The Chinese food in Japan is made for the Japanese palet (taste) and also the Japanese take great pride in thier food prep. but in Canada, as you notice it’s not so.... but IF you think about the price you pay in Japan for Chinese food and the price you pay here, I think you can understand the reason why the put "FILLERS" like carrots and celery. IF you want REAL GOOD Chinese food you have to go to Hong Kong..... Cheap and good. In Canada..... well there are few places, but I don’t know IF they have that dish you are taling about, but FLAMINOGS on Cambie, and KIRIN on Cambie are pretty good.
Japan does have the BEST FOOD in the world. Even Fast Foos is good. EG MOSS BURG.
I remember seeing this ad from Aoki’s Pizza many years ago... the pizza name was ’The Canadian’ - it had cheddar cheese back bacon and mayonnaise. How many Canadians put mayonnaise on their pizza here?
Or I love that spaghetti with たらこ and のり that is labeled as Italian?
Chinese food in Japan is ’Japanese Chinese’ food and Italian food in Japan is ’Japanese Italian’ food - in other words not the same Chinese food found in China or the Italian food found in Italy. Nor is the Chinese food found in Vancouver.
I personally prefer the cheap stir fried noodles and rice found in the food courts - but I do miss the Ramen in Japan (I don’t mean Japanese style Ramen - Chinese ramen shops). The best actually is Chinese owned and operated Chinese resteraunts in Japan (from my experiences).
But I agree - if you want Chinese food the way you like - you will have to make it yourself.
Has anybody had Goo’s お好み焼き? It was not good at all. Somethings are just better in Japan - even if Japanese here have made them I guess.
Oh and if you go to a Chinese buffet - don’t let them fill your glass every minute with water - they are trying to fill you up.