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As for the "numbers" in this thread? You are really going to pine over the difference between 40-50 thousand people? Is this how petty these city vs city comparisons have become? The New York area has the most Chinese people, but only by 80,000 people. You know how much 80,000 people is in China?
We're talking more than 80,000 people, and yes, obviously it makes a difference.
Most U.S. Metros don't even have close to 80,000 Chinese people.
And you just finished claiming that SF has a bigger Chinese community than LA, and how it makes a difference, but apparently now it doesn't make a difference that NYC's community is significantly larger than SF?
We're talking more than 80,000 people, and yes, obviously it makes a difference.
Most U.S. Metros don't even have close to 80,000 Chinese people.
And you just finished claiming that SF has a bigger Chinese community than LA, and how it makes a difference, but apparently now it doesn't make a difference that NYC's community is significantly larger than SF?
No, its because you said this:
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Again, there are more Chinese in NYC and LA than in SF. Therefore, the food is likely better.
To which I said
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Except its already been shown that SF has more Chinese people than LA.
San Francisco, CA- 163,194
Los Angeles, CA- 68,975
That's called ONE TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
My other train of thought was this
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As for the "numbers" in this thread? You are really going to pine over the difference between 40-50 thousand people? Is this how petty these city vs city comparisons have become? The New York area has the most Chinese people, but only by 80,000 people. You know how much 80,000 people is in China?
So why don't you explain to me what the first thing had to do with the second thing?
It's called "fact" vs "opinion". You were trying to state something that was factually incorrect, then you use MY opinion to try to counteract that fact. Good going!
Ok, but that would be predicated on the belief that the master Chinese chefs are all moving to one city, and all the Chinese who can't cook worth crap move to another city.
Seems like a pretty absurd claim. Obviously NYC, LA and SF would all be attractive to a broad range of immigrants. It would stand to reason that all these cities would be host to Chinese who can cook.
Sure but which would you rather tons of mediocre Chinese restaurants or 1 great Chinese restaurant? I was under the impression this thread was about where the best place was to get Chinese food - not where there is the most Chinese food.
There's nothing absurd about that nor did I claim anything that would lead to the argument you set forth. For example in City A there could be 20,000 Chinese people but in City B there are 15,000 Chinese people. But the greatest Chinese chef's apprentice opened his restaurant in City B. It would thus follow that population has nothing to do with it the best food is where the best Chef was not where the larger population is. The third best Chinese chef could very well be in City A alongwith a 5,000 Chinese surplus. It still doesn't mean the restaurant will be better than the #2 chef.
One could continue this logic to say that if for example a place like Orlando or Las Vegas offered a top Chinese chef a very high paying position to make authentic cuisine for Chinese businessmen that come over than that Chinese food would be some of the best in the nation despite it being in a city of a smaller population of Chinese people.
Note that I am not arguing that Las Vegas or Orlando does in fact have the best Chinese chef and subsequently the best Chinese food, only the possibility that the best Chinese chef doesn't reside in the largest Chinese market.
Now my point isn't that these are the best 9 Chinese Restaurants in the country, there are hundreds of these types of Top 10 Lists that vary, some of them don't even correlate the same restaurants on their list compared to another list!
That's the point, there is a lot of variation in the United States, the point being is, you can find excellent Chinese food in more than just three cities (and their metropolitan areas) in the United States. From personal experience, I concur that motion that you can find great Chinese food in places that are NOT San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City.
SF, NYC, Los Angeles, and Vancouver (Richmond) all belong in the top 4 without question. Then there's a fairly big drop. I wouldn't quite put Seattle in that realm. There really is no clear cut winner from the top 4. All have the breadth, depth, and authenticity to be #1.
Totally agree-and yeah Seattle is a step behind those cities, although there are some good spots, although not close to the numbers you'll see in those cities.
I'll say that personally I feel that Vancouver is probably my favorite spot for Chinese food... The thing that's great about both the Vancouver area and the SF Bay Area is that you can eat at either high-end gourmet Chinese restaurants, dim sum bakeries, little hole in wall congee spots, Taiwanese hot pots, Cantonese roasted duck, etc... At the Aberdeen Mall in Ricmond, BC, I had some of the best Shanghai-style soup dumplings and Northern Chinese style food I've ever had.
Sure but which would you rather tons of mediocre Chinese restaurants or 1 great Chinese restaurant?
I'd rather have tons of good Chinese restaurants like New York City.
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There's nothing absurd about that nor did I claim anything that would lead to the argument you set forth. For example in City A there could be 20,000 Chinese people but in City B there are 15,000 Chinese people. But the greatest Chinese chef's apprentice opened his restaurant in City B. It would thus follow that population has nothing to do with it the best food is where the best Chef was not where the larger population is. The third best Chinese chef could very well be in City A alongwith a 5,000 Chinese surplus. It still doesn't mean the restaurant will be better than the #2 chef.
NYC's Chinese population: 400,000
San Francisco's Chinese population: 153,000
So you mean to tell me, even with a vastly larger Chinese population, great chefs are more prevalent in San Francisco? Where did you get this information? And what would explain this great phenomenon?
Sounds absolutely ridiculous.
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One could continue this logic to say that if for example a place like Orlando or Las Vegas offered a top Chinese chef a very high paying position to make authentic cuisine for Chinese businessmen that come over than that Chinese food would be some of the best in the nation despite it being in a city of a smaller population of Chinese people.
And how funny is it that Chinese Restaurant News rated Ching's restaurant in New Canaan, CT the best Chinese restaurant in the country? LOL.
LOL. This was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread. I bet that 95% of all Americans have no idea what real Chinese food looks like, that there are a couple different varieties, and that Chinese flavored slop they get from the corner "Chinese food restaurant" is really American food.
Technically you could say "chinese-american" food... as much of it was invented by Chinese living in the US.
I've had both "real" and Americanized Chinese... I like both... just because it's Americanized doesn't mean it's bad. Just because it's authentic doesn't mean it's good....
It's like being from KC, I love KC BBQ, I can like BBQ from other places besides KC... if I have BBQ from NYC... I'll tell someone it doesn't taste like real BBQ to me, but it doesn't mean it's not good....
That's the point, there is a lot of variation in the United States, the point being is, you can find excellent Chinese food in more than just three cities (and their metropolitan areas) in the United States. From personal experience, I concur that motion that you can find great Chinese food in places that are NOT San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City.
For the most part, I agree. Hell, one of the most famous Chinese food places in California was in Hanford, CA (out in the Central Valley, amongst waves of field and smog)
I just thought that Chinese food up in SF was better than what I had down here.
Truthfully though, if you like eating food, then it shouldn't matter much one way or the other. You can find good food anywhere. It's not like it's hard. Hell, I would state this again "I wish there were more places serving American food around here." I can find tacos, sushi, and dim sum way quicker than I can get a burger that isn't from a chain, or steak that isn't from Sizzler.
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