There is relatively a lot |
| because in reality, that's what they are. | | | | less meat than there is vegetable. That's why the |
| The stereotypes of who eats Chinese food are | | | | dishes are relatively inexpensive and also why |
| beyond silly. Other people besides Jews eat | | | | you're hungry two hours later. |
| Chinese food, or what we call Chinese food. The | | | | Then there are some specialty dishes. You can |
| reason these stereotypes exist is because many | | | | usually tell what these are because they have |
| years ago when the modern day Chinese | | | | names like Moo Goo Gai Pan. You have absolutely |
| American restaurant started to become popular, | | | | NO idea what's in this stuff by reading the name |
| the majority just happened to open up in Jewish | | | | of it. Fortunately, there is usually a description of |
| neighborhoods. So naturally more Jewish people at | | | | the menu item underneath the title so you can |
| there than anyone else. Today, you will find all | | | | get some idea of what you're eating. |
| kinds of people eating at Chinese restaurants. | | | | Aside from the main dishes you get your |
| So, what kind of food DO you find at a Chinese | | | | standard side dishes like roast pork, egg roll, |
| American restaurant? Most Chinese American | | | | stuffed mushrooms, etc. Most people usually fill up |
| dishes fall into what they call categories of food. | | | | on the fried Chinese noodles that they give you |
| Their are your chow mien dishes which feature | | | | before you even get your dinner. This way it |
| the classic chicken chow mien. But you can get a | | | | doesn't seem so much like you hardly ate |
| lot more than just chicken chow mien. You can | | | | anything. And of course the meal is topped off |
| also get shrimp chow mien, beef chow mien, | | | | with a fortune cookie and some tea. This is |
| roast pork chow mien and just about any other | | | | standard fair for a Chinese restaurant. |
| kind of beef, pork, chicken or fish that you can | | | | Some of these restaurants are good, some are |
| think of. Just a quick tip. If you're going to get the | | | | okay and some are not so great. It's hard to find |
| chicken chow mien, get the white meat chicken | | | | a Chinese restaurant that's really terrible. After all, |
| chow mien. It costs about a buck more but they | | | | how much can you ruin a vegetable? |
| give you more chicken and the pieces are bigger. | | | | |