Writing during the Great Depression this WPA author shared that the majority of the restaurants in New York’s Chinatown offered chop suey and chow mein. They are both sold in kitchens like those of the luncheonette trade and delivered to the point of sale in huge containers, where it is reheated and sold as a takeout item. Reading this WPA era story reminds me that as a child of the 1960s through 1980s, Chinese food meant a limited view restricted to egg rolls, chop suey and chow mein. Most still don’t know how vast Chinese cuisine is. For those in the know, what are dishes we should order?
