Harvey Moy, Chinese in Menomonee Falls, Wis [Pictures]

LTH,

12-miles due West of my Grandmother's house Harvey Moy personifies Old School Chinese American, Milwaukeeans, including 4-generations of Wiv's, have been getting their egg-foo-yung-on there for decades. I'm a fan of old school style, probably more so than most, and am perfectly happy tucking into an egg roll, egg foo young, or even General Tso's chicken, but given the opportunity I like to move farther afield.

One evening at Harvey Moy's I noticed a table of Chinese businessmen with quite obviously off-menu items, platters of roast duck, shell-on shrimp w/heads, steamed whole fish, any number of dishes which one might see in Chicago Chinatown, not-so-much in Menomonee Falls. Intrigued, I chatted up the ever genial Mr. Moy who seemed pleased I was interested in going outside the box.

My sister her kids and I grouped up for a Grandmother visit and after a lovely chat the four* of us lunched at Harvey Moy's. They are no strangers to Chinese food, but when Mr. Moy brought out the platter of head/shell-on Salt and Pepper shrimp eye's grew wide. Mr. Moy charmingly showed my sister his technique of breaking off the heads, giving a quick slurp to the juice and crunching into the soft flavorful shrimp w/shell.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp


Next up was a platter of Peking Duck w/steamed buns, silvered scallions and plum sauce.




Followed by fresh flounder stir fried with black bean, ginger, scallions and mussels.



It was at this point Mr. Moy suggested we combine another table as we were out of room. My niece's were particularly flabbergasted by this in a good Uncle Gary 'nothing says excess' like excess fashion.

Our expanded real estate provided fertile ground for crunchy, deliciously tender squid w/Szechwan pepper, 5-spice and salt. This may have been my favorite of the day, especially when combined with the house chili oil.

Crisp squid w/Szechwan pepper, 5-spice and salt.


Chili Oil


My niece Amanda is a beef and broccoli fan, to her a meal at a Chinese restaurant is not complete without the dish. Moy's strayed from the typical preparation by using Chinese broccoli and going light on the corn starch gravy. I knew she was smitten when she ignored her ever present cell phone jangle after the first bite.

Beef with Chinese Broccoli


Pan fried noodles rounded out our feast.


Just when the girls cried Uncle, literally and figuratively, Mr. Moy brought out a plate of snow pea shoots (dou miao) w/garlic on the house. Seems they were delivered during our lunch and he thought we might enjoy. He was 100% correct.

Snow Pea Shoots (Dou Miao) w/Garlic


Litchi used to be a somewhat ubiquitous Chinese restaurant close, though it is seldom seen these days.


My sister, who currently lives in rural Missouri, summed our lunch up nicely, "Chinese food my area is simply variations on a theme, each dish at Moy's was like a little story, separate, succulent."

Our incredible feast with three drinks came to $88 which I felt an incredible bargain in light of ingredient quality and preparation.

Harvey and Linda Moy


Enjoy,
Gary

*My grandmother was a bit fatigued after the visit and not up for lunch, even at Harvey Moy's

Harvey Moy
N89 W16754 Appleton Ave
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
262-255-3307

That is a very nice looking lunch. I am particularly struck by the complete lack of cheese in every dish. It's almost as if you weren't even in Wisconsin.

Gary,

Was your meal mostly off-menu items? If yes, did you call in advance?

I had a friend who grew up in Menomonee Falls. I once found myself there by happenstance. I then proceeded to inquire where the falls may be. Everyone gave me the lady with two heads look, then advised where to find them. Of course they didn't want me disappointed, because they all told me it wasn't special. It was a very small falls of only some feet in height, though I can die happy I have been there and seen them.

Now I have an excellent reason to return. Thank you for the road trip report.

Regards,

Cheese in China was once a rare delicacy. Mao outlawed cheese in 1949 because it represented a symbol of wealth and elitism and became practically impossible to find anywhere. I once ate some deep fried Chinese cheese sticks, the rarest of Chinese delicacies.

Jeez Gary, you did very very well. Loved the look of the pea shoots, yum.

Back in the day (mid 80s) you could always find Northern (typically Mongol, if memory serves) sheep cheese in the Friendship Store in Beijing. Not terribly interesting in itself, but interesting in its very presence.

I made some cheese while in Wuhan; my students hated it. Not part of the culture, dairy. Altho', by now, ice cream and drinkable yoghurt have penetrated into the interior even as far as Wuhan.

Geo

I am particularly struck by the complete lack of cheese in every dish. It's almost as if you weren't even in Wisconsin.

Well, that is so until the photo of the Moy's and the photo behind them of good ol' number 29. I looked here but couldn't figure out who it is.

G Wiv wrote:

I like how his outfit is exactly the same as in the little picture to the upper-right. Mr. Red Shirt anyone?

Jay K wrote:[I like how his outfit is exactly the same as in the little picture to the upper-right.

Hey, its Menomonee Falls, small town America, where men usu. have just one "good outfit."



E.M.

edk wrote:Well, that is so until the photo of the Moy's and the photo behind them of good ol' number 29. I looked here but couldn't figure out who it is.

Ken Stills, drafted by the Packers in '85

Cathy2 wrote:Was your meal mostly off-menu items? If yes, did you call in advance?

Cathy,

Not really sure, I did not look at the menu, just hit the highlights of what I wanted with Mr. Moy then left it in his hands. I'd guess most, if not all, was off menu. I did not call in advance, though if Mr. Moy is not in-house it may be more difficult to go off-menu.

By the way, I've never seen the falls in Menomonee Falls.

Enjoy,
Gary

Ken Stills, drafted by the Packers in '85

Thanks -- I didn't think it was Herbert "Whisper" Goodman and the photo looked to recent to be Jug Earp.

And...as long as we're doing a 'Rear Window'...

Just above and to the right of Mrs. Moy's head, I do believe that's a head shot of none other than the Polish Prince, Bobby Vinton! Now that must've been a wild night!

Gary, I've never had the cojones at an ethnic restaurant to order meals not on the menu just by looking at what someone else is eating. But you hit the motherlode there. Looks so good, it might almost be worth a road trip.

Jay