The St. Paul Sandwich: St. Louis's Chinese-American Egg Foo Young on White Bread

The St. Paul sandwich is the great Chinese-American breakfast of St. Louis — a thick, savory egg foo young patty (a Chinese omelet of beaten eggs, bean sprouts, and onion, fried until golden) served on squishy white bread with mayonnaise, pickles, tomato, and lettuce, a sandwich so identified with the city that it is virtually unknown outside the St. Louis metropolitan area and is sold in nearly every Chinese takeout restaurant within it. According to Wikipedia, the St. Paul sandwich consists of an egg foo young patty served on white bread with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and pickles; one source has the origin dating to the early 1940s, when Chinese restaurants in St. Louis created the sandwich as a unique dish, and the sandwich is named after the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, though its connection to that city is unclear. Sandwich Tribunal records that the most commonly shared legend credits Steven Yuen at Park Chop Suey in St. Louis with inventing the sandwich, and that the St. Paul sandwich "has been an established St. Louis restaurant item now for at least one hundred years," a Frankensteinian combination of Chinese egg foo young and American diner sandwich fixings that arose from the unique immigrant cultures of the densely populated city.

The genius of the St. Paul sandwich is the collision of two food traditions: the egg foo young, itself a Chinese-American adaptation of the Cantonese *fu rong* egg, is fried into a thick, savory patty that is then treated exactly like a hamburger patty — slapped on soft white bread with the classic diner condiments of mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. The result is a sandwich that is simultaneously Chinese and American, neither one nor the other, and entirely St. Louis.

About the Ingredients

Egg foo young — a Chinese-American omelet made by beating eggs with bean sprouts, sliced onion, and sometimes minced shrimp or roast pork, then frying the mixture in a deep skillet into a thick, golden patty; the patty should be crisp at the edges and soft in the center.

White bread — soft, squishy American white bread (Wonder Bread is the authentic choice); the soft bread is part of the sandwich's identity and a crusty bread would be wrong.

Mayonnaise — a generous smear of mayonnaise on the bread; Hellmann's or Duke's.

Pickles — dill pickle slices; the tangy crunch is essential and cuts the richness of the egg patty.

Lettuce and tomato — iceberg lettuce and sliced tomato, the classic diner sandwich vegetables.

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches): - For the egg foo young: 6 large eggs, 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 small onion, finely sliced, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, neutral oil for frying - 4 slices soft white bread - Mayonnaise - Dill pickle slices - Lettuce leaves - Tomato slices - Optional: soy sauce or oyster sauce, for dipping

Instructions: In a bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and white pepper. Stir in the bean sprouts and sliced onion until evenly distributed.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the egg mixture into the hot oil to make one patty; fry 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through. Drain briefly on paper towels. Repeat to make 4 patties, adding more oil as needed.

To assemble: spread mayonnaise generously on two slices of bread. Place an egg foo young patty on one slice. Top with pickle slices, lettuce, and tomato. Close with the second slice of bread, mayonnaise side down. Cut in half. Serve at once, with soy sauce or oyster sauce for dipping if desired.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The savory, slightly greasy egg foo young and the soft white bread want a bright, clean drink that cuts the richness and echoes the Chinese-American table. A classic Champagne mimosa is the natural choice — the citrus acidity balances the fried egg and the bubbles lift the heavy bread. A lychee rose mimosa is equally lovely, its subtle Asian fruit a beautiful echo of the egg foo young's Chinese roots and a bright counter to the mayonnaise. This pairing is, in its way, the brunch equivalent of a St. Paul sandwich and a cup of hot tea — a sparkling toast to St. Louis and the Chinese-American diner tradition.

Reference Links: - St. Paul sandwich (St. Louis, Chinese-American, egg foo young, 1940s origin): Wikipedia - The St. Paul Sandwich of St. Louis (Steven Yuen, Park Chop Suey, 100-year history): Sandwich Tribunal

Make-Ahead: The egg foo young patties can be fried ahead and held warm in a 200°F oven for 20–30 minutes. The sandwiches are assembled to order; the soft white bread and the crisp-edged patty are the point, and a sandwich assembled ahead goes soggy. Reheat the patties briefly in a hot dry pan to restore the crisp edges before assembling.

Pro Tips: Fry the egg foo young in enough oil to crisp the edges; a patty fried in a dry pan is pale and cakey. Do not overcook; the center should be soft and the egg should still be slightly custardy. Use genuine soft white bread; the squishy texture is part of the sandwich's identity and a crusty artisan bread would be inauthentic. Do not skip the pickles; the tangy crunch is what cuts through the rich, fried egg and the mayonnaise. Add a splash of soy sauce or oyster sauce to the patty batter for a deeper, more savory flavor — a nod to the Chinese roots of the dish.