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Chinese-Mexican Food: The Chimale
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 16, 2009
This Associated Press article on the Korean taco trucks in Los Angeles mentioned something in passing that caught my eye: “Chimales,” Chinese-Mexican tamales stuffed with kung pao chicken or Chinese barbecue pork. They are topped off with a side of pico de gallo and sour cream.
The chimales are made by DonChowTacos.com, whose motto is “Mexican and Chinese food get together.”
Of course, zhongzi, the bamboo leaf-wrapped rice things are sometimes called “Chinese tamales.”
Of course, the other place to get Mexican Chinese food is Mexicali, which is like the Chinese food capital of Mexico (with >100 Chinese restaurants in a fairly midsized city). Mexicali is across the border from Calexico, Calif. It’s about a four-hour drive from Los Angeles and two hours from San Diego.
They serve essentially fajita-cized Chinese food. And instead of those crispy chow mein noodles with duck sauce, you get…tortilla chips.
Another thing they have: a lot of chop suey, egg foo yung (or “foo yung huevo”) and chow mein. Chinese food in Mexico is like American Chinese food from the 1950s that never got updated, but with a south of the border twist.
Topics: Best Chinese Restaurants Around the World, Chinese Food, Chop Suey | No Comments »
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