Correcting Mike Chen About Chinese Burgers

I'm a big fan of food YouTuber Mike Chen. I've been following him for years. He's a creative and engaging personality who really knows food. But there is one thing he does that bugs the heck out of me. Like thousands of other people, he misuses the term "Chinese hamburger."

He should know better. He has presented himself as a burger expert. Other respected foodtubers call him a burger expert. And in fact, I believe his "is" a burger expert, which is what makes his use of the term "Chinese burger" so infuriating. He knows the real name of that sandwich is "Rou Jia Mo 肉夹馍" but opts for the less precise "Chinese burger." He knows full well that if there is no patty, there is no burger. 

This is less about what the sandwich is called than it is about the bastardization of language. Although I'm using Mike Chen as an example here, it's not to pick on him. If he should see this, I hope he'll take it as friendly criticism from a fan. 

Related:

• Chinese Burgers Are NOT Hamburgers - Tom Eats Houston
• The ancient history of the modern hamburger - BBC - YouTube 
• The Wrong History Of Burgers Everyone Believes - Mashed - YouTube
• Roujiamo: Is this Chinese snack the world’s first hamburger? - Goldthread

Chinese Burgers Are NOT Hamburgers

The so-called "Chinese hamburger" is not a hamburger at all. Put simply, it's a loose-meat sandwich. Between the buns of a "Chinese hamburger" is shredded or coarsely chopped pork that is never formed into a patty. In no way is it a "hamburger" or "burger." A hamburger requires a patty of ground meat. No patty, no burger. This isn't rocket science.

To anyone who cares about truth and accuracy, it's a myth worth debunking. Unfortunately, this perversion of language is perpetuated by people who know better, "food experts" who lazily call Rou Jia Mo a "Chinese burger" just because "it's easier." Easier? So why, then, don't they call Fettuccini al Pomodoro the easier name of "spaghetti?" It would be no less accurate than calling a loose meat sandwich with no patty a "burger."

The Chinese name for it is "Rou Jia Mo" (肉夹馍), which loosely translates to "meat in a bun." But that could describe a bologna sandwich or a hot dog, a sloppy joe or a pulled pork sandwich. Crucially, "Rou Jia Mo" does not specify a PATTY of meat. After seeing otherwise-respectable food experts refer to "Chinese hamburgers," it was refreshing to find Andong, a renowned food expert and YouTuber who notes that "the Chinese burger is a myth." He sums it up perfectly: "No patty, no burger." 

It doesn't matter if the Rou Jia Mo loose pork sandwich was created before the German-American sandwich known universally as a hamburger. It doesn't matter which came first. Rou Jia Mo is still not — and never has been — a hamburger. Dinosaurs came before horses. That doesn't make them horses.

Related:

• Does the "Chinese Hamburger" Deserve Its Name? - YouTube
• Here's How Hamburgers Got Their Name - tastingtable.com
• Minced Meat Vs Ground Meat - foodsguy.com
• Where Hamburgers Began - history.com 
• His Name Is Andong - YouTube

Houston's Blade Runner-Themed Chinese Restaurants

A scened from Blade Runner?
Nope. One of The Rice Box restaurants.

"The Rice Box" is a Chinese restaurant in Houston with a futuristic, neon-drenched look that could be straight off the set of the film Blade Runner. I'll admit up front that I haven't eaten there yet. The food gets rave reviews, but that's not why I'm writing this. 

What fascinates me is the look of the Rice Box and their masterful marketing. 

According to Houston Culture Map (Oct 13, 2022), "Houston’s favorite Blade Runner-inspired Chinese takeout bar will soon add a fourth location to its roster. The Rice Box is coming to Rice Village." 

To help publicize their fourth location, the Rice Box created a mock movie poster. Of course, it also has a Blade Runner feel to it. If you have never seen Blade Runner, watch a short video to get a feel for its aesthetics. Even the Rice Box website has a scifi vibe. Here's how they describe themselves: 

"The Rice Box is a multi-sensational, Chinese/American takeout restaurant where your experience begins the moment you set foot through the door. Walk into our world of glass and neon and you’ve just entered new wave Chinatown. 

Our edgy ambience is part of what makes us unique as a takeout food service. That, and our constant effort to provide outstanding personalized service where everyone remembers your name."

They have very cool Facebook pages here and also here, where you can see more images and even some videos. And of course, they have a killer Instagram page as well. I intend to put on a long trench coat, fire up my flying car and go to a Rice Box location soon.