Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-04-03
A CELESTIAL RESTAURANT.
REPORTERS MEAL IN NEW
YORK'S CHINATOWN.

4NiI Vi bnt NcW OTh ouu IL
porters visited Chinatown will
i party q friends and tried
Chinese dinner. One of tn
party, who used to frequent the famou
Chinese restaurant in San Francisco and
was familiar with the dishes and th
routine Of Chinese dinner, summoned
a waiter, small individual, who's,
American clothes sat upoa him very
badly. The waiter brought small dist
of sweet pickle and butter dish con
tanning small quantity of a brown
sauce resembling Worcestershire. Thl.
is the Chinese condiment and is ex
ceedingly salt. 1t is called see ou. He
also brought each a bowl of steamed
rice, surprisingly white and dry, and SO
cooked that each grain was whole and
separate. The tea came next in a small
ware pot, with bowls the size of egg
cups to drink it from. All this was pre-.
liminary.
"Give us some chow chop suy, John, u
said the guide. "Forty cents, see2"
The Chinaman grunted and disap.
peared in the kitchen.
"You must always indicate the amount
you want of each dish by stating the
price," said the guide. "I ordered forty
cents worth of chow chop suy, as that
will be enough for US both. While they
are preparing it, for it takes little
time, we will eat some rice with chop
sticks. Rice is our bread"
Eating with chop sticks is not so diff
hcult a matter as most people suppose.
There is popular idea that Chinaman
takes stick in each hand and propels
the food into his mouth in some mys.
terious process peculiar to himself. When
the knack is once acquired, however,
chop sticks prove an efficient table
utensil. The sticks are foot long, one
half squared, the other rounded and
sharpened.
They can be go gripped by their squared
ends between the thumb and first finger
of the right hand, and steadied and di-
rected by The fingers, as to become an
excellent pair of tongs. That is what,
in fact, they are in the hand of the diner.
Chop sticks are simply single advance
over primitive mans first table tool, the
thumb and first finger.
The chow chop suy was brought steam
ing hot in large bowl. 1t appeared to
be stew without gravy. The principal
ingredients were chicken livers, Ame1i-
can mushrooms, dried Chinese mush-
rooms, celery, gizzards, and sprouted
rice. The whole was favored with
spices and had evidently been treated
with oil.
No plates were served, and the stew
was eaten Chinese fashion, from the
bowl.
"a very excellent dish," said the
guide, "but don't eat too heartily, for
we have several other courses coming.
This sprouted rice that you can see in
the bowl is deemed very fine by Chinese
epicures. They sprinkle rice on piece
of wet cloth until, in the course of few
days, the grains swell and sprout. Then
they cook it. Our next dish will be per.
fumed pork, great dainty. Meantime,
here comes our chick with the sam
shu."
Sam shu proved to be fiery brandy
made from grain. 1t was thin syrup
of milky appearance. The waiter
brought it in ware pot like small,
slender tea pot. Cups holding little
more than a thimbleful were provided.
The approved method of taking the
brandy is to mix it with the tea, cup
of the liquor in each tiny bowl of tea.
1t doesn't do to drink too heartily of the
mixture. Indeed, the temptation to do
SO is small. Sam shu is crude and raw
dlstillation.
Perfumed pork was the nearest ap
proach to civilized diet which was served.
1t was sliced into thin pieces and brought
in bowl. The flesh was lean and ten
der and had an exceedingly delicate
flavor produced by unfamiliar spices.
Meantime the crowd in the restaurant
was continually changing. AS fast as the
diners finished they arose, wiped their
faces ON their hands (there were no nap
kins), shuffied to the counter, paid their
bills, and left the room. They seldom
spoke, and most of the time the room
was as silent as Quaker meeting. The
pidCtS VI LuuSc WIN lelI were ulieu Dy
new -comers. The restaurant does big
business.
WAITER" said the guide, "chow gal
men, seventy cents. Seea'
The little waiter uttered his customary
grunt and vanished.
"Chow gai men," continued the
guide, "is one of the dainties. They
make 1t here to perfection. 1t consists
of mass of spiced macaroni fried crisp
In melted fat, like doughnuts, and COW
cred with dressing of chicken hvers,
mushrooms and stewed celery. I am
sure you will like it. The amount l
ordered is enough for half dozen, but
they will not make less, for it is a
troublesome dish to handle. T. $ will
complete our dinner, for there is no des-
sert or coffee. Our dinner has been an
exceptional one for this restaurant, not
withstanding that it is the swellest in the
city. There are comparatively few rich
Cinnamon in New York, and they all
have their own kitchens, presided over
by high priced cooks. The diners are
many OF them well off, but Chlnaman are
Il