What do you find similar or different between the Chinese American and Japanese American restaurants?

Question

Mind doing abit about their culture too?

Personally, I've only had Chinese.

Answer 1

I am chinese and my fiance is japanese and I can honestly say the people who answered previously to me generally do not know what they are talking about.

Similarities are soy sauce, rice (sort of, the chinese use a different type of rice than the japanese), tea

chinese do not eat raw fish, japanese do

chinese have many different types of soup, japanese don't as much

japanese cooking is simpler and bring out the natural flavor of the food, chinese like to put a lot of sauce and other flavors on top of the food

Regarding hiring nonasian people at restaurants that is not true. Many chinese restaurant and some japanese restaurants hire mexican people to cook their food. They teach them the recipes and the mexicans cook the food (at least on the west coast). Prime example is Panda Express, while it is not really 'true' chinese food, it is not too bad for fast food. Even at true chinese resturants not all the cooks are asian. I've seen many mexican sushi chefs.

It is true japanese restaurants are generally smaller w/ a more welcoming attitude, but chinese restaurants cannot be lumped into a 'dum sum' category. dim sum is like tapas.  It's like saying mexican restaurants all serve tapas, which, as we all know, is not true. chinese restaurants are extremely loud (cantonese more than mandarin restaurnats), and generally serve the food family style.  Everyone orders plates which go onto a lazy susan in the middle of the table and share (called family style)

Chinese food in america is definately not westernized. If one thinks that, they're sheltered and have probably never been to a real chinese restaurant, only americanized restaurants. It is true though that some chinese restaurants cater to westerners though, mostly because they can't handle 'normal' chinese food like fish w/ the head on, poultry or seafood with the head on, chicken feet, blood, thousand year old eggs etc. It is soley a business decision for westernized chinese food.

Overall I would say Japanese is healthier than chinese.  chinese like to use a lot of salt, msg, and oil.  

chinese restaurants are definately not all you can eat. It's like saying todais is the epitome of japanese food. I think not! Chinese restaurants are all you can eat in the sense of you can order all you want, and eat all you want as long as you pay for it.

As a side note, Japanese also originated from Chinese. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Most generaly the difference is that most chinese/american restaurants are all you can eat,and japanese/american resaurants are still sit-down and usualy have sushi bars in them.ljapanese restaurants are still relatively going to be more expensive than chinese restaurants.

Answer 3

i think they are both very good.

Answer 4

Oh, everything comes from China.  Even the Yellowtail sashimi, eel, nori that is rolled in the california roll, ginger, soya, seaweed.  Thing about it, where in this world would they find land and  labor .

Answer 5

There are more differences than similarities between Chinese/Japanese cultures and cuisines.  The food is very different.  Having said that, most Chinese food in America is pretty westernized and not what you're going to get in China.  However, Japanese cuisine here is typically authentic though most restaurants pander to an American palette providing grilled meats, tempura, sushi, etc. I have been to Japan and though we ate many of the foods you see here, there were numerous other fantastic dishes.  They have a strong use of fresh vegetables and meats that vary regionally. Japanese cuisine and decor is much simpler than Chinese--Chinese tends to include more art while Japanese decor is simpler and more about incorporating the natural surroundings.  Though I am a fan of Chinese food and am fascinated by their culture I do admit to a bias towards Japan having been there, having studied more about it, and being addicted to sushi.  Find a good Japanese restaurant in your area and give it a shot.

Answer 6

Thank you, Toto1004.  Very well said.  Thumbs up from moi!  There are many misconceptions out there about our cultures (Chinese, Japanese, overall Asian culture).  I, too, love Japanese food (my dad would go nuts if he ever hears me say that).  And they do use quite a few hispanic chefs in many Chinese restaurants (those poor guys don't even get paid enough), even those authentic restaurants that we, the Chinese community, dine in.  One thing I must add is the difference in the soysauces used between Chinese and Japanese:

Japanese soy sauces do tastes "sweeter" than Chinese soy sauce (I love it more than Chinese soy sauce), because they contain a higher amount of Wheat ingredient. Japanese soy sauces use a soybean-wheat ratio of 60-40, while the soybean-wheat ratio for Chinese soy sauces is 70-30. There are 5 main "types" of Japanese soy sauce (they call it Shoyu instead of See-Yow in Chinese):

1. KOIKUCHI (dark): The most commonly used soy sauce in Japanese cooking, made with roughly equal proportions of soybeans and wheat.

2. USUKUCHI (light): Saltier and lighter than Koikuchi, an all-purpose soy sauce used for dishes where the dark color of regular shoyu would make them look unappetizing.

3. TAMARI: Typically darker and richer-tasting than Koikuchi, made with soybeans and little or no wheat.

4. SHIRO (literally translates as “white”): Mostly wheat, little soybeans, used to add flavor without altering the color of a dish.

5. SAISHIKOMI: Twice-brewed, very dark and very flavorful, used with sushi and sashimi.

Answer 7

Personally, I think Japanese American restaurants are more authentic than Chinese American restaurants, as far as their food is concerned.  But if you want a flavorful meal, I'd stick with the Chinese.

Answer 8

as for similar I think that they usually try to only hire asian people for the jobs, because (no offence) non asian people can't cook good asian food. they both tend to display traditional paintings and art work around. Most are influenced by Buddhist beliefs.

as for Different: Japanese restaurants tend to be smaller with a more "welcome to my restaurant " feel in that you can see all the chefs cooking usually from wherever you are. Chinese restaurants tend to be much larger, with a type of meal called "Dim Sum" which is like a mobile buffet.