Generally, yes, but not the more exotic Cantonese food -- that's particularly true of seafood. And I agree that "Chinese American" qualifies as a cuisine -- it's just not a cuisine you'd ever find in China.

One other point: even authentically-prepared Chinese food in the US will taste slightly different than the real thing in China (where it's just called "food" ;) ). This is because of differences in available ingredients and, also, in methods of food handling and storage. Though Chinese methods are completely healthy (after all, they've been perfected over many thousands of years), not all of them comply with US health code requirements.

And one final note: When my wife first came here, she both amused and mystified that many, if not most, American Jews consider Chinese food a "traditional" celebratory Jewish meal. She understood why when I explained that, on major Christian holidays when most other restaurants are closed, Chinese restaurants were usually open for business.

http://www.thesearchforgeneraltso.com/

A interesting documentary on Chinese food in America, it is on Netflix.

Just out of curiosity, what's your source for this? I happen to like Hainan chicken, and have never met a single food person who suggested that it was not invented in Singapore/Malaysia (by immigrants from Hainan).

Just watched it. Very interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.

Its on my list - thanks for the suggestion.

That was the mistake - I didn't think there was chinese food west of DTLA...

There's lots of good regional chinese restaurants in San Gabriel/Monterey Park/Arcadia/Alhambra where it won't be anything like "standard chinese food".

It didn't take very long for us to find them. :)

There are also some good restaurants in Irvine, where there is a large Chinese community.

Many sources in HaiNan including some publications by either the SanYa city or HaiNan provincial governments. Not that it is the most-reliable source but Wikipedia states the same. The chicken is the base but the rice-accompanied dish as it's known is apparently what arose in SE Asia from the basic chicken dish (as I stated).

Not what the OP was asking about but...

http://www.theprovince.com/life/reci...784/story.html

And... for...completeness? Australian "Chinese" food is not only also not terribly authentic..it is also QUITE different to US "Chinese" food...:D

I studied Chinese history for my matriculation.... and our teacher arranged for one of the better local Chinese restaurants to serve us a range of authentic dishes....

As already mentioned food was (is?) very regional in China... seafood near the coast, lamb in some areas etc...

Most of the dishes were quite different to standard "Australian Chinese"...some weren't even terribly appealing (to our palates)... but it was a very interesting evening.

Americanized Chinese Food
 

Sysco or rather the New York and CA Chinatown versions of Sysco. While the cooking techniques are loosely rooted in actual Chinese culture, there is a menu of pre-made "American" sauces that these kitchens finish their dishes with. That is why the Sweet and Sour Chicken and the Broccoli Beef taste practically the same no matter which state you are in. Every one of these "takeout" restaurants order their sauces and spice mixes from one of the two suppliers. As customers expect their "Chinese" food to taste a certain way, that is the way most dishes are made. The exceptions obviously being the "hidden" menus or "hidden restaurants"

The same phenomenon is in Canada, where Chicken Balls (Canadian Version of sweet and sour chicken) is the same across the entire country except in the Chinese communities where the dish is non-existent. It's both sad and amusing when someone orders Chicken Balls and the same fried doughy lump shows up covered in day-glo crimson jello-sauce.

IMHO, Australian chinese food is a lot better than American chinese food.

I vaguely recall looking in a desk drawer in a Shenzhen hotel, only to find a list of foods that should never be paired together (so as to not disrupt the body's qi).

A waitress at a restaurant in China told me that my desired dinner combo for the night would not be entertained by the chef, for the same reason. Instead, I was served eggplant and peanut butter.

That, I can imagine in a French of maybe an Italian restaurant, but not a Chinese one...

my take is there probably is one, but it is probably in chinese.

the english language chinese cookery books rarely ever give correct instructions on techniques.

chinese cooking has many tricks that even the french do not know about.

baking soda soaked shrimp.

blanch and shock...meats

just these two as examples