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The only thing left is for average people to get indignant when you claim that what we're eating isn't Chinese food at all -- just rice, fried meat, and some vegetables with sticky sauces dumped on them.
Look at what happened with Italian food to see the pattern which Chinese food is following. Italian was once considered "exotic" ethnic food.
"1913 was the year where a record high of Italian citizens immigrated to the United States."
My mother first ate Italian food when she moved to the US in the 1940s.
I think all of this runs in cycles. An ethnic cuisine is great...until it isn't. Someone eventually picks up the ball and starts yet another age of enlightenment.
Honestly, I like authentic AND Americanized Indian, Vietnamese and Thai more than Chinese.
American Chinese's only goal is to serve as the nice "comfort" food that you eat when you want some alcohol, grease and a good time. I've been ordering delivery from the same place since I was 14 and it serves its purpose. When I want a giant tin of spicy shrimp fried rice with extra shrimp, a couple of beers and some eggrolls....that restaurant hits the spot.
I'm not sure that the AC's have gotten worse. It's just that other types of restaurants have jumped into the fray and offer fresher and bolder flavors. There was a time when delivery was basically pizza or Chinese. There's more competition now and the baseline of Americanized Thai or Indian is probably better than the baseline of AC food.
Is it just me or does Chinese food not taste nearly as good as it used to? I remember back when I was a kid in the 90s Chinese food tasted amazing and now a lot of it seems barely edible to me.
It could just be my taste being more refined, but if anything the older I get the less picky about food I get. Do you think Chinese food has declined because of more competition with Thai, Indian, Vietnamese and so on compared to 20 years ago?
Can I assume you live in Mpls, MN?
I have been going to Cathays on 54th & Nicollet since the 80s and I've noticed the last 3 or 4 times that the food does taste different. At first I thought it was me but there is less flavor. No doubt in all that time owners have changed hands but I would say that it has always been owned by authentic Chinese, meaning, it's clear that English isn't their first lanquage.
The Big Bowl had some dynamite Thai food but that also has less flavor.
So are you telling me Taco Bell isn't authentic Mexican?
Are you telling me Pepperidge Farms Pirouettes are not authentic French pastries?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanms3030
Also, what is peanut chicken? I've been to Thailand and I live in Los Angles with the biggest Thai population outside of Bangkok and I've never seen this peanut chicken anywhere? Whenever I take my mother to a Thai restaurant she gets sweet and sour chicken and potstickers
Peanut sauce is a very popular ingredient in SE Asian cooking. Granted, peanuts are new world native plants, but so are tomatoes, and that doesn't stop the Italians from making tomato sauce.
I was going to say, I have had pizza in Naples and it was pizza, pretty good pizza but still just pizza. It's hard to screw up a pizza, though Godfathers manages it.
There are but they are not easy to find. For those who live in a particular city and know others that can recommend places is fine, but for the most part, when chains came in, buffets came in, etc. decent, authentic ethnics foods started to disappear. My dad used to have a few favorite independently owed Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles. I am talking 40 or more years ago. He knew the owners and would just ask for a variety of foods, but never from a menu. He did get the real thing.
You have a funny definition of "hard." Just go to a different restaurant every time until you find one you like. The same with Greek food, Indian food or Thai food. Or you can ask around. I have a cousin who can rate every bowl of Pho in Seattle.
Are you telling me Pepperidge Farms Pirouettes are not authentic French pastries?
Peanut sauce is a very popular ingredient in SE Asian cooking. Granted, peanuts are new world native plants, but so are tomatoes, and that doesn't stop the Italians from making tomato sauce.
The Chinese use them, too. I was face-timing with my daughter when she was in Beijing, and since it was morning for me, I told her I was making scrambled eggs with tomatoes. She said that's a popular dish with the Chinese.
I thought peanuts were African in origin, but I could be mistaken. Have to look that up.
ETA: Nope, I'm wrong. First cultivated in South America.
I admit to snickering when I read the title of this thread. I cannot STAND the all-you-can-eat buffet scene with the grazers who turn my stomach just seeing them gorge their already obese bodies.
If a Chinese place does a good Shrimp with Lobster Sauce then they're okay by me. The fried stuff doesn't agree with me. One thing I love is egg drop soup with a side of white rice. Take a spoon full of rice, dip in the soup and devour. Great for cold weather and cheap, too.
If you find a good place, stay true to them. They're out there.
Ugh, buffets. They are very popular for parties around here, because you can feed massive quantities of food to a lot people on the cheap. The only halfway decent options are usually the smoked salmon and steamed bok choy, so other than specifically being invited, I would never go on my own volition; I'd never be able to eat my money's worth (unless I sneak some gladware into my purse and stuff it with salmon).
I disagree. Sure, if you are looking at Chinese buffets that charge $8 per person, sure, they have declined in an effort to meet a very low price point.
However, there is a far broader variety of Chinese food available in MOST metropolitan areas as more Asians have immigrated to the United States in the past forty years. If you stick to the forums like City-data, you are less likely to find out about the more authentic Chinese restaurants. Instead, look for local forums that focus on good local restaurants. In addition to the coastal cities, there are good food message boards in the Chicago and Phoenix area.
Do tell??? <bold>
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The fried stuff doesn't agree with me. One thing I love is egg drop soup with a side of white rice. Take a spoon full of rice, dip in the soup and devour. Great for cold weather and cheap, too. 
