The chowmein fairy has entered the building.

Tushar Gupta.

Remember the weddings and birthday parties in your childhood? What used to be the most common item in the snacks section? This is one Chinese noodle dish that actually that made Indian street food so popular, it is a pioneer in that sense. There used to be a time in the late 90s when people used to stand in queues and wait for hours to eat this delicacy.

Red hot noodles being tossed on the high flame is a memory from parties and weddings. Everyone used to visit the Chowmein stall in those functions and eat it multiple times, such was and still is the craze of Chowmein. It stood the test of time over the years and kept on evolving with different flavours .

• Where to eat: Delhi (Madhuvan Chinese Food, Pepper Corn Express, and Chowmein’s Hut), Mainland China Outlets, Lucknow (Moti Mahal, Royal Sky), Bangalore (Hunan, The Lantern).