he newspapers of Chicago began to notice the boom in Chinese restaurants almost as soon as it began in 1901.  A 1903 article in the Tribune titled “Chop Suey Fad Grows: Chicago’s Appetite is Becoming Cultivated to Chinese Dish of Mystery,” includes the bill of fare of one unnamed Chinese restaurant:
The writer describes the food in Chinese restaurants as interesting but mostly mysterious.  He concludes “At least, every one knows what fried chicken means.”
Chicago Daily Tribune, Jul 19 1903, p 43