Amazing number of stereotypes thrown around in this thread, most of them pretty biased. Not all Americans like "sweet" food and some of us even know the difference between PF Changs and authentic Asian cuisines. Heck, we can even tell the difference between the different Asian cuisines!
Neither bread nor pad thai needs to be noticeably sweet. When I make pad thai, I tend use more sour than sweet in the sauce. I'm sure balsamic vinegar isn't authentic, but we think it goes well with it because we prefer the sour/tart taste to sweet with fresh vegetables.
Best place I've found in the U.S. for Thai food is in Delray (sp?), Virginia, just outside DC. Enough garlic in that stuff to keep the vampires away for a year.
