Current Events > Would you rather go to a Japanese or Chinese restaurant?

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American Chinese

I really dont have very much exposure to Japanese food and I never was a fan of sushi.

I never tried American Chinese food, how is it compared to authentic chinese?

It depends.

When it comes to Chinese restaurants here they're pretty much only two varieties, American Chinese and Authentic Chinese which usually has a bunch of American Chinese food in the menu anyway. Both are pretty predictable and good.

However I don't get what people mean by saying "Japanese restaurants are usually just Sushi" because that's not my perception at all. The Japanese restaurants around here are so weirdly specific that the words "Japanese Restaurant" on their own usually aren't specific enough to be helpful. Yes there's sushi bars, but also Ramen and Hibachi. There's also Japanese bakeries.

Now I know that kind of variety of Chinese food also exists but it's not anywhere near as prolific in America as it is for Japanese food.

But tl;dr I'd rather go to a fancy teppanyaki than any kind of Chinese restaurant. I just usually don't because that shit is crazy expensive.

Ricemills posted...

I never tried American Chinese food, how is it compared to authentic chinese?

That kind of comparison is impossible to make. But just to describe American Chinese in general, it's all very samey and sweet. Usually looks almost modular in ingredients. Start with like chow fun, then repeat 5 times tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp, pork. Then again with ho fun, then again with lo mein, etc. The more meaty dishes are completely drenched in thick sweet soy glaze with additional stuff depending on the dish in question like sesame or ginger. Almost everything is stir fried. The only thing you can guarantee isn't stir fried is the soup.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Almost everything is stir fried.

Not American enough, it should be deep fried
:V

Anyways, stir fried is the basic in many Chinese dish tho.
My local style of Chinese food is called peranakan Chinese food that combines chinese, Indian, arab, and local food.

Ricemills posted...

Not American enough, it should be deep fried

My quest to find good deep fried tofu is an endless and disappointing one.

Tyranthraxus posted...

My quest to find good deep fried tofu is an endless and disappointing one.

How?
A good deep fried tofu should be easy to come by.

Ricemills posted...

How?
A good deep fried tofu should be easy to come by.

Surprisingly it's not easy to find. A lot of places here won't even have it on the menu and I can't understand why. It's always the first thing I look for if I go to a new restaurant. Sometimes I just settle for something like ma po tofu which is also good stuff but not really what I was looking for.

Depends. If I want good fried rice I'll go to a Chinese place. Everything else I'll go japanese.

I'm a picky eater, so honestly neither if I had a choice. But out of the two, Japanese food typically has more things I'll actually eat on their menu. Usually ramen, or some type of chicken without sauce (ie. chicken katsu with no sauce).

Rob_Cesternino posted...

What kind of Chinese food are we talking about here? Americanized or authentic?

Authentic for me. Americanized kung pao chicken is so awful.

Tyranthraxus posted...

It depends.

When it comes to Chinese restaurants here they're pretty much only two varieties, American Chinese and Authentic Chinese which usually has a bunch of American Chinese food in the menu anyway. Both are pretty predictable and good.

However I don't get what people mean by saying "Japanese restaurants are usually just Sushi" because that's not my perception at all. The Japanese restaurants around here are so weirdly specific that the words "Japanese Restaurant" on their own usually aren't specific enough to be helpful. Yes there's sushi bars, but also Ramen and Hibachi. There's also Japanese bakeries.

Now I know that kind of variety of Chinese food also exists but it's not anywhere near as prolific in America as it is for Japanese food.

But tl;dr I'd rather go to a fancy teppanyaki than any kind of Chinese restaurant. I just usually don't because that shit is crazy expensive.

I have never found a single Japanese restaurant that sales takoyaki, okonomiyaki, unadon, or ikayaki in America.

kage_53 posted...

Me. The only seafood I like are crab, lobster, scallops and shrimp. I would never eat these raw.

Full agree.

Revelation34 posted...

I have never found a single Japanese restaurant that sales takoyaki, okonomiyaki, unadon, or ikayaki in America.

You've never been to Hawaii then :3

Revelation34 posted...

Authentic for me. Americanized kung pao chicken is so awful.

I have never found a single Japanese restaurant that sales takoyaki, okonomiyaki, unadon, or ikayaki in America.

I've had takoyaki and unadon in DC and I've seen ikayaki on menus.

Revelation34 posted...

I have never found a single Japanese restaurant that sales takoyaki, okonomiyaki, unadon, or ikayaki in America.

I find takoyaki all the time at ramen places. I found one place that had okonomiyaki but it closed down in the pandemic. Something I wish I could find but can't is Taiyaki

Chose japanese, but either make the best food

Tyranthraxus posted...

I find takoyaki all the time at ramen places. I found one place that had okonomiyaki but it closed down in the pandemic. Something I wish I could find but can't is Taiyaki

I've actually never been to a ramen place. Taiyaki would most likely only be at a bakery or at a festival of some kind.

This reminds me of when my ex used to say "Chinese? Japanese? Look at these!".
*Lifts shirt*

Giacomo_Hawkins posted...

takoyaki, okonomiyaki,

I'm going to try these someday also Gyudon and Okyakodon

I like very spicy foods, Japanese food tastes good but is mild as all hell. Chinese food on the other hand? Plenty of regions in China make spicy food and I love it.

Authentic Chinese > Japanese > American Chinese

But I like all three.

Chinese, because then I can use it as an opportunity to quote The Lost Boys.

At home in Japan I will prefer Japanese always because authentic Mainland Chinese food are becoming spicier and spicier over the years to the point that everything tastes exactly the same as Sichuan cuisine doesn't matter where you go.

When I'm living in North America I prefer Chinese because Japanese restaurants here are mostly just sushi and they taste nothing like the authentic sushi I have back in Japan.

Soon though, I will refuse go to any seafood restaurants here in Japan because of all the nuclear waste water we are dumping. Sorry world :(

Last_Soldier posted...

Soon though, I will refuse go to any Japanese seafood restaurants here in Japan because of all the nuclear waste water we are dumping. Sorry world :(

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02057-y

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adi5446

Last_Soldier posted...

Soon though, I will refuse go to any Japanese seafood restaurants here in Japan because of all the nuclear waste water we are dumping. Sorry world :(

Lol.
Reminds me to that story of fear mongering in china that Japan polluted their waters, but after some tests the sea waters around Fukushima are actually far lower radiations than average chinese household.

Chinese all day.

Last_Soldier posted...

Soon though, I will refuse go to any Japanese seafood restaurants here in Japan because of all the nuclear waste water we are dumping. Sorry world :(

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/0/8/AAPV5JAAENEc.jpg

Depends on the store type, menu, and location.

I definitely would not eat from certain places in China.

Lots of people talk about how great authentic Chinese food is but is there anything really anything good other than something slathered in Szechuan chili oil? The stuff is god-like but is there really any other variety? I'll eat me some American Chinese food anytime.

dioxxys posted...

Lots of people talk about how great authentic Chinese food is but is there anything really anything good other than something slathered and Szechuan chili oil? The stuff is god-like but is there really any other variety? I'll eat me some American Chinese food anytime.

I don't really know, but Chinese food in my country is Hokkien/Fujian oriented than Sichuan style. And they're more into sweet and sour taste, not spicy.

@YugiNoob laugh all you want but over here we have taken all of the sea food from Fukushima and nearby regions off our store shelf. Our own grocers are not convinced they are safe for consumption.

Last_Soldier posted...

@YugiNoob laugh all you want but over here we have taken all of the sea food from Fukushima and nearby regions off our store shelf. Our own grocers are not convinced they are safe for consumption.

Thank you, I believe I shall.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/3/6/AAPV5JAAE5Kw.jpg

I love Chinese, but Sushi is more of a treat for me. Sushi is pretty much the only seafood I like.

Japanese. Most Japanese places I been to have been great. Chinese places are harder to find quality.

I love both, but I prefer Japanese food

Japanese food is in my Top 5 cuisines, Chinese is in my Top 10.

Also, Im quite sure theres still plenty of regional Chinese food left for me to discover and fall in love with.

Enclave posted...

I like very spicy foods, Japanese food tastes good but is mild as all hell. Chinese food on the other hand? Plenty of regions in China make spicy food and I love it.

I feel the same way. I'm from southeast Texas so I'm used to spicy Cajun/Creole cuisine, Chinese food (especially Sichuan) fits the bill. Japanese food is good but I like a little more spice.

Last_Soldier posted...

@YugiNoob laugh all you want but over here we have taken all of the sea food from Fukushima and nearby regions off our store shelf. Our own grocers are not convinced they are safe for consumption.

Where in Japan are you living because I have never seen anything like this.

YellowSUV posted...

Chinese. Either authentic or American.

That is.... unless the Japanese Restaurant is this one....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5lz2CYNR4

My pref is Japanese < Chinese < Thai < Girugamesh

Notti posted...

Girugamesh

I'm think there's a Japanese food restaurant named after it.
The "mesh" is a pun of food/meal(meshi).

Ricemills posted...

I'm think there's a Japanese food restaurant named after it.
The "mesh" is a pun of food/meal(meshi).

Live and learn. I'd love to try some giruga / gilga.

Restaurant: Japanese
Take Out: Chinese