Apparently Plain Cream Cheese Wontons Is a Minnesota Thing
I must say that I am a pretty big fan of cream cheese wontons. The very first ones I ever ate had fake crab in them which was kind of gross, but I powered through it because the cream cheese part was so delicious. That is when I discovered I could get plain ones and was sold from then on. Now that I think about it I have never been to a chinese restaurant in the Northland that does not offer a plain option, so maybe this theory is true, that this is a Minnesota thing and definitely a Northland phenomenon.
According to an article in City Pages even in other areas of the Midwest like Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis the Crab Rangoon is the standard. It is believed that the plain cream cheese wonton may have originated right here in Minnesota by none other than Leeann Chin. Now I must take a brief pause because sorry to say that restaurant is my all time favorite and I was in heaven for the very brief time it was in Duluth at the Miller Hill Mall. :( " Leeann Chin’s corporate reps confirmed that they are the creators of the cream cheese wonton under the name “cream cheese puffs” but refused to provide further details." Cream cheese wontons have maintained their popularity; a Leeann Chin employee recently told City Pages "he makes more than 700 a day for just one of the chain restaurant’s locations."
Even though Wontons can come in many shapes and sizes they are an absolute must for any side dish that I get. So just know if you want them plain you may be in for a surprise outside of Minnesota or the Northland.