When I visited Joes Steam Rice Rolls, I felt nostalgic. Bourdain’s picture on the wall signifies the excellence of the short but specific menu. Rice mixture spread onto the grill then rolled with toppings, added sauces to entice the customer. Joe Rong, the owner of the beloved restaurant, started this concept as something out of the ordinary—a dim sum dish that is more of Guangzhou style street food. His family and friend has no idea that this would flourish and initially discouraged him from pursuing it. Later on, when business was booming, his perseverance and fame grew as well. That’s how Bourdain ended up eating there. The Explore Parts Unknown website writes, “The Chinese name of this place, Shi Mo Chang Feng Wang, or “Stone Milled Rice Roll King” says it all. Unlike many other chang feng, or rice roll purveyors, Joe Rong doesn’t use pre-made rice flour. He grinds his rice into a powder using a stone mill, just like they do back home in Guangzhou. The result? A luscious, light broad roll of noodles perfumed with rice. There are over a dozen fillings available including beef, shrimp, pork liver, egg, red-tinged char siu, and roast pork with crisp skin. For an old school combo try shrimp and egg”. (DiStefano 17).

Joe Rang comes from a typical immigrant household, and he chose to develop this concept out of his longing for childhood flavors. Perseverance and how his craft elevated his status both on social media and in person, is another example of how Bourdain connected quality, immigrant stories, grit, and the history of Chinese culture.