Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-07-03
l CHINESE RESTAURANT.
Tow THE oRIENFALs FEED IN THE
METROPOLIS.
SChOp-sui@ and Blocked Chicken
with Rice-Tea that is Tea-A
Oueer hut Chem ninner

'ChOp-sui" and Blocked Chicken
with Rice-Tea that is Tea-A
Queer but Cheap Dinner.
"Half the world does not know how
he other half lives, said Brooklyn
awyer to a Union reporter few days
go, land in proof of this homely maxim. "
ontinued the disciple of Blackstone, Il
will take you over to New York and
rive you a Chinese dinner. There are a
great many of these almond eyed Ccles-
ials in New York, and they keep up the
customs and habits of their race in this
Instant land with wonderful tenacity."
The invitation was one not to be de-
pissed, and the reporter and the lawyer
crossed the bridge together, and ten
minutes walk from the Chatham street
ntrance brought them to the Chinese
estaurant situated in small frame
,uilding on Park street. The eating
DOM was close and narrow, and the low,
'verhanging ceiling made the air of the
>lace oppressive. The tables were made
If pine boards and uncovered and the
hairs were of the toughest description.
The room was filled with Celestials eat
ng with chop-sticks and talking loudly
their native tongue. The Brooklyn
awyer seemed at home amid the queer
surroundings, and he ordered the dinner
the most approved pigeon English.
The kitchen in these Chinese restaurants
alongside the dining-room-indeed, it
part of it, and the expectant diner
ices his meal cooked before his eyes.
The dinner consisted of peculiar sort
If hash, called "chop-sui." 1t is made
>f-the Lord knows what, but sliced
bamboo, kidneys, celery and spices were
certainly used in its composition. The
queer mixture, provided the eater does
lot investigate it too carefully, can be
eaten, but an everyday American would
certainly not banker after it a second
line. In eating this mixture the Brook
yn lawyer used the national chop-sticks
with the ease and grace of Mandarin,
out the reporter, after several unsuccess-
Jul attempt to capture with
he ivory sticks a bit of kid
ley that foated alluringly on
he top of his bowl of "chop-sui," gave
Up the attempt in despair and finished
he meal with knife and fork. The
,hop-sui was washed down with tea,
md it was real tea, not the abomination
that goes by that name in American
eating houses. This tea was served like
water and drank as abundantly during
;he entire meal. 1t was drunk out of
hin, delicately- shaped cups, and had a
most delicious flavor. After the chop
Iui came boiled chicken and rice. The
owl was cut up into small blocks, each
block about two inches square; bones,
neat and fat were all cut up together.
The rice was cooked as it is in South
Carolina, steamed dry, each grain stand
ng out separate aud distinct. Some of
he Cinnamon eat it with the ;'chop-
hi" gravy, but the majority of them
wallowed it dry. The chicken
md the rice were very palatable. A
mall plate of candied figs, a pony of
Jhinese whisky, which tastes very like
'ermouth, only much stronger, and a
cigarette, which smoked as if it was
made of dry fine cut chewing tobacco,
brought the repast to close. The whole
neal for two persons cost forty cents. 1t
lid well enough for an experience, but
ew Americans would care to live la
Jhinese every day ."-BrookIyn Union.