Americanised Chinese Food

I have to agree that lots of times when a foreign cuisine tries to make its home in a new place, it most likely would have to adapt itself to suit local taste buds. So that's why these Chinese restaurants have no choice but to do so. Because if they were truly authentic, it is likely that sales would be affected. For example, Sze Chuan cuisine has traditionally been spicy and it would be difficult to sell it as it is to Caucasian people who are more used to less spicy food. But all is not lost. I have tried really good authentic Chinese food in the USA and these are really as good as what I would get back home. I saw lots of Chinese people eating at these places. Delicious, authentic but unfortunately also very expensive.

i usually order the "sweet and sour" chicken- while i like it,i agree-it's a bit too sweet. i have no doubt what they serve up here has been very altered.i usually put a lot of soy sauce into it to cut the sweetness of it.

You are absolutely right. Chinese food is actually adjusted to Western tastes. In the US and Canada it tastes about the same, but I have had Chinese food in Germany and it tasted differently. I have also had Chinese food in China town here where most patrons were Chinese. I must confess I did not like it as much as the Westernized kind. I was once invited to a 12 course Chinese celebration meal by a Chinese family in a Chinese restaurant. The food came around on this turn table, we call it Lazy Susan and again I really had a hard time with it. I guess our taste buds get used to certain flavours when we grow up.

That's sad if the authentic Chinese people are left to only serve as members of the staff. I agree that some Chinese foods are different from the ones served in other countries. This, of course, to suit the American taste. This reminds me of the famous McDonald's hamburgers. These were "bastardized" in the Philippines as well. They taste different and catered mostly to the Filipino taste. The art of economics and marketing.

It;s the same with Indian food in the U.K When I visit my Indian friends, or Chinese ones, their cooking is totally different to the same old , same old recipes we see in the restaurants. I love home cooked food the best and I have learned to make really good Chinese food from my Husband. He has taught me how to make really good dumplings. Now I use my imagination for the fillings to surprise him. He misses my cooking, as at the moment we have to live apart in different countries until we have enough money and visas.

In USA i don't know, but in Portugal that is true, no chinese people in chinese restaurants, only portuguese people go there. And i think the food has a taste too similar with the portuguese food. Maybe for economic reasons, if the restaurants kept the traditional chinese taste, maybe they didn't have too much clients.

That should not be the case... Authentic Chinese foods tastes way better. believe me. and if you do see many chinese people eating in one establishment, you should go and try it. Chineses love to eat and are a good judge of food. I remember my mom would tell me that chineses are too picky of what they eat and when they like it, they will go there even everyday if the can afford it. hehe by the way, im a chinese too. :)

Well I'm American, so that's what I'm used to, and I like most of it. :) I notice that when the staff eats in Chinese restaurants, they have mostly rice and veggies. I don't know if they do sauces differently or not, but it looks good! I'd love to try more types of authentic Chinese food. Other than the wider range of meats used, I don't think there'd be anything too unusual about it. We'd just have to get used to different flavors or textures. I'd at least like to have the option.

How else do you expect Chinese restaurants to stay in business here? Unless they are in a highly populated Chinese area most Americans probably aren't willing to eat at a traditional Chinese restaurant. I don't even eat Americanized Chinese food. About the only thing I eat are the egg rolls. I prefer Italian food. But we bastardized Italian food as well. :D