AND EXTRA FRENCH FRIES!

That post on the internet about Chinese take-out food in Britain has gotten people mighty bothered. Apparently Americans find the Chinese food in England baffling and downright strange, which is odd because over here we have 'Special Jiang's Sauce', crab rangoon, and Panda Express. As well as the chopsuey sandwich, and canned chow mein, which for your information does not contain any mein.

So, um, yeah, um.

Because I am not particularly fond of crunchy fried stuff in a tangy reddish sweet sauce, with or without minced garlic and chili flakes, I rarely eat at American Chinese restaurants. I don't sneer at them, there's nothing wrong with an entire category of food that was developed for local tastes, and lord knows selling the natives what they want is good business, but I tend toward chachantengs, where the cuisine is mostly a Hong Kong interpretation of Western food plus simple dishes somewhat unsuited for the family table. As well as Hong Kong French Toast, a completely authentic reimagining of fried bread.

Hong Kong French Toast: Take two slices of spongy white bread, glue them together with peanut butter, egg-dip and fry them, then dust with confectioners sugar and drizzle liberally with sweetened condensed milk, treacle, and chocolate syrup. There is no low-fat version. There is no gluten-free version.

I've had some pretty darn tasty garlic bread at a chachanteng to which I go regularly.


The only time I've had real Chinese food is when I eat with New Yorkers.
Kung pow, General Tso's, hot and sour soup, and broccoli.


Another thing Americans find horrifying is that Chinese to-go in England almost always comes with French Fries. That's NOT authentic!

So, um, yeah, um. I think I know what I'm having for lunch today.

It would be authentic if it came with potato or macaroni salad. But this is the Hong Kong version of a club sandwich, which makes allowance for local tastes. They're not fond of mayo-gloopy lumps, but they like French fries。
And I'm quite okay with that.
Honest.

Gong-si saam-man-ji, syü tiu, tong yat pui na chaa.

真好食。



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