The difference between "real" chinese food and "canadian" chinese food is quite small, if any (for the most part). In my experience, the people who like to iterate that it's such a huge difference are just pretentious people imo.

Originally Posted by Chris98

The difference between "real" chinese food and "canadian" chinese food is quite small, if any (for the most part). In my experience, the people who like to iterate that it's such a huge difference are just pretentious people imo.

have you ever been to China?

Dogs, cats, and other domestic animals are always the specialty they leave off the menus.

Originally Posted by Eternal Fire

have you ever been to China?

I was born in Hong Kong. Lived there 7 years, China 3 years, and half of my friends here in Canada are Asian...

Aside from places like Mandarin or some cheap chinese restaurant place, the vast majority are pretty on par (if not, actually surpasses) with the "true" authentic chinese places. Let me put it this way, if you blindfolded a regular chinese-food eater and had him eat food from the "good" and "bad" place, that person would have a hell of a hard time telling which from which.

Sidebar: I'd like to take his opportunity to discuss a bit about Sushi. Over the last decade, sushi has become the "it" place to eat. It's now very popular (VERY) and trendy, yet it still conveys a unique type of experience (and I hate to say this again, but also pretentious). My mother has worked at a sushi restaurant for many years, and my best friend's older sister is the co-owner of a small family run sushi place. Time and time again I hear people say that the mainstream sushi places here (ie august 8, sapporo) just don't compare to the more "real" sushi places. Imo, this is just alot of hearsay which people like to keep saying because it makes them seem more informed about the oh so trendy sushi. What they don't realize is that often the "authentic" sushi places are largely lesser quality then the popular AYCE places because their profit margins are much smaller that they must skimp now and then to cover the difference.

Moral: Use your own true independant judgement before having others leech their "knowledge" into your brain.

Originally Posted by Chris98

The difference between "real" chinese food and "canadian" chinese food is quite small, if any (for the most part). In my experience, the people who like to iterate that it's such a huge difference are just pretentious people imo.

Hey, you may not like preserved eggs, chicken feet, tripe, and turnip cakes (and hell, I only like half of those things), but some people do ]:

And I would prefer not having to go to sketchy places in downtown Hamilton just to get them.

Originally Posted by Chris98

I was born in Hong Kong. Lived there 7 years, China 3 years, and half of my friends here in Canada are Asian...

Aside from places like Mandarin or some cheap chinese restaurant place, the vast majority are pretty on par (if not, actually surpasses) with the "true" authentic chinese places. Let me put it this way, if you blindfolded a regular chinese-food eater and had him eat food from the "good" and "bad" place, that person would have a hell of a hard time telling which from which.

Sidebar: I'd like to take his opportunity to discuss a bit about Sushi. Over the last decade, sushi has become the "it" place to eat. It's now very popular (VERY) and trendy, yet it still conveys a unique type of experience (and I hate to say this again, but also pretentious). My mother has worked at a sushi restaurant for many years, and my best friend's older sister is the co-owner of a small family run sushi place. Time and time again I hear people say that the mainstream sushi places here (ie august 8, sapporo) just don't compare to the more "real" sushi places. Imo, this is just alot of hearsay which people like to keep saying because it makes them seem more informed about the oh so trendy sushi. What they don't realize is that often the "authentic" sushi places are largely lesser quality then the popular AYCE places because their profit margins are much smaller that they must skimp now and then to cover the difference.

Moral: Use your own true independant judgement before having others leech their "knowledge" into your brain.

You do have a point. Though I think people might be trying to say something like the Chinese food you could get from Commons is obviously nothing compared to the Chinese food you could get at an actual Chinese restaurant. Or at least that's what I'm saying.

Originally Posted by JEFF_CHAN

Hey, you may not like preserved eggs, chicken feet, tripe, and turnip cakes (and hell, I only like half of those things), but some people do ]:

And I would prefer not having to go to sketchy places in downtown Hamilton just to get them.

I hate chicken feet. My friends swears by them though. Meh.

Also adding:

The original topic was for recommendations. Even if you find the taste is similar for stuff that crosses over, you can't deny that 'Canadianized' places excludes a lot of specialty stuff.

e.g. I don't mind orange chicken. But if the TC is going to places other than the 3 immediately around campus, Id recommend other stuff.

its hard to find authetnic jap sushi places... most of em are run by chinese people (management wise at least)

Fried bananas with vanilla ice cream is always a classic for me; General Tso's chicken and hot and sour soup are also pretty good.

Originally Posted by Chris98

I hate chicken feet. My friends swears by them though. Meh.

Chicken feet aren't bad at all. Thousand-year eggs, though...can't stand those

Gong bao chicken. It's epic.

I also recommend the place Rough River downtown. It's pretty much all spicy (sichuan food) and epic. Get the green bean dish if you go there. Omnomnom.

I usually get egg rolls, chicken fried rice, General Tso/Tao/Chow chicken, chicken balls and maybe beef with vegetables. Depending on the place, the quality of the beef can vary. I generally don't order anything that I can't figure out from the name.

hmm I usually order singapore fried rice noodle (Cause its spicy~) and the usual chicken friend rice. Softshell crab is pretty good too.

Well what I love is the special fried rice and stir fried honey chicken with sesame seeds...now i don't know if you get that in Mac or in Canada 'cause I eat that in South East Asia where I've lived for the majority in my life but if you do get anything close to it then go for it, it's the best!!! ;D