Question: what is the difference between crispy and soft noodles?
Answer: Crispy chow mein uses fried, flat noodles, while soft chow mein uses long, rounded noodles. Crispy chow mein either has onions and celery in the finished dish or is served "strained", without any vegetables. ... There, the steamed style using soft noodles is a separate dish called "lo mein".