Just one more compelling reason to get your sandwich eating self to St Louis, the St Paul Sandwich. I am especially curious about the history of the St Paul sandwich. I wonder, does it have anything to do with Chinese railroad workers? I would say, after doing a tiny bit of research, yes. In 2007 there were 700 Chinese restaurants in St Louis. That would point, one would reason, to a long history of Chinese-American culture.
When you sit in Busch Stadium watching St. Louis Cardinals games, you may never imagine this location was once China Town. The first wave of Chinese came to St. Louis in 1869 when many of them lost their jobs as railroad construction workers. At the peak period, the Mid-Pacific Railroad Company hired over 10,000 Chinese laborers. When the westward railroad construction was completed, many became unemployed. Many of them chose to come to St. Louis that was then the 4th largest city in the US.
The Splendid Table Talks St Paul Sandwich
The St. Paul Sandwich
You Won’t Find in St. Paul
October 16, 1999
The St. Paul Sandwich is a culinary curiosity that has nothing to do with St. Paul, Minnesota. This quite wonderful specialty of St. Louis, Missouri, consists of egg foo yung on Wonder Bread, served up with lettuce, tomato and mayo. You’ll find a good one at Chinese Express.
Chinese Express
1230 Hampton Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63139
314-645-7014
Photo by Bill Keaggy
The St. Paul sandwich though, THAT’S the shit.
It’s a variation on the food Albert King used to request in his performance rider, which was…
A whole order of chicken chow mein, and one loaf of white bread.
Chinese food and white bread is an awesome combination.
I wouldn’t be one bit surprised to find out the St. Paul sandwich originated from the cross pollination of African American culture, and the plethora of local Chinese restaurants… I love me a St. Paul sandwich!
Gotta “eat in”, don’t “take out”.
The white bread turns to mush, if it travels more than 10 minutes.
Brian
Is this a great country or what? That sandwich is pretty high.
Dayton Andrews
(Oh sure, WHAT the heck. I LOOOOVE the name Dayton Andrews.)
And, my last thought for the day on this pressing topic is: Why in the name of Peter is it called a St Paul?
The Lunch Encounter 
Here’s a fun urban legend behind the St. Paul’s name. From http://rftstl.com/2006-11-15/news/st-louie-chop-suey/full
Park Chop Suey [in St. Louee] “proprietor Billy Luu claims that his restaurant’s former owner, Steven Yuen, created the St. Paul Sandwich and named it for his hometown, St. Paul, Minnesota. But Yuen is in bad health and could not be reached for comment, so the precise origins of the St. Paul sandwich might forever remain murky.”
This article includes a great in the kitchen scene as the sandwich is built. And has lots of other fun stuff too.
Perhaps it is not an urban legend. I will look further. Thank you so much!