Filmmaker Searches Los Angeles for the Most Accurate 1990s Chinese Takeout Menu

Filmmaker Freddie Wong of Rocket Jump searched all over Los Angeles to find the most accurate 1990s Chinese food takeout menu for his movie Nail House.

The journey of creating an authentic takeout menu prop for Nail House.

He first went to the Los Angeles Public Library, where he looked through the different time periods of takeout menus, noting how the calligraphy, fonts, illustrations, and even the names of different foods had evolved over time. Wong also visited Fong’s Graphics & Printing to learn more about the design of these menus.

We found one of the oldest print shops still doing restaurant work today operating out of the San Gabriel Valley, a place called Fong’s Graphics and Printing, where I met up with Doris and Daphne Fong, who’ve been working the joint since 1985.

He also consulted with Asian antiquities expert Dennis Ku, who is not a calligrapher, despite the fact that he draws Chinese characters beautifully

I’m not a calligrapher. …Usually, most of the calligrapher, they want to warm up a little bit. But I’m not that good. So practice or not, it doesn’t matter.

In the end, Wong revealed his pick for the appropriate prop for his movie.

The Mama Wong’s Dumpling House takeout menu. A small but important part of Nail House.

Wong also shared some behind-the-scenes footage from Nail House