Quote:
Originally Posted by OyCrumbler
Well, that's actually not true since people are different all over the world and a business has to change its model to fit different places. Many of the chinese restaurants in the US, especially those that are not serving a mostly Chinese clientele, have heavily modified the food such that they now serve, either through inertia or still-ongoing conditions, a kind of canon of American Chinese food. I agree that it doesn't have to taste different just because it's not in China (since there is a lot of very "authentic" Chinese restaurants in southern California and various other parts of the US), but neither do patrons have to like authentic Chinese food nor do they have to ensure a Chinese restaurant serving authentic Chinese food survives as opposed to one that serves heavily modified Chinese food.
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the only place i've ever had real chinese food was around new york. i've never had chinese food like that anywhere in the united states, even places that claim to be authentic were not like in new york. it's like night and day. those take out joints all over america as well as those buffets are nothing like real chinese food. all those other places seemed loaded with salt, fat, food colorings, sometimes peas in fried rice, goopy sauces and just like bad fast food.
for instance, moo goo gai pan is usually swimming in sauce, usually canned mushrooms and just tossed together with big hunks of vegs. authentic and very good moo goo gai pan will use white shredded chicken breast with a delicate and sophisticated balance of mushrooms, ginger, garlic and some chives or green onion. there will hardly be a trace of sauce. it is delicious, healthy and extremely aromatic. real fried rice will not use any food coloring but will use green onion or fresh bean sprouts and little soy for flavoring, finely minced ginger etc all blended in the right combination. also the rice would have to be cooked to the right consistency and perfection which is drier for fried rice. most places don't do this.
i can't even get decent chicken with cashews which is one of my favorite chinese dishes. authentic would be finely chopped chicken, diced water chestnuts, celery and carrots and tossed with just enough flavoring or sauce. i don't even think most places use the right seasonings either. i can't find it cooked right anywhere except new york. it's amazing.
they have lots of fried foods at chinese restaurants like chicken wings etc. it's pathetic.
i never ate chinese in los angeles, so i can't comment on it.
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