Little Cart Noodles

Over the decades of Chinese immigration to the West, the ‘Chinese Buffet’ has made its mark. Although generally the thought of a Westernized Chinese buffet to me is quite cringe-worthy, I always wonder whether the concept of a buffet like this came from something incredibly authentic, like the olden-day che zei mien or little cart noodle stand, which became popular in Hong Kong in the 1950s. The che zei mien would have a selection of several braised toppings, often cooked well in advance, a