1950s Chinese Restaurants

Yesterday, I spent about 45 minutes trying to figure out the 1950s Chinese restaurant menu. Being born and raised in LA by parents from Hong Kong, I thought I knew Chinese (at least Cantonese) food. I found myself wondering what the heck was pressed duck and I don’t think I’ve ever had chop suey ever in my life.

During my Kosher crawl on Pico this past Sunday, I passed several of these throw-back Chinese restaurants. They looked like they were from a movie set or old Las Vegas.

I have passionately defended the eggrolls I grew up with- the light crispy wrappers filled with pork and shrimp. I have been asked about “real” eggrolls. Those thick-bumpy wrapped eggrolls with nary any nutri0nal value usually found in places on the East Coast. People like these eggrolls! And they like their 1950s Chinese food.

We took the take-out menu from King Fu and I didn’t really see too many things I’d term 1950s Chinese food with the exception of egg food young and moo shu. I think I was disappointed.

Well, sometime in the future I’ll participate in a pupu platter crawl down Pico and hit up all these spots. Let’s see who does the best fried wontons, sweet and sour and spare ribs.

And hopefully with cocktails with umbrellas in ’em.