I think there's MSG in my Chinese food...

 

...and it's delicious!

A strange phenomenon

While posting pictures from my trip to Europe with Dan in 2005 (still have 4 more cities to add), I came across a few from Montpellier, a French city in which we stopped on the way to Nice. It might surprise you to find out that while there, we had a quick meal of mediocre Chinese food. It might surprise you even more to find out that I really liked it and that I think mediocre Chinese food in Europe, especially in France, is notably better than its counterpart in America.

Note: this only applies to MEDIOCRE Chinese food. There is a lot more authentic and excellent Chinese food available in America (at least in New York) than in Europe.

LongTimeNoSeeYoungMan

Once upon a summer, my friends and I used to frequent a mediocre Chinese restaurant in Rockefeller Center called Manchu Wok about twice a week. Every time we walked in, each of us would get a nice greeting of "Hello young man."

Flash forward 4 years to the present day when Dan and I make a triumphant return:

Woman in charge: Oh, hello, long time no see young man (spoken as it looks in the title of this post)...how are you today?
Me: Good, it's nice to be back. I'll take the combination plate with...
Woman in charge: White rice, chicken mushrooms, beef broccoli, chicken broccoli.
Me: Wow, that's amazing that you remembered my order!
Woman in charge: Of course I remember orders of all young man that come in here.
(After we start eating, a 40-year-old man starts demanding $10 in change from the woman)
40-year-old: Give me my $10 back! I paid with a $20 bill.
Woman in charge: No you didn't young man, you paid with a $10.
40-year-old: $20!
Woman in charge: $10 young man, sorry you will have to leave.
(After some more heated debate, another customer in his 40s speaks out in favor of the woman, and she says "Thank you young man." The guy finally leaves. A woman in her 50s walks up to the counter.)
Woman in charge: Hello young lady, how are you today?

Addendum:
I had never heard the second woman who works there say a word before. Dan was trying to bus his tray when he heard a cry from behind him that got his attention. Naturally, this woman's first words to us were: "YOUNG MAN!"