GOOD TASTE
Rumor Has It
Are these egg rolls made
from Joy Young’s recipe?
By Jan Walsh

I heard a rumor. And I am spreading it ... There is a little Chinese take-out place that makes Joy Young’s egg rolls—or egg rolls just like them.

For those of you who are unfortunate enough not to know, Joy Young was a Chinese restaurant located on 20th Street. During the 1970s, I was a teenager and a regular at the restaurant. I would drive to downtown Birmingham from my hometown of Oneonta with girlfriends on shopping trips.

And the highlight of the day was lunch at Joy Young. It was also my favorite dinner date restaurant because it had these romantic, private booths.
Everything was authentic and delicious, but my favorite dish was their egg rolls. I became addicted to them and ordered egg rolls as my entrée and as an appetizer. I changed hair salons and doctors—any thing to have an excuse to go to Birmingham because I could lunch on these crispy rolls. And through the years I ate hundreds! So this rumor, which offered the possibility that I would be able to have my Joy Young egg rolls again, was the best news I had heard in a long time.

After driving to the Chop Suey Inn, located at 813 Green Springs Highway in Homewood, I placed my take out order for a dozen. Just like Joy Young’s egg rolls, they came three to an order for only $3. I grabbed my bag of egg rolls and drove home. The first test was the authentic aroma, which filled the car—should have put them in the trunk as I can’t eat egg rolls and drive. Second test was unwrapping the waxed paper sleeve—looked just like them, golden and steaming. The proof was in the first bite of the cabbage and shrimp filled, crispy roll. These are exactly the same as the egg rolls as I ate at Joy Young.

On my next trip to Chop Suey Inn, I asked if it was the Joy Young recipe. But a language barrier prevented me from learning the true story behind these rolls. Chop Suey Inn also has a full menu of dishes that look like a replica of Joy Young’s menu. But whether they use Joy Young’s recipe or not, so far I am too addicted to the egg rolls to try anything else!

January Birmingham, Alabama

  

 
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