Trader Ming's Chinese Inspired Salad With Chicken

How did I end up eating a Chinese inspired chicken salad (can they just simplify the name and call it what it is) and photographing it in the bathroom of my Airbnb? Sleep deprivation and travel, my friends. It's travel tradition for A and I to venture to a Trader Joe's basically anywhere they exist in the continental US. If you can't tell from the photo, we made it to one in Dallas about twenty minutes before closing time in search of light food for the night. Sleep deprivation and travel lowered my defenses and ramped up my indecision - he chose this. Not me. Husbands...sigh. :P

1) I used to like that TJ's labeled products by their "cultural TJ name." Like it's cute. But at what point is it not okay to do that? It's perfectly fine to label something from France "Trader Jacques." Like puff pastry or sliced brioche (which are actually just labeled Trader Joe's FYI). But is it ok to label something "Chinese" that is but isn't Chinese?* Anyhoo, TJ's seems to be shying away from that. Recent new products, especially the ones that look remotely "ethnic." carry the standard TJ's label. 

*It isn't "authentically" Chinese, like from China or something a person from China/Taiwan/Hong Kong/etc. would eat in their cultural. But it is "Chinese" because it's what people know in America as Chinese. So much time spent on clarifying labels. Bah. 

2) Methinks TJ's is trying to be more culturally sensitive while appealing to middle America. Hence Chinese inspired versus a Chinese chicken salad label. So to find all of that plus a "Go Texan" emblem on TJ's packaging is a little amusing. 

At the end of the day, it's TJ's take on the classic American Chinese chicken salad. Cuz you sure won't find this on any Chinese restaurant menu or on any salad menu in Asia. Of course there's nothing remotely exotic in this, because in 2019 even if you live in Texas, there ain't nothing exotic about crispy noodles.

Aka free of E.coli. Always a good thing.

1) Not all salads are healthy. To me this isn't, even if it might be considered so in Texas and other parts of the country. And if a salad isn't healthy, why am I eating it? Couldn't I be eating something equally unhealthy and a little bit more delicious? Like Chickfila?

2) It's your standard Chinese chicken salad. Actually I think because of sleep deprivation and travel-induced hunger, I didn't think this was too bad. It tastes like an average fast food chain Chinese chicken salad. What is crunchy is supposed to be crunchy. Of course your traditional crispy wonton strips have been replaced by thinner generic crispy noodles. The dressing has a sweet soy and savory sesame flavor that is different without being too exotic. What can I say, everything is edible. That's all I want in what I perceive as a mediocre salad - food that fills my stomach without making my insides churn.

3) Of course, this salad could be improved if there was something more herb-y to give it freshness, like cilantro or scallion. Then it would be a salad, not a salad you pick when you find yourself trying to be healthy at a fast food place. But to TJ's credit, this salad did taste more fresh than some salads I've had at fast food establishments.

Still can't believe I was convinced to pay money for this. Y'all best believe this is not a repurchase for me.

TL;DR: Trader Ming's Chinese Inspired Salad With Chicken. Did you really make a trek out to TJ's to get a fast food Chinese chicken salad with inferior crispy noodle strips? Put that down and go get you some cookie butter. 5 out of 10. Mantou Joe repurchase? Thank u, next.