Pasta La Vista: Lo Mein

Everyone is a sucker for cheap and very unhealthy chinese food. I’m definitely one of those people and one of my most popular choices is Hong Kong Inn. On a weekly basis I suggest it as a get together spot for lunch/dinner because I love the atmosphere and just how delicious their food is. 

My original idea for this periodical was to write about ramen noodles, however, after making a late at night trip to Hong Kong Inn, I decided to discuss one of my favorite entrees to get from there. Lo Mein is described as a “tossed noodle” made with egg noodles and paired with vegetables and some type of meat or seafood such as beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, or wontons. My personal choice is to pair the Lo Mein with shrimp, but I sometimes go for the beef because both are immaculate. 

There is another type of chinese dish called Chow Mein that people commonly get confused with as Lo Mein. The biggest difference lies in how the noodles are prepared. Lo Mein means “tossed noodles”, whereas Chow Mein means “fried noodles”. Both are really good, but if you are wanting more noodles rather than vegetables then Lo Mein is the better choice for you. 

Many dishes that you purchase from Chinese restaurants in America aren’t actually found in authentic Chinese cuisine in China. However, Lo Mein is an authentic Chinese dish, popular and inexpensive throughout many regions in China. Those soft noodles that soak up the delicious sauce make this dish a standout dish. 

I would highly recommend that the next time you’re around Kearney in Springfield, Missouri, you stop by Hong Kong Inn and order Lo Mein with the meat of your choice. I highly encourage you to stay at home during this pandemic, but if you do end up stopping by Hong Kong Inn, wear a mask and as always, don’t be an impasta.