Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Chow adj.

(Aus.) Chinese.

1907		N.Z. Truth 16 Mar. 5/3: The Occidental Hotel [...] engages Chow cooks to run the tucker branch of the hostelry.
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Sept. 10/1: He also ‘runs the rabbit,’ and may be seen at certain times of the day cantering out from among his green-stuffs with a drinking vessel in either hand, and returning presently to the Chow-sty, where his mates await his homing.
1916		C.J. Dennis ‘Duck an’ Fowl’ in Moods of Ginger Mick 16: There wus lights, an’ smells of Asia, an’ a strange, Chow-’aunted scene.
1936		‘Banjo’ Paterson Shearer’s Colt 164: I ain’t going to talk Chow talk to you any more. You savvy English all right.
1960		J. Iggulden Storms of Summer 72: They chop it up and send it to the Chow places, fish chop suey and all that stuff.
1967		‘Whisper All Aussie Dict.’ in Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxiii 4/3: chow feed: A Chinese meal.
1974		J. McNeil How Does Your Garden Grow Act II: Dinner at the Chow’s first.
1985		B. Humphries Traveller’s Tool 80: I guess you still can’t beat a good Chow feed if you’ve had a skinful.

In compounds

chow joint (n.)

a Chinese restaurant.

1926		L. Esson Bride of Gospel Place 80: Smithy: I’ll have short soup, and duck and fowl. Spiro: (angrily) This ain’t no Chow joint.
1936		(con. c.1900) W.W. Williams Quiet Lodger of Irving Place 127: O. Henry [...] frequented some of the most uninviting ‘hash-houses’ and ‘chow-joints’ to be found down the Bowery.

Chowland (n.)

(Aus.) Queensland.

1903

Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Sept. 35/4: Queensland, Chowland, Kanakaland – it is all one, a country with very little evil going to waste.