What is the difference between west coast and east coast Chinese Food?

Question

I have some family here in southern Massachusetts from the San Francisco bay area (Castro Valley) and we had Chinese take out. They were pretty much horrified at what passed for Chinese food here in Massachusetts.

For example, the roasted pork chow mein we ordered was the dry kind of chow mein type we had to soften ourselves when it got home (it seems the bay area version is more noodle-like than the dry stuff we get served here on in MA). Also, the sweet and sour pork here in MA is 3-inch long pieces of pork in a white/golden brown batter with an orange sweet and sour sauce. The bay area version I'm not too sure about except that it looks much different (and the taste too) and comes with different things like cabbage, etc on the plate.

Why is there such a marked difference in what has the same name (i.e. chow mein and sweet and sour pork). I'm sure there's other differences, that's just what we ordered here in Massachusetts. I'm just curious what passes for Chinese food in CA and why it's so different here on the east coast. Also, the place we ordered the food from here in MA has great reviews and is always mentioned as one of the better Asian restaurants in our town.

Thanks!!

Answer 1

different ingredients used.

=]

Answer 2

It's not an East Coast/West Coast thing.

There is a standard style of cuisine in this country I would call "restaurant Chinese". In fact, the food is so standardized that it would appear the restaurants just buy the menus preprinted from a central supplier. In the absence of a large ethnic Chinese population that demands more authentic Chinese food, this is what you get. So you know what to expect in Massachusetts, in Florida, in Indiana, in Montana...

In certain large areas on the West Coast there are large enough populations that demand real authentic Chinese food that you end up with something very different. So basically it is the West Coast that is the exception.

As far as the crunchy noodles go, you're supposed to eat them hard.

You can find authentic Chinese food in Chinatown. Seeing as how I don't get there very often, I prefer to cook Chinese food at home from cookbooks.  

Answer 3

No one seems to have a good answer for you, and neither do I.  I know what you are talking about, however.  (I also know about the differences between real Asian food and American Asian food from my travels to Asia, but that is not the point of your question).  I grew up on the West Coast, and moved as an adult to the East Coast.  The first time I ordered the sweet and sour pork on the East Coast, I was horrified.  What is that stuff?  It was one of my favorite dishes while growing up on the West Coast.  No answers for you, but I learned not to order it again.  They all make it like that on the East Coast.  I suppose it is just one of those regional quirks.  Like, New Englanders like their hot dog buns sliced on the top, not the side.  

Now, don't even get me started on the bad Mexican food on the East Coast.  I grew up in California, and I thought everyone could get a good chile relleno throughout the country.  The few I've had out here have been deep-friend (ugh).  

Give your friends some clamcakes and fried dough.  We never had those things on the West Coast growing up, and I learned to like them a lot.  

Answer 4

Where you are from always has the best Chinese food.  Its all about what you are use to and what you are use to eating.  The food from where i live is like the best to me, I have found none to compare, but I am sure eating it for most of my childhood (left my state at 19), helped make it the best.  Every place makes it different.  Where I am from the Shrimp and broccoli have big jumbo shrimp and big broccoli, but when I went moved to Louisiana it was small shrimp and broccoli.  I am use to brown sauce with this item, but this place in NY I ate at had white sauce (gross...to me of course), so it depends on what you are use to, I say.

Answer 5

all i can tell you is that if you ate REAL!! chinese food u might be grossed out, chinese people are known for their exotic tastes, they eat things (talking about real china) u would not imagine. i tell you from experiance, i make myself believe that chinese food in america is the REAL!!! kinda food, because in china the REAL!! food is... um just not as good as the not real american chinese food hehe

Answer 6

I don't think it is necessarily an East Coast / West Coast thing, it might be an "American Chinese food" versus "real chinese food" thing.

There are a lot of restaurants that have "Americanized" Chinese food that looks nothing like what is traditionally served in China.

there are also many, many kinds of Chinese cuisine - Hong Kong style, Scezchan, Mandarin, etc.

San Francisco has an enormous Asian population - much richer and more diverse than what is probably found in Massachusetts. So that is probably the difference.

It's the same reason that people in Texas, Arizona, and California long for authentic Mexican food when they're in the East.

Answer 7

Chinese food in the US  is all Americanized.

If you think you are eating Chinese food in the US .

you are in fantasy land

The average American would not eat real Chinese food.

nor would the FDA allow it.

Answer 8

its a questionof how much soy sauce they use