THE LO-MEIN PROJECT

NO, THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT NOODLES, THOUGH THE PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO’S CHINATOWN DO EAT NOODLES FROM TIME TO TIME. MOST THINK OF THEIR LOCAL CHINESE RESTAURANT DOWN THE STREET IN THE STRIP MALL WHEN ONE HEARS THE NAME OF THE UNIVERSAL NOODLE DISH CALLED LO-MEIN. SF CHINATOWN IS FAR FROM ANY KIND OF A SUBURBAN PATTERN. THE HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT PARALLELS THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SAN-FRANCISCO. IT GREW OUT OF THE GOLD RUSH, LIVED THROUGH FIRES, SURVIVED THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND CONTINUES TO SHOW THE OUSIDE WORLD A MIXTURE OF BOTH WEST-COAST-AMERICAN AND ASIAN LIFESTYLES. VISIT CHINATOWN, AND YOU WILL BE AMAZED ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER TOURISTS. STAY IN CHINATOWN AND YOU WILL KNOW A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE CITY. TALK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CHINATOWN AND YOU WILL REALIZE HOW BIG THIS SMALL DISTRICT TRULY IS.