The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-02-27
CH0PSTTCK DINNERS.
A FAD WITH WOULD BE eoAEMlANs
IN NEW YORK.

~ ~" VIM
Chinese Restaurants There Tolerate
Free ana Easy Etiquette. and Ev-
erybody Does just About AS He or
She Pienses.
III the last few years surprisingly
large number of Chinese restaurants
have made their appearance in up town
districts in New York. The tawdry
outward decorations OF red and blue
lights and huge gilt Chinese characters
are In every case the same. The same,
tho. are the unattractive entrances, the
Tails decorated with colored pictures
pc pretty Chinese girls and marvellous
specimens of landscapes, the little ta-
bles covered With white olleloth, the
general dllapIdation of the establish
ment. Nothing about them seems at
tractiSe, and yet these places thrive,
and their number Increases with aston
ishinP rapidlty. The reason Is not far
to seek If one Is at all familiar with the
A'AN't'' Nv ~ AAt
ties Of the Chinese restaurant which
recommend 1t highly 10 certain classes
and seem to Indicate that its popularity
Is not mere fad
In the first place ii should be under
stood that most OF these places are
really what they are supposed to be,
eating houses carried on under Chinese
management. The cooks are lnvaria-
bly, true Celestlals. and In only few
cases are the proprietors Americans
The food IS prepared, therefore. accord
ing 10 the most approved methods of
the Middle Kingdom, with the result
that In cheapness and savoriness Qf
you like III II can easily outclass SINH
lar places run by American cooks. The
Chinese Is II master of the art of max
Ing palatable dishes out of next to
nothing or rather little OF everything
Not even the French cook can rival
him. The lnsipldity OF cheap chop.
houses aud the sameness of the dairy
lunch counters are thus escaped by
frequentcfs of these restaurants. More
over, In spite of appearances the food
Is prepared In an extremely clearly
manner No one Is debarred from en-
terins the kitchen. and visit thitber
sends one back with renewed appetite
10 the untldy eating room. So many
who while possessed Of small share
of this worlds goods still affect sport
mess frequent the restaurant for Its
cheapness and grow TO enjoy the highly
favored dishes
There is also free and easy atmos-
phere about the Chinese eating house
which attracts many would he "Bohe-
nans" as well us II goodly share of a
class below the lowest grades of the
city's many graded Bohemia. Visitors
Toll about and talk and laugh loudly.
When the waiter Is wanted. some one
emits n shrill yell which brings an an
swerlng waoop from the kitchen, fol-
lowed sooner or later by little Chi
nese at jog trot. Any one who feels
like ii may stroll into the kitchen and
tlg i little pigeon English on the cook.
The proprietor will teach anybody to
use the chOpstICks and roar with laugh
ter over the failures of the novice. Ev-
eryhody does as he or she pleascs with
In certain very elastic bounds. The
limit Is reached sooner In some places
than in others for while some OF the
houses are before midnight at least
perfectly well conducted others are of
more than questionable responsibility.
1t is curious and interesting to note
that under American management the
tone of these places is lower than when
the Chinese are In sole control
These new up town places are not SO
good, either IN ii moral or II culinary
way, as those down In Chinatown 1t
Is usual TO speak as II Mott and Pell
streets were the clty's sink of inlquity.
and so they are In some respects. but
there are no Chinese restaurants In the
neighborhood rs dlsreputable as one or
two up town. The clientele OF the
down town places Is above suspicion as
n rule. Chinese drop In for their meals,
and dwellcrs from up town come either
from curiosity or becausc they have
learned 10 like good Chinese cooking.
Up town the bills Of fare are more lin
iA'hs III NHDIl Huti
"chowman" are the pieces de resist
ance. They answer the purpose GER
tasnly. for - cents worth of some
kinds Of chop suey served with rice
viii make tooths0mc dish for two
people Tea Is served free Of charge.
and the quantity is not limited But
no one should judge the Celestlas' Gu
linnry skill by these mp town houses.
Many of the guests In these restau-
rants come regularly Frequently men
and women Come with palls to buy the
food and take it home Negroes are in
disproportionately large numbers. They
seem TO like the Chinese, and indeed
the noise In the Kitchen reminds one of
the similar condition Of southern kltch
ems under negro management. How
ever solemn the Chinese may seem to
be In public, he Is cheerful creature
In his own kitchen Talk md laughter.
even music during off" hours. feat out
TO the dining room. All the servants
seem ready 10 break into smiles at the
smallest prOyocation, They are always
ready to exchange TESTS with their pa
irons, but familiarity never becomes
impertincnce The Chinese doesn't
care what happens 50 long as he Is left
unmolestcd lie likes everything TO be
slipshod ana merry. Now York Trih.
unc.
why "WeddinG Brenkfnstf"
I'm all my experience OF wedding
breakfasts" said guest at a wedding,
81 have never understood why the
feast was called breakfast and not II