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Is this discussion about Americanized Chinese food or Chinese food in America? Either way, I'm lucky enough to live in Los Angeles so I would say quality is generally good on both counts. With thousands of restaurants they aren't all going to be good but there are great examples of both. For "authentic" Chinese, we have probably 50 different types of regional Chinese cuisine that I never knew existed until I moved here. But we also have a Americanized Chinese of which there are some really great places and not so great. Honestly, I ate at Panda Express last night and I think their quality has gotten much better over the years. It's not the best American Chinese food but for American Chinese Fast food it's pretty good and consistent.
For anyone who hasn't seen it, I highly recommend:
It's on Netflix streaming and it's a great examination of what is Chinese food and what is American Chinese food especially now that some restaurants in the U.S. are run by family members that are second and third generation American born. Panda Express (who is based in the L.A. area) are now opening their first restaurants in China so the lines will continue to blur
In the past year, I've had really good Chinese food and really bad Chinese food. I think the problem is there's too many restaurants now and many of them lack experienced cooks who can actually cook. Plus ingredients have changed as more move to healthier alternatives.
Also the success of Panda Express has ruined Chinese food which is unfortunately copied by other restaurants.
Also the success of Panda Express has ruined Chinese food which is unfortunately copied by other restaurants.
This is somewhat of a overly dramatic exaggeration.
There certainly is a class of Chinese food that has the same generic template for American palettes with the usual beef & broccoli, mongolian beef, etc. but that doesn't mean there are many good authentic Chinese restaurants in the US. In a place with a large Asian population one can often find Cantonese, Sichuan, Taiwan, and Northern China restaurants to suit your taste. They aren't ruined.
It's on Netflix streaming and it's a great examination of what is Chinese food and what is American Chinese food especially now that some restaurants in the U.S. are run by family members that are second and third generation American born. Panda Express (who is based in the L.A. area) are now opening their first restaurants in China so the lines will continue to blur
Thanks for the link! Sounds like something good to watch this weekend.
But - is that Chinese food? That sounds French to me.
Chinese food in my area tends to be a hot mess of grease. I don't like eating after people, so I am not a fan of any buffet. If I am eating out, I want to be served.
Well, many AYCE Chinese buffets aren't just Chinese anymore. They have French fries, chicken nuggets, pizza, sushi, etc. I'm always amused when I see folks go to these places and pile high the fries.
I actually did go to an AYCE Chinese buffet at a more proper Chinese restaurant. I was taken aback at how for $12 to $14 (can't recall), there wasn't any sushi at all! Still pretty good though, and some of the more authentic fare.
Actually, fried frog legs and boiled shrimp are popular Cantonese dishes, so I doubt I would be disappointed.
Really? We have visited both places, Hong Kong more than once and I have never seen frog legs served. Shrimp, rarely. I grew up just north of China Town in Los Angeles when Chinatown was real Chinese food. Same story: they used shrimp in some of their foods, but didn't just serve in boiled. I guess it depends on where you have lived and how truly the foods we eat are authentic.
I have been eating Chinese food my entire life. All over the US, Europe, Canada, and in Hong Kong. It is even my fall back food when I am in the middle of nowhere and know no place. One of my best golfing buddies and his wife are from China. They are US citizen's and have been here for 30 years in Cleveland, Dallas, and now Columbia SC. They say American Chinese food is two steps from original and in many cases, they never heard of somethings on local Chinese menus.
All I can say is it can vary quite a bit. Most places outside of a Chinese enclave (usually in major cities) will most certainly change/adapt to local culture. Even the cuisine in China varies throughout the country as it can in the US. Here in Columbia, mustard base barbecue is a local favorite but nowhere else in the US can you find it. What about Coffee Milk in Providence RI. Though regional differences have been "watered" down by national chains, differences still exist.
One of the major differences in any cuisine is the quality to begin with before the cooking. Cheap/chewy beef in any dish (real Chinese or Americanized Chinese) is still cheap/chewy beef. While many local Chinese places have a near identical menu, I go with quality and that in itself limits my places of choice but that would be true with a hamburger.
I have not been able to find Dim Sum within 100 miles where I live.
When I saw buffalo wings and French fries showing up on Chinese buffets, that is when I gave them up for good or almost gave them up. I still buckle once in awhile. As for Dim Sum, last time we had the real stuff was in San Francisco maybe 20 years ago.
We did eat at a buffet in Toronto a few years ago, it was pretty good come to think about it and we have one here, people say is good, but they are always so crowded we haven't tried it. The rest around here are awful and many have gone out of business.
I ate at a dim sum place in Queens, NY, last month. Besides a white guy at a nearby table, my friend and I were the only non-Asians in the place. I had vegetarian food, and my friend had chicken feet. That place was pretty authentic.
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