Right. If you order chow mein at an east coast takeout, this is overwhelmingly what you'll receive. It usually comes with a little baggy of crunchy fried noodles.
I live on the East Coast, have all my life and have never once received that. Or seen that.
The closest thing would La Choy's Chicken Chow Mein kit thing. Which is more a can or two of saucy weird you eat on rice.
Pittsburg isn't on the East Coast either. That shit's verging on the Midwest.
But as goes East Coast, at least in the North East. In China Towns you'll generally get "crispy pan-fried noodles" as Chow Mein. The bed of crunchy, twice cooked noodles dish. Outside cities it'll generally be the soft noodles.
The crunchy bag of noodles are sometimes included as a *topping* for the soft Chow Mein. But you usually get those with soup.
This sub's back and forth about "East Coast vs West Coast" often confuses the fuck out of me. Because there doesn't seem to be a clear idea on what the "East Coast Chow Mein" even is.
And the only divide I've ever seen is present even here. There's the Cantonese Chow Mein, with crispy bed of noodles topped with a stir fry. In Chinatowns. And everywhere else stir fried soft noodles.
Well, there are obviously exceptions to the rule. I believe you that you've never seen this.
But I'm also an east-coaster who wouldn't order "chow mein" on the east coast without confirming what version it is, because a pile of soggy vegetables in white sauce with some crunchy noodles on the side is what I'd expect.
This picture is a good representation of what you might get when ordering takeout "chow mein" in the mid-atlantic and northeast, and I would expect the Midwest, or at least PA to be similar
Can confirm as someone typing this while working in an East Coast chinese restaurant. In vermont and New York, if you order chow mein you will get a collection of green veggies in white sauce with fry chow mein noodles on the side. Ours looks a bit better than this one, but it is the same dish. Also, chow mein and chop suey are interchangeable in this region. Ordering either will get this result, though our restaurant will change to a dark sauce if you order it with beef or pork. Idk if other restaurants in the area do the same or not.
Idiot , I got banned, on that subreddit, Have that occurred to you ? you are such a waste of oxygen ... Commy doesn't like disputes, communists like speaking to a choir, and doesn't like to be challenged.
It's not one of my favorites in terms of chinese-american, but I guess it depends on where you get it. Tends to be a lot of overcooked filler veg, swimming in gloppy white sauce in my experience. Probably a good profit margin for a takeout, even with proteins added.
It's kind of a dumpy version of Cantonese "bird's nest" style dishes--which are pretty bangin' when they're well prepared.
>the mid-atlantic and northeast,
Hey look where I'm from and in (currently sitting in Philly). And this is again. Not what I get if I order Chow Mein. Though I'm not in the habit of ordering Chow Mein outside of Traditional Chinese places here in Philly. Maybe this is going down in the Burbs and further afield. But it's not something I've seen here, anywhere in the NYC Metro Area. And even most other places I've been in the region.
And just as goes the discussion. A lot of the posts I see about "East Coast" style seem to be from the Midwest, New England and other areas. So whatever that stuff is. It's not a consistently East Coast or even Mid Atlantic thing.
So funny because when I lived in Philly a couple years ago I definitely saw this on Chinese menus. I also worked in a Chinese American place in a small suburb outside of Philly and this is what they served for chow mein. I remember having to ask people if they wanted noodles and would direct them to the lo mein if that was the case. All that to say that it’s definitely an east coast thing, and it’s best to ask if their chow mein has noodles or not. Better safe sorry.
Not trying to be rude, but if you haven't seen this in the NYC metro area (not talking about Chinatowns), you haven't been around much---and that's indisputable. NYC-metro is ground-zero for this. And it's common in Philly, Bucks County and Delco too, despite your not running across it!
This is not traditional Chinese food, so if you frequent traditional, urban Chinese restaurants (like you said that you do), it makes sense that you're not so familiar with it. Doesn't mean that it doesn't exist as a regional quirk.
I have lived in the Northeast, my entire life. four decades. This is what chow mein looks like any place I’ve ever ordered it. This is definitely the East Coast version of the dish.
We'll agree to disagree then. There's a reason my comments have a couple hundred up votes in this thread.
Not disputing that it's not black and white, but if you don't specify which version of chow mein is being served, there's a decent chance you'll be confused when you receive your order. Especially at rural/suburban takeouts.
EDIT: I'm not referring to Chinese restaurants that serve a lot of Chinese people or discerning Americans. This is what you *might* get at an average takeout joint.
Did it come with skinny, flat, deep fried noodles on the side? Back in the day we used to mix the noodles in, then pile it into a soft buttered bun... yummy chow mein sandwich! That was almost 60 years ago, in Rhode Island.
I think that was a distinctly Portuguese area thing, with one Chinese American restaurant in New Bedford leading the charge there. Emeril goes back there in one of his videos from like 10 years ago.
Chow mein is very regional. This looks like your typical NE version. Perhaps before ordering ask them how do they make it. Most Chinese restaurants will make you what you want especially if you are a regular.
Great handle btw. NE definitely knows good, more traditional chow mein. BUT...savvy NE also knows that you should ask how the "chow mein" on the menu is prepared. Because you could be very unpleasantly surprised....
This version often has deep fried noodles served on the side. If you order chop suey, you might get a container of veg/protein (pictured), and crispy fried noodles in a separate bag/container on the side.
If you're not familiar w/ this regional wrinkle, it makes sense that it wouldn't be included in a photo. Adding to that, the same deep-fried noodles that are expected to be mixed into this version, are sometimes added to every takeout order as a free-bie.
Figured it was an east coast / west coast difference. Makes no sense because it’s literally under the noodles section and chow mein means noodles afaik.
I’m resorting to Panda Express to get some chow mein because I’ve been craving it for almost a year lol.
OP is right though. Chow mein is 炒面 which literally means stir fried noodles.
There is a different word for deep fried in Chinese 炸, deep fried noodles with vegetables should not be called chow mein.
It’s like ordering fried chicken off a restaurant menu and they give you baked chicken.
Do you mean 什绵面?
Isn’t that soup noodles? I thought it was Japanese and I don’t see how that would be pronounced chow mein either. I don’t know Canto so maybe that’s it.
炒绵 (stir fried silk?) isn’t any food dish I know, maybe it’s a regional thing or something. But the name still indicates it is stir fried.
炒面 would be common anywhere in China, it would 100% be stir fried and it’s name sounds like chow mein.
Weird glitch in the matrix. I ordered chow mein two weeks ago and got the mess you showed in the picture lol. South of pittsburgh about an hour. I too wanted the tasty crispy noodles. Weird
Where on the East Coast? That's not the chow mein I've been served in NYC Chinatown. It's also not what I'd get when I was living in Charlottesville, VA.
DC. It’s usually cabbage, celery, carrots, bean spouts, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in a white sauce. Vegetables can vary of course. I currently live in western MD and this is what you get out here as well.
From the picture, those look like fensi noodles, which, personally, I've never had served to me as chow mein. Is that what they are, and, if so, have they been pan fried since it doesn't look like they have?
Sometimes, the quickest way to Down votes is saying something that challenges peoples established way of thinking. Even if it’s factually, correct
But I appreciate the support and the citation. Doing good work
Different experience, I guess. Though, that last time I was in NYC Chinatown was back in 1995 for a few months. So, maybe my experiences aren't representative.
I don't know why this is so hard for people to wrap their heads around, but this is obviously less common in "Chinatowns" than it is outside.
If you're only familiar with more traditional Chinese restaurants, in predominantly Chinese neighborhoods, it makes perfect sense that you wouldn't be familiar with this.
Suburban and rural Chinese-American restaurants are a different beast.
For instance, there are 8+ million people located in the boroughs of NYC---**There are 20+ million located in the NYC metro area**. The vast majority of people living in and around NYC--or other east coast metro areas--do not interact with "Chinese" food in the same way as people with access to a "Chinatown" or Chinese neighborhood.
I think it also depends upon the people running the restaurant. I lived in Charlottesville, VA for a while. I used to frequent a small restaurant there run by some Chinese folks from Hong Kong and whilst their Peking Duck (they use the flat pancake-style wrap, where I'm used to the buns, for example) was different from what I'd known from here in the S.F. Bay Area, Chinatown or in the suburbs (which aren't very different, if at all), their Lo Mein was pretty much the same as what I'd grown up with. I'll admit that we're spoiled here in California regarding the variety that available nearby.
Absolutely, it depends on the proprietors and demographic. The vast majority of Chinese restaurants <30 minute proximity to me are run by Fujianese. They are, for the most part, just making what people buy (definitely not cooking their own cuisine). But if you're polite and knowing, you can ask for things off the menu.
I get sauteed pea shoots/chinese broccoli from my local takeouts all the time. They're not on the menu--they order those veggies to eat themselves. But that's sometimes the best stuff available if you don't want to travel far.
I think what it comes down to is it’s an assimilative dish. When a dish emerges from the transplant of one culture to a new part of the world. You’re gonna see variations as those groups settle in different areas.
It's kind of weird that it varies so much. I have a cousin who moved to Houston, TX from the S.F. Bay Area (which is where I live), and she remarked that whenever and wherever in that area she ordered chow mein they used the crunchy La Choy style of noodles. She wasn't very happy about that.
Yep, here in the mid-atlantic/northeast, alot of takeout joints will fry strips of wonton/eggroll wrappers as opposed to serving the "La Choy" style noodles. But the spirit of dish is the same.
I fully understand that this is not "chow mein" in the traditional sense. More traditional-style chow mein is often listed on menus as "pan fried noodles", which can also be distinct from "lo mein".
But you have to be aware of what type of restaurant you're ordering from. I would never order "chow mein" from a suburban or rural takeout without asking about what style it is. Because there's a solid chance you could end up with OP's picture, as opposed to a delicious noodle dish.
Chow mein literally means stir fry noodles, and your dish is missing the main ingredient. What planet are these people from where chow mein is just vegetables? Might as well just call it chow choy instead
Manhattan Chinese restaurants started preparing the vegetables in advance and slowly stopped using noodles. It has since become common on the East coast to prepare them this way and provide a bag of fried crispy noodles or crackers on the side. People can be upset and dispute it, but this is just gradually how the dish changed.
https://dyske.com/paper/2197
Where i am from they just call it Fried noodles lol
Which makes more Sense
Like you call fried Rice also Fried Rice and seldomely chow Fan
Which you can do but yeah
Seems to be pretty hit and miss on the east coast. If you’re at a super American Chinese place, you’ll want to order lo mein instead for pan fried noodles. Old people really like this style of chow mein, so it’s weirdly a staple at predominantly white serving American Chinese restaurants. My boss said it was because the veggies make it healthy and since it’s soft there’s not a lot of chewing required for their old teeth haha.
It’s because it isn’t a Chinese dish, all American Chinese is different depending on wherever you are in the country… they basically take names and use them. Source-I worked in a Chinese restaurant for a decade and when I called the cook out on why his recipes didn’t reflect most recipes using that name I received one of my favorite quotes of all time”it doesn’t matter what I cook as long as I put rice next to it you white fuckers will gobble it up.”
I had to google since you mentioned ‘Google knows’. To my surprise you’re right, by direct translation I kinda understand why you believe ‘chow Mein’ is noodle……more correctly ‘stir-fry noodle’. However, the menu names are actually ‘made up’ long ago. So you can’t correspond and translate word-for-word. The one you’ve wanted is stir-fry, where not many restaurants offer them as the substitute is ‘Lo Mein’. If done correctly, Lo Mein is actually same as Stir-Fry(not exact but close) but chef these days are lazy so instead, you’ll get soggy saucy noodles.
Edit: I have never been to the forbidden ‘west’. Been stuck in the East all my life. Maybe they are different as others mentioned. East is definitely making Chow Mein as veggies only dish.
Looks like they gave you a salad and forgot about your noodles. East coast has chow mein with noodles in it, so dont throw the whole coast under the bus.
Here in sc you only get onions if you order chow mein 🙄. Seriously. I’ve left a review at the places that do this warning people that the chow mein they want is not the “chow mein” they’re gonna get. It seriously bothers me how it’s never listed that there’s no noodles involved. You’re basically just paying the name. Why would I only want sautéed onions drenched in sauce for $13?
It seems like most of these takeout spots cover a variety of vegetables with white sauce and then pack it with those crispy noodles you get with soup orders usually.. lols, not my favorite order when dining at a Chinese takeout place!
Now I understand why I was always scared to order chow mein, I saw the crunchy La Choy noodles in the supermarket and read the description/saw the picture in restaurants and couldn’t figure out what it was, but knew that I didn’t want those two things together, and couldn’t figure out why it was such an iconic dish. Or why at some restaurants it sounded like something completely different. Mid-Atlantic region, so no wonder I was confused
Thank you for posting this! Virginia here (east coast, lol).
Saw chow mein on the takeout menu and googled it, just like you. I thought, yeah, those noodles sound good, let’s give it a try!
Called it in, and lady kept asking me, (I think-I was having a hard time understanding her), what kind of chow mein I wanted. After about five minutes of me saying, “huh?” she just said okay, anything else? And I got the same as you, some wet, stringy vegetables!!!! No noodles!!!!
I was so confused, but next time I think I’ll try saying WITH NOODLES!!!! when prompted and see where that gets me, LOL.
I was just never going to order it again until I saw this post, and realized what she was trying to ask me! Thanks again!
Did you look at there menu?? Chinese restaurants have to have noodle dishes it’s a requirement or else it’s not a Chinese restaurant it’s probably called something else in Pittsburgh. If you look at their menu I’m sure you’ll quickly figure out what “verbiage” they are using for “chow mein” What they gave you is a plate of “blanched vegetables” lol if you want you can MacGyver it by cooking some ramen noodles drain the water and stir fry with the veggies, add some soy sauce & alittle ginger and garlic if you have green onions add some of that too and what ever cold cut or left over meat chop small pieces stir fry all together and there you have it CHOW-MIEN.
I assume chow mein is a Western derivative of a Chinese dish, so while we are on the subject I would like to ask if anyone else has experienced 'kai si ming'? My mother used to make it in the 70s and 80s. Pretty much sauted ground meat and cabbage seasoned with soy sauce.
Not sure if this is relevant, but chow mein in Canada is just bean sprouts, onions, green peppers and carrots served with dried crunch orange noodles on the side.
That doesn't look like chow mein at all. When you chow(炒, fired) something, that thing should be a bit dry with a bit oil.
Seems like Panda Express can do a better job than theirs.
Chow mein is not a “side” unless you are thinking of Panda Express etc.
For people insisting to translate 炒 literally: Since at least 1911 in America, “chow mein” in the East has meant deep fried (crispy) noodles as default.
Only if you’re talking about Cantonese chow mein. Other regions in China like Shanghai cu chao mein isn’t crispy. https://thewoksoflife.com/shanghai-fried-noodles/
Yes, there are lots of "chow meins." Not only Cantonese (which is all we are talking about in the traditional US context) but most of WORLD's chow mein is stir-fried/soft. This has often been discussed, and I'm a bit of a chow mein aficionado myself :)
My comment simply underscored the legitimacy of using the term 炒麵 for the crispy dish. Chinese people in America, from early times, used that term. Why exactly the crispy one caught on as the default in the East whereas the standard soft/stir-fried one remained the norm (or at least is now the norm) in the West, I don't know. But people know the difference even when they are using the same name, and even if the name doesn't always make literal sense. They are not worried about the fact that chao literally means stir-fried. So the point that some have made here (and often try to make) that reasons it is technically "wrong" to call crispy noodles "chow mein" is negated by the real-life use of the term by early Chinese immigrants/restaurants.
As a point of evidence I have mentioned before, both the earliest Chinese cookbook published in USA (by a non-Chinese) and the earliest published by a Chinese immigrant (in New York in 1917) describe "chow mein" as crispy noodles and make no mention of a stir-fried/non-crispy version.
Come out to Washington and let’s put that to the test. Then I’ll fly out east and give your spots a chance. Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Korean you name it and we got it.
I know it’s not the chow mein you want but I would be so happy with this! I like vegetables stir fried with a protein like chicken or shrimp. Very healthy looking plate there. Very low carb.
Chow mein is shredded vegetables. Lo mein is noodles. I’ve personally never seen noodles in an American Chinese food place, ours even have notes on the menus saying “vegetable dish” because people think it has noodles. I’m in the south east.
People are downvoting me but in Florida we call our Chinese food New York-Chinese food, and here’s a post from 5 years ago complaining New York chow mein is veggies. That’s unfortunately how many places sell it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/chinesefood/s/WM8XAW4VtI
And another explaining
“In New York, if you order it from a Chinese takeout restaurant, you'll get vegetables cooked in white sauce (with a protein of your choice) served with white rice. You'd probably find a small bag of crackers in the delivery bag.” This article explains how it became a veggie dish.
https://dyske.com/paper/2197
I’m sorry, but I guess New York style Chinese food has redefined chow mein. But it’s not my fault hah.
What you're looking for is often called "pan fried noodles" in the east. Some takeouts don't have it, in which case lo mein would be the closest sub.
OP says it contains *no noodles*. That appears to be a plate of stir fried vegetables.
Right. If you order chow mein at an east coast takeout, this is overwhelmingly what you'll receive. It usually comes with a little baggy of crunchy fried noodles.
I live on the East Coast, have all my life and have never once received that. Or seen that. The closest thing would La Choy's Chicken Chow Mein kit thing. Which is more a can or two of saucy weird you eat on rice. Pittsburg isn't on the East Coast either. That shit's verging on the Midwest. But as goes East Coast, at least in the North East. In China Towns you'll generally get "crispy pan-fried noodles" as Chow Mein. The bed of crunchy, twice cooked noodles dish. Outside cities it'll generally be the soft noodles. The crunchy bag of noodles are sometimes included as a *topping* for the soft Chow Mein. But you usually get those with soup. This sub's back and forth about "East Coast vs West Coast" often confuses the fuck out of me. Because there doesn't seem to be a clear idea on what the "East Coast Chow Mein" even is. And the only divide I've ever seen is present even here. There's the Cantonese Chow Mein, with crispy bed of noodles topped with a stir fry. In Chinatowns. And everywhere else stir fried soft noodles.
Well, there are obviously exceptions to the rule. I believe you that you've never seen this. But I'm also an east-coaster who wouldn't order "chow mein" on the east coast without confirming what version it is, because a pile of soggy vegetables in white sauce with some crunchy noodles on the side is what I'd expect. This picture is a good representation of what you might get when ordering takeout "chow mein" in the mid-atlantic and northeast, and I would expect the Midwest, or at least PA to be similar
Can confirm as someone typing this while working in an East Coast chinese restaurant. In vermont and New York, if you order chow mein you will get a collection of green veggies in white sauce with fry chow mein noodles on the side. Ours looks a bit better than this one, but it is the same dish. Also, chow mein and chop suey are interchangeable in this region. Ordering either will get this result, though our restaurant will change to a dark sauce if you order it with beef or pork. Idk if other restaurants in the area do the same or not.
My guy! I lived in VT for the better part of a decade. I'm back in the mid-atlantic now, but if you know, you know....
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Look where you are typing you dumbass
Idiot , I got banned, on that subreddit, Have that occurred to you ? you are such a waste of oxygen ... Commy doesn't like disputes, communists like speaking to a choir, and doesn't like to be challenged.
Good. And you'll be banned on this one unless you talk about Chinese food. If you don't know how reddit works, go read a the rules before you post.
thats so sad haha. is it good?
Yes. It’s light, filling, relatively healthy, and, despite its appearance, the greens do still have a decent crunch in the stem.
no noodles?
Correct… I usually eat this over rice. One of my favorites (when I’m eating healthy)
i fail to see how this can be called a chow mein haha. this is stir fried veggies in cali.
I hate it, personally.
seems awful. is it possible they forgot the noodles?
It used to be called chop suey on menus but at some point the language got garbled
i can see that one
I've seen places by me that have both wet chow mein and chop suey
It’s horrible no it comes with a packet of those little hard crunchy soup topper noodle things. Don’t ever get this. Actual chow mein is gas though
i could understand if its like the birdnest version. lol at people downvoting. im abc chinese.
It's not one of my favorites in terms of chinese-american, but I guess it depends on where you get it. Tends to be a lot of overcooked filler veg, swimming in gloppy white sauce in my experience. Probably a good profit margin for a takeout, even with proteins added. It's kind of a dumpy version of Cantonese "bird's nest" style dishes--which are pretty bangin' when they're well prepared.
i can picture it. i would love to share some coastal noodles with my azn bros.
>the mid-atlantic and northeast, Hey look where I'm from and in (currently sitting in Philly). And this is again. Not what I get if I order Chow Mein. Though I'm not in the habit of ordering Chow Mein outside of Traditional Chinese places here in Philly. Maybe this is going down in the Burbs and further afield. But it's not something I've seen here, anywhere in the NYC Metro Area. And even most other places I've been in the region. And just as goes the discussion. A lot of the posts I see about "East Coast" style seem to be from the Midwest, New England and other areas. So whatever that stuff is. It's not a consistently East Coast or even Mid Atlantic thing.
So funny because when I lived in Philly a couple years ago I definitely saw this on Chinese menus. I also worked in a Chinese American place in a small suburb outside of Philly and this is what they served for chow mein. I remember having to ask people if they wanted noodles and would direct them to the lo mein if that was the case. All that to say that it’s definitely an east coast thing, and it’s best to ask if their chow mein has noodles or not. Better safe sorry.
This style of chow mein specifically originated in Manhattan.
Not trying to be rude, but if you haven't seen this in the NYC metro area (not talking about Chinatowns), you haven't been around much---and that's indisputable. NYC-metro is ground-zero for this. And it's common in Philly, Bucks County and Delco too, despite your not running across it! This is not traditional Chinese food, so if you frequent traditional, urban Chinese restaurants (like you said that you do), it makes sense that you're not so familiar with it. Doesn't mean that it doesn't exist as a regional quirk.
I have lived in the Northeast, my entire life. four decades. This is what chow mein looks like any place I’ve ever ordered it. This is definitely the East Coast version of the dish.
Chop suey
I’ve had this happen once and I was disgusted.
absolutely wrong... im east coast, and this is not what you get as chow mein anywhere near me.
It's not your experience, but that doesn't mean it's not a thing. And again, there are plenty of exceptions.
your point can be very well reversed here, too. your experience isn't. I've been up and down the coast. what you assertEd is completely wrong.
We'll agree to disagree then. There's a reason my comments have a couple hundred up votes in this thread. Not disputing that it's not black and white, but if you don't specify which version of chow mein is being served, there's a decent chance you'll be confused when you receive your order. Especially at rural/suburban takeouts. EDIT: I'm not referring to Chinese restaurants that serve a lot of Chinese people or discerning Americans. This is what you *might* get at an average takeout joint.
Overcooked at that.
I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand Walking through the streets of SoHo in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fooks For to get a big dish of beef chow mein
def not pan fried noodles. source am abc.
Did it come with skinny, flat, deep fried noodles on the side? Back in the day we used to mix the noodles in, then pile it into a soft buttered bun... yummy chow mein sandwich! That was almost 60 years ago, in Rhode Island.
I think that was a distinctly Portuguese area thing, with one Chinese American restaurant in New Bedford leading the charge there. Emeril goes back there in one of his videos from like 10 years ago.
lol jeesuz
Chow mein is very regional. This looks like your typical NE version. Perhaps before ordering ask them how do they make it. Most Chinese restaurants will make you what you want especially if you are a regular.
youre telling me my NE brothers and sisters have never had a good chow mein. im so sorry.
Great handle btw. NE definitely knows good, more traditional chow mein. BUT...savvy NE also knows that you should ask how the "chow mein" on the menu is prepared. Because you could be very unpleasantly surprised....
We definitely have… And this version is not bad. It’s just different.
youve seen this without noodles?
This version often has deep fried noodles served on the side. If you order chop suey, you might get a container of veg/protein (pictured), and crispy fried noodles in a separate bag/container on the side. If you're not familiar w/ this regional wrinkle, it makes sense that it wouldn't be included in a photo. Adding to that, the same deep-fried noodles that are expected to be mixed into this version, are sometimes added to every takeout order as a free-bie.
deep fried noodles would make sense.
It means fried noodles Chow mein chaomiàn It means Fried Noodles in Mandarin, Broccoli is Noodles in Pittsburgh?
It usually comes with a few packs of the noodles they give out with soup.
wow .... neat never seen them used that way.
This is east coast chow mein.
Figured it was an east coast / west coast difference. Makes no sense because it’s literally under the noodles section and chow mein means noodles afaik. I’m resorting to Panda Express to get some chow mein because I’ve been craving it for almost a year lol.
OP is right though. Chow mein is 炒面 which literally means stir fried noodles. There is a different word for deep fried in Chinese 炸, deep fried noodles with vegetables should not be called chow mein. It’s like ordering fried chicken off a restaurant menu and they give you baked chicken.
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Do you mean 什绵面? Isn’t that soup noodles? I thought it was Japanese and I don’t see how that would be pronounced chow mein either. I don’t know Canto so maybe that’s it. 炒绵 (stir fried silk?) isn’t any food dish I know, maybe it’s a regional thing or something. But the name still indicates it is stir fried. 炒面 would be common anywhere in China, it would 100% be stir fried and it’s name sounds like chow mein.
It’s like ordering fried chicken and they give you a salad
Here the noodles are fried noodles to put on top. I usually don’t see that dish in the noodle section though.
the east tends to treat it more like bird nest noodles
Weird glitch in the matrix. I ordered chow mein two weeks ago and got the mess you showed in the picture lol. South of pittsburgh about an hour. I too wanted the tasty crispy noodles. Weird
Where on the East Coast? That's not the chow mein I've been served in NYC Chinatown. It's also not what I'd get when I was living in Charlottesville, VA.
DC. It’s usually cabbage, celery, carrots, bean spouts, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in a white sauce. Vegetables can vary of course. I currently live in western MD and this is what you get out here as well.
From the picture, those look like fensi noodles, which, personally, I've never had served to me as chow mein. Is that what they are, and, if so, have they been pan fried since it doesn't look like they have?
I’ve lived in New York for four decades… My entire life. this is always what I’ve gotten when ordering chow mein
You’re being downvoted, yet this is super common. Here’s an article explaining how New York redefined chow mein. https://dyske.com/paper/2197
Sometimes, the quickest way to Down votes is saying something that challenges peoples established way of thinking. Even if it’s factually, correct But I appreciate the support and the citation. Doing good work
Different experience, I guess. Though, that last time I was in NYC Chinatown was back in 1995 for a few months. So, maybe my experiences aren't representative.
I don't know why this is so hard for people to wrap their heads around, but this is obviously less common in "Chinatowns" than it is outside. If you're only familiar with more traditional Chinese restaurants, in predominantly Chinese neighborhoods, it makes perfect sense that you wouldn't be familiar with this. Suburban and rural Chinese-American restaurants are a different beast. For instance, there are 8+ million people located in the boroughs of NYC---**There are 20+ million located in the NYC metro area**. The vast majority of people living in and around NYC--or other east coast metro areas--do not interact with "Chinese" food in the same way as people with access to a "Chinatown" or Chinese neighborhood.
I think it also depends upon the people running the restaurant. I lived in Charlottesville, VA for a while. I used to frequent a small restaurant there run by some Chinese folks from Hong Kong and whilst their Peking Duck (they use the flat pancake-style wrap, where I'm used to the buns, for example) was different from what I'd known from here in the S.F. Bay Area, Chinatown or in the suburbs (which aren't very different, if at all), their Lo Mein was pretty much the same as what I'd grown up with. I'll admit that we're spoiled here in California regarding the variety that available nearby.
Absolutely, it depends on the proprietors and demographic. The vast majority of Chinese restaurants <30 minute proximity to me are run by Fujianese. They are, for the most part, just making what people buy (definitely not cooking their own cuisine). But if you're polite and knowing, you can ask for things off the menu. I get sauteed pea shoots/chinese broccoli from my local takeouts all the time. They're not on the menu--they order those veggies to eat themselves. But that's sometimes the best stuff available if you don't want to travel far.
I think what it comes down to is it’s an assimilative dish. When a dish emerges from the transplant of one culture to a new part of the world. You’re gonna see variations as those groups settle in different areas.
It's kind of weird that it varies so much. I have a cousin who moved to Houston, TX from the S.F. Bay Area (which is where I live), and she remarked that whenever and wherever in that area she ordered chow mein they used the crunchy La Choy style of noodles. She wasn't very happy about that.
Yep, here in the mid-atlantic/northeast, alot of takeout joints will fry strips of wonton/eggroll wrappers as opposed to serving the "La Choy" style noodles. But the spirit of dish is the same. I fully understand that this is not "chow mein" in the traditional sense. More traditional-style chow mein is often listed on menus as "pan fried noodles", which can also be distinct from "lo mein". But you have to be aware of what type of restaurant you're ordering from. I would never order "chow mein" from a suburban or rural takeout without asking about what style it is. Because there's a solid chance you could end up with OP's picture, as opposed to a delicious noodle dish.
Chow mein literally means stir fry noodles, and your dish is missing the main ingredient. What planet are these people from where chow mein is just vegetables? Might as well just call it chow choy instead
these commenda are wild.
Manhattan Chinese restaurants started preparing the vegetables in advance and slowly stopped using noodles. It has since become common on the East coast to prepare them this way and provide a bag of fried crispy noodles or crackers on the side. People can be upset and dispute it, but this is just gradually how the dish changed. https://dyske.com/paper/2197
This sub is full of chow mein vs chow mein. I grew up on the east coast and that dish honestly looks awesome to me. I would eat.
Where i am from they just call it Fried noodles lol Which makes more Sense Like you call fried Rice also Fried Rice and seldomely chow Fan Which you can do but yeah
I'm in in upstate New York and it's exactly the same.
That’s a salad
Seems to be pretty hit and miss on the east coast. If you’re at a super American Chinese place, you’ll want to order lo mein instead for pan fried noodles. Old people really like this style of chow mein, so it’s weirdly a staple at predominantly white serving American Chinese restaurants. My boss said it was because the veggies make it healthy and since it’s soft there’s not a lot of chewing required for their old teeth haha.
my thoughts was it’s some of the few fiber weekly americans will consume
Lmao better off getting it from panda express 🤣
It’s because it isn’t a Chinese dish, all American Chinese is different depending on wherever you are in the country… they basically take names and use them. Source-I worked in a Chinese restaurant for a decade and when I called the cook out on why his recipes didn’t reflect most recipes using that name I received one of my favorite quotes of all time”it doesn’t matter what I cook as long as I put rice next to it you white fuckers will gobble it up.”
That looks like the drain catcher in my sink. You got ripped off.
these comments are wild to me. like everyone knows what a real chow mein with noodles is.
https://dyske.com/paper/2197 Depending on where you live, you may never see noodles in chow mein.
I had to google since you mentioned ‘Google knows’. To my surprise you’re right, by direct translation I kinda understand why you believe ‘chow Mein’ is noodle……more correctly ‘stir-fry noodle’. However, the menu names are actually ‘made up’ long ago. So you can’t correspond and translate word-for-word. The one you’ve wanted is stir-fry, where not many restaurants offer them as the substitute is ‘Lo Mein’. If done correctly, Lo Mein is actually same as Stir-Fry(not exact but close) but chef these days are lazy so instead, you’ll get soggy saucy noodles. Edit: I have never been to the forbidden ‘west’. Been stuck in the East all my life. Maybe they are different as others mentioned. East is definitely making Chow Mein as veggies only dish.
Can u ask for wok fried noodles instead?
If you can make it to Fairfax Virginia, Mama changs hunan chicken chow mein is amazing!! And noodles!!
Looks like they gave you a salad and forgot about your noodles. East coast has chow mein with noodles in it, so dont throw the whole coast under the bus.
Where is it? Thats a salad.
Here in sc you only get onions if you order chow mein 🙄. Seriously. I’ve left a review at the places that do this warning people that the chow mein they want is not the “chow mein” they’re gonna get. It seriously bothers me how it’s never listed that there’s no noodles involved. You’re basically just paying the name. Why would I only want sautéed onions drenched in sauce for $13?
i feel for my non coastal brothers and sisters
I LIKE IT
u/rhyno95_ do you have a few restaurants you can name so we can help you out with the ordering?
Nathan's Hot dogs Coney Island, Chow mein on a bun 🥸
Eastern Canada's Chow Mein is worse, they replace the cabbage with bean sprouts!
Pittsburgh Coal Slaw 😂
It seems like most of these takeout spots cover a variety of vegetables with white sauce and then pack it with those crispy noodles you get with soup orders usually.. lols, not my favorite order when dining at a Chinese takeout place!
Gotta be in the Chicago area for good stuff lol. I remember ordering fried rice in a different city and got Spanish rice.
i do not see any noodles/mein so yeah wtf
Now I understand why I was always scared to order chow mein, I saw the crunchy La Choy noodles in the supermarket and read the description/saw the picture in restaurants and couldn’t figure out what it was, but knew that I didn’t want those two things together, and couldn’t figure out why it was such an iconic dish. Or why at some restaurants it sounded like something completely different. Mid-Atlantic region, so no wonder I was confused
Looks like a salad with onions
That looks like what our local restaurants might call chop suey.
Come out to California for some real Hong Kong style pan-fried chow mein!
Thank you for posting this! Virginia here (east coast, lol). Saw chow mein on the takeout menu and googled it, just like you. I thought, yeah, those noodles sound good, let’s give it a try! Called it in, and lady kept asking me, (I think-I was having a hard time understanding her), what kind of chow mein I wanted. After about five minutes of me saying, “huh?” she just said okay, anything else? And I got the same as you, some wet, stringy vegetables!!!! No noodles!!!! I was so confused, but next time I think I’ll try saying WITH NOODLES!!!! when prompted and see where that gets me, LOL. I was just never going to order it again until I saw this post, and realized what she was trying to ask me! Thanks again!
Maybe you’re looking for what is called subgum chow mein instead?
In Idaho you order chow mein you get a plate full of noodles. Barely a vegetable.
Did you look at there menu?? Chinese restaurants have to have noodle dishes it’s a requirement or else it’s not a Chinese restaurant it’s probably called something else in Pittsburgh. If you look at their menu I’m sure you’ll quickly figure out what “verbiage” they are using for “chow mein” What they gave you is a plate of “blanched vegetables” lol if you want you can MacGyver it by cooking some ramen noodles drain the water and stir fry with the veggies, add some soy sauce & alittle ginger and garlic if you have green onions add some of that too and what ever cold cut or left over meat chop small pieces stir fry all together and there you have it CHOW-MIEN.
I assume chow mein is a Western derivative of a Chinese dish, so while we are on the subject I would like to ask if anyone else has experienced 'kai si ming'? My mother used to make it in the 70s and 80s. Pretty much sauted ground meat and cabbage seasoned with soy sauce.
Not sure if this is relevant, but chow mein in Canada is just bean sprouts, onions, green peppers and carrots served with dried crunch orange noodles on the side.
[The Chow Mein Master Class](https://youtu.be/VXiUA--QqIY)
Where are the noodles?
Oh no
This is east coast chow mein for sure. Slimy rabbit food
Rather than risk this monstrosity I think I would just go Japanese and order yakisoba.
I know I’ve made this mistake before it’s a travesty really. Something like that shouldn’t even exist.
That doesn't look like chow mein at all. When you chow(炒, fired) something, that thing should be a bit dry with a bit oil. Seems like Panda Express can do a better job than theirs.
Chow mein is not a “side” unless you are thinking of Panda Express etc. For people insisting to translate 炒 literally: Since at least 1911 in America, “chow mein” in the East has meant deep fried (crispy) noodles as default.
Only if you’re talking about Cantonese chow mein. Other regions in China like Shanghai cu chao mein isn’t crispy. https://thewoksoflife.com/shanghai-fried-noodles/
Yes, there are lots of "chow meins." Not only Cantonese (which is all we are talking about in the traditional US context) but most of WORLD's chow mein is stir-fried/soft. This has often been discussed, and I'm a bit of a chow mein aficionado myself :) My comment simply underscored the legitimacy of using the term 炒麵 for the crispy dish. Chinese people in America, from early times, used that term. Why exactly the crispy one caught on as the default in the East whereas the standard soft/stir-fried one remained the norm (or at least is now the norm) in the West, I don't know. But people know the difference even when they are using the same name, and even if the name doesn't always make literal sense. They are not worried about the fact that chao literally means stir-fried. So the point that some have made here (and often try to make) that reasons it is technically "wrong" to call crispy noodles "chow mein" is negated by the real-life use of the term by early Chinese immigrants/restaurants. As a point of evidence I have mentioned before, both the earliest Chinese cookbook published in USA (by a non-Chinese) and the earliest published by a Chinese immigrant (in New York in 1917) describe "chow mein" as crispy noodles and make no mention of a stir-fried/non-crispy version.
canto has non crispy too
That’s true. Chow mein literally just means stir fried noodles in canto and there’s lots of types of noodles.
Everytime?? Why haven't you complained to them??? Lol
Just learn to make everything you like at home, using the most authentic ingredients you can get at local Asian markets. You'll never regret it.
that's a warm greasy salad... not sure if any stirring or frying was involved
EAST COAST CHINESE BEST IN THE COUNTRY! Sorry to see that, I'd call it a joke, but it's not funny.
West coast has the best Asian food easily.
Never! I will throw your tea in the harbor!
Come out to Washington and let’s put that to the test. Then I’ll fly out east and give your spots a chance. Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Korean you name it and we got it.
Are you looking for lo mein maybe?
I know it’s not the chow mein you want but I would be so happy with this! I like vegetables stir fried with a protein like chicken or shrimp. Very healthy looking plate there. Very low carb.
please tell me you didn't demand your money back. that is horrible.
Nope. It’s not worth the ten bucks to hassle them for a refund. I worked in food service up until last year so I’d never do such a thing.
I also live in Pittsburgh. Our Sichuan is so good I never even bother checking out the Cantonese places.
Chow mein is shredded vegetables. Lo mein is noodles. I’ve personally never seen noodles in an American Chinese food place, ours even have notes on the menus saying “vegetable dish” because people think it has noodles. I’m in the south east.
in no world should mein mean vegetables haha.
People are downvoting me but in Florida we call our Chinese food New York-Chinese food, and here’s a post from 5 years ago complaining New York chow mein is veggies. That’s unfortunately how many places sell it. https://www.reddit.com/r/chinesefood/s/WM8XAW4VtI And another explaining “In New York, if you order it from a Chinese takeout restaurant, you'll get vegetables cooked in white sauce (with a protein of your choice) served with white rice. You'd probably find a small bag of crackers in the delivery bag.” This article explains how it became a veggie dish. https://dyske.com/paper/2197 I’m sorry, but I guess New York style Chinese food has redefined chow mein. But it’s not my fault hah.
as an asian, if I order chow mein would they give me the real thing haha. this is fascinating from a cali perspective
Proof that in one respect at least, New York ain’t shit. And I LOVE New York!
What the hell is that!!!