Chop suey is reputed to have been invented in Chinatown. The story goes that in the 1850's, Chinatown is barely established, but word was already out that Chinese food is cheap and delicious. So, late at night, 2 miners fresh off the gold fields, wandered into this Chinese restaurant, even as the owner and cook is about to close up. Already half drunk, they want food, and they want it now! To avoid confrontation, the cook went into the kitchen, found whatever scraps of vegetables left, tossed them all into the wok, whipped up some sauce, added whatever scraps of meat he had, added an egg, and served it on a plate and gave it to the miners.
The miners loved it, to the surprise of the owner, as they wanted the name of the dish as they want to order it again when they come back.
The owner, flabbergasted, simply told them 雜碎 tzap-suey which literally means "mixed scraps". The miners heard that as "chop suey", and a legend was born.
Keep in mind this is a story, and there is no evidence of this story. It simply sounded plausible.
Unfortunately, chop suey is hard to find in Chinatown nowdays. However, New Woey Loy Goey was founded in 1934, and its sign still proudly proclaims "chop suey" and noodles.
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| New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant, 699 Jackson still proudly serves chop suey on the menu |
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| NWLG Sign Close-up by Gary Stevens via Flickr CC2.0 |
The sign says that it offers both Chinese and Western food, Wonton Noodles, and more.
NWLG is one of the few remaining "basement" restaurants in Chinatown. You have to descend a few steps from street level to reach the dining hall here, where the layout had sat unchanged for decades. There is still a "bachelor's counter" where single seats are available for people eating alone don't need to take up one of the tables.
The current owner said he only added "New" in front of the old title, and left the sign otherwise undisturbed. However, he did change the menu from Chinese-American food to a bit more of a Toisan cuisine. However, he did keep chop suey and "fun" items on the menu for the tourists who wander in. But those who know will order the authentic Toisan and Cantonese stuff, such as the clay pot dishes, including the "pork hash" (it's more of a steamed pork meat-pie on rice), or the salt-and-pepper smelt / capelin fish.
And yes, chop suey is still on the menu... for the tourists. They even have egg foo young.
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| chop suey still available at New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant |
P.S. Atlas Obscura has a much more detailed history of chop suey if you really want to know the details.
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