Cathay Chow Mein

When was the last time you had Chinese takeout? Not something from the skyway that was sitting idly in a steam table, but real-deal old-school made-to-order fare from a little mom and pop shop that was doing takeout-only in a neighborhood storefront where the devil hot wok filled the air. The drive home was redolent with ginger and the anticipation of digging into the little white boxes. If you are now salivating and thinking about egg foo young and shrimp fried rice, I have a secret: They still do it just that way at Cathay Chow Mein, and they do it right—properly smoky, salty, and gooey in large bargain-sized portions for two, three, or four. Better yet, the prices are as surprising as the quality. As for that flashback to your dad’s ’69 Mercury and watching Adam-12—just like the fortune cookies, it’s free.

5457 Nicollet Ave., Mpls., 612-824-3358