American Chinese V.S Authentic

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VanLifer39

Joined
Sep 8, 2023
Messages
75
I want to see what everyone's thoughts are of authentic Chinese cuisine. I was born in 1983 when authentic Asian cuisine was virtually impossible to get. My mom is Korean, so I have a perspective on the challenges of obtaining ingredients to cook Korean food at home. I grew up in a rural part of Maryland with an hour drive to Baltimore.

I've noticed a lot of Chinese cuisine specific apps like Chowbus, Fantuan, and HungryPanda.

I disagree that Beef & Broccoli is American. It is Cantonese along with Moo Goo Gai Pan.

General Tso, Orange Chicken, and Sesame Chicken are American Chinese dishes. Too greasy IMHO.....

I personally enjoy a good Ma Po Tofu that is exceptionally spicy and numbing from Sichuan Pepper which is from an Ash Bush which is related to Citrus plants.

A good Dan Dan Noodle is also great. It's noodles with a spicy minced pork sauce that is similar in look to an Italian Bolognese sauce.

I'm on the fence about trying Hunan cuisine because I'm unfamiliar. Hunan is supposedly spicier than Sichuanese. There are a lot of Sichuan and Cantonese Dim Sum restaurants

Yunnan cuisine looks interesting since Yunnan Provence borders Burma, Lao, and Vietnam. There's a lot of SE Asian influence on Yunnan.

I still appreciate a American Hunan Chicken, Happy Family, Triple Delight, and Huge Eggrolls that Chinese look at as crazy.
 
My Friend from Taiwan owned several restaurants over the years. She would serve us real Chinese and there are a couple of restaurants in the DC area that have Chinese language menus for OGs with OG dishes that we've gone to. She and her sisters would order for the table and everything is on a turntable family style.. As Fong says, Americans won't eat this stuff, so we don't offer it in our place.
Be a white guy delivering Chinese Food in a Mercedes sedan on weekends if you want to see some funny faces and comments. I would just say I married into the family and delivery is my penance.
 
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VanLifer39 said:
I was born in 1983 when authentic Asian cuisine was virtually impossible to get. My mom is Korean, so I have a perspective on the challenges of obtaining ingredients to cook Korean food at home. I grew up in a rural part of Maryland with an hour drive to Baltimore.
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There shouldn't be problem getting ingredients anymore. I have a Korean Aunt, my deceased first wife was Korean, but left us at 26 YO, and my present wife is Thai. You've got Lotte and H-Mart up there in Catonsville and Delicate City. We used to take a big cooler and shop either up there or over in Annandale, VA. Large Korean immigrant populations in those areas. Even a couple of decent Korean restaurants in and around Baltimore.
 
CleanSump said:
There shouldn't be problem getting ingredients anymore. I have a Korean Aunt, my deceased first wife was Korean, but left us at 26 YO, and my present wife is Thai. You've got Lotte and H-Mart up there in Catonsville and Delicate City. We used to take a big cooler and shop either up there or over in Annandale, VA. Large Korean immigrant populations in those areas. Even a couple of decent Korean restaurants in and around Baltimore.
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Ingredients are easy to get these days with Chinese specific grocery stores opening. The 2 big chains are Great Wall Supermarket, and 99 Ranch. There's a lot of overlap with Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese since it is NE Asia.

The biggest difference would be that China eats a lot more meat since they have land to farm. The other would be that Chinese use Peanuts 🥜 while Korea/Japan doesn't.

Taiwan is an extension of China with opposing political views. The food of Taiwan is delicious.
 
My friend's parents went to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek during the Nationalist evacuation (or retreat) to there, so not Taiwanese by family history or culture.
I remember when Great Wall was a dirty little place in Rockville. Ugh. Korean Korner was much better. Many choices now. Need a toilet with electronic doo-dads, a blanket, or a travel agent? The big chains are one stop shopping.
P.S. My references to Rockville and some of the stores goes back to when you were just born.
 
Most Chinese food and Chinese restaurants here in the US are a garbage conglomerate run by the (who knows what). Even the delivery drivers are Chinese.
I judge ALL Chinese restaurants by their Gen TSO. I have only found one place that makes it correctly, and that is (was?) the Golden Gate Rest. in Clairton, Pennsylvania. These days, some local Chinese Res. have gained popularity by using the now common lab grown chicken, which is trash.
In Clairton, the Gen Tso is made with real chicken, real brocolli, water chestnuts, those tiny red hot peppers that saved my sinuses on cold winter nights, sesame seeds, garlic, a fantastic sauce, and the list goes on.

I like the real food, and Americanized is not the answer in my opinion, saving/making money is, and catering to the local suppliers for the ingredients. If I ever find an equivalent, I'll let you know.
 
In Honolulu, Mei Sum, Nice Day, Happy Day, Legend Seafood and Fook Yuen are authentic or near-authentic Chinese restaurants. the others have been localized/Americanized to sell and make money because a good portion of he population won't eat the authentic stuff.
 
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