Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-01
CHINESE RESTAURANTS.
Celestial Dainties Served Up in the Land OF
the MeIlcau Man.

Celestial Dainties Served Up In the Land OF
the Mclean Man.
The Chinese restaurant is a weird,
peculiar institution in this city of which
few people have any knowledge. There
are five eating houses located on Race
street between Ninth and Tenth. They
flourish in their chief glory after night
falls, and from dark until two o'clock
in the morning the flavor of Chinese
hot soup fills the air.
These restaurants, although they are
patronized largely by Cinnamon, are in
tended for the accommodation also of
Americans, and they have quite a num-
Der of Caucasian patrons Actors seem
TO have a peculiar faculty for finding
such odd resorts and they often go to
these restaurants in small parties
Ladies as we'll as gentlemen visit these
'joints" for the houses are altogether
orderly and decent unless one draws
the line at their peculiar odOr. A few
night workers know these restaurants
and are in the habit of dropping into
them after midnight
On the ground floor Of the restaurant
there is a laundry or Chinese store The
visitor ascends a narrow, uncarpeted
stairway to the second floor He is not
half way up before his nose tells him
that he is in peculiar quarters 1t is
impossible to describe the smell of a
Chinese restaurant 1t is something
like a mixture Of burnt wool, strong
tobacco and black tea 1t is almost al
ways offensive at the first but the
visitor soon becomes accustomed toit
The eating room has many strange
features The walls are hung closely
with strips Of crimson paper, bearing
characters in black and gold. Red cur
tains hang at the windows, and rcd
draping depends from the mirror frames
The Celestial regards red as the most
beautiful of colors, and puts it every
where possible. The tables are very
high, at least three feet and half from
the ground. Around them are placed
high stools, on which the Cinnamon
perch with ease. The experimenter
finds them trying on the back
The bill Of fare includes soup boiled
rice and meats. A bowl of noodle soup
costs only ten cents, and with it goes a
pot Of tea The bowl Is liberal In size,
and as the waiter places it before you
on the table he lays beside 1t two black
chop sticks, a pot Of tea and tiny cup
and a small fat dish, like butter dish,
containing a reddish-brown fluid This
Is a sauce, which you are supposed to
pour into your soup What its ingredi-
ents are is mystery not given to Occi-
dentals to know. The tea Is Of excel
lent quality, and is served without milk
or sugar. A Cinnamon would be para
lyzed with astonishmeRt II visitor
were to sdulterate the beverage with
such things The soup is made finely
cut noodles imported from China The
boxes in which they come, constructed
of rushes, stand about the side Of the
room Mixed with the noodles and the
beef broth in which they are boiled are
pieces of tender meat The meat is
alleged to be beef or veal What it
really is there is no need to inquire, as
it is toothsome.
When the visitor has drank his tea
and eaten his soup, dipping up his broth
with unique porcelain spoon, and
arises to pay his dime, he is offered a
cigarette. Some Of the Chinese smoke
cigarettes after eating, while others sit
solemnly down to enjoy pipe This
pipe is not the least odd thing about the
establishments 1t is of bamboo, three
feet long and two inches in diameter.
The place where the tobacco is placed
is small cup not as large as thimble,
placed about a foot above the lower end
of the tube The tube is half filed with
favored water. The smoker places a
pinch of tobacco in the little cup holds
burning taper to it applies his mouth
to the upper end Of the tube, and draws
There is gurgle, cloud Of smoke, and
the tobacco is consumed Then another
pinch is put in, the taper is again ap-
piled, and thus the operation is repeated
until the smoker is satisfied
phia Record.