Chinese Near Me

As one of America’s favorite ethnic cuisines, Chinese food is a staple in the modern american diet and one of the biggest generators of take out revenue in the US. With cost effective options such as Chinese buffets and restaurants with quick delivery, it’s no wonder that American’s have had a love affair with this cuisine since the days of the California gold rush.

Are you interested in finding Chinese in your area? Simply browse Chinese near me on the map below and find a list of Chinese restaurants within a few miles of your location. Need a bit more information on this cuisine? Read on for facts, trivia, and statistics on Chinese food in the US!

Chinese Near Me – Find it on the Map

Chinese Near Me – Chinese Trivia

True or false: Chinese food is centered on five key flavors.

True! While searching for Chinese near me, consider that traditional and Americanized Chinese center around the concept of offering five key flavors to hungry diners. The five key flavors utilized in Chinese food? Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. According to traditional Chinese medicine, all Chinese food must be prepared and kept within a balance of these five flavors. This might explain why many Chinese restaurants in the US tend to offer the same rotation of Chinese dishes all based around titles such as “Sweet and Sour” or “Spicy.”

While Chinese food is often plated nicely in the US, it lacks the presentation and detail that traditional Chinese meals boast.

What state did Chinese food begin in?

When it comes to American Chinese, California is credited with fostering the roots of this cuisine in the US. The foundations of what the typical American would recognize as Chinese food were first lad in the mid-1800s. It was during this type that a huge number of Chinese immigrants flooded the shores of California in hopes of making money off of the all too alluring Gold Rush. These immigrants mostly came from the Canton region of China, which is today known as Guangzhou. These newcomers had difficulty in finding work at first and many ended up in the foodservice industry. This eventually lead to a great deal of immigrants starting their own Chinese restaurants. Thanks to railroad expansion, immigrants soon weren’t limited to California and began settling elsewhere in the United States. This resulted in a number of Chinatown’s throughout the US.

True or false: General Tso was a real person.

If you’re searching Chinese near me, then you’ve likely either eaten General Tso’s chicken or have at least heard of the dish. What you may not know is that General Tso was actually a real person! His name in Chinese was Zuo Zongtang and he was a military man during the Qing dynasty. Zuo Zongtang (or Tso) was so impressive that he managed to quell the enormous Dungan revolt that occurred in China during the 1800s. There’s no real word on if he actually ever prepared a chicken dish after his name sake or if the dish was created in tribute to his actions. While we’re on the topic of history, you may be surprised to know that sweet and sour sauce isn’t even Chinese. Though they do claim to have a less potent more vinegary version in the Hunan province, what we know as sweet and sour sauce is a truly American invention.

Chinese Near Me – Chinese Facts

Chinese Americanization

In searching Chinese near me, it’s important to understand that what citizens of the United States consider Chinese food, isn’t actual traditional Chinese at all. In fact, many of the dishes that American’s know and love, were invented stateside. For example, Chop Suey is pretty much entirely an American invention. This popular dish was first created in California early on in the advent of Chinese in America. Chop Suey actually translates to “odds and ends.” The dish was initially just a bunch of foods thrown together in a flash. Weirdly enough, it ended up being a favorite amongst most Americans.

Real Chinese Food Never Wastes

While it’s not uncommon for an American to throw away bits or pieces of food that are deemed as less than suitable for consumption, the Chinese never waste food. In China it is not strange for every part of an animal or fish to be consumed, even with head and bones intact. When bones are soft enough to chew up, they will often be de-mouthed (spat out) onto a side plate. In China, it is widely believed that the meat near the bones is the best and that marrow is full of nutritional value. Because of this bone broth is very popular and bones are often left in dishes.

Chinese Food Presentation

If you’re searching Chinese near me in America, then you’re likely not overly concerned or even used to having your food presented to you in an overwhelming elaborate way. In fact, in the Us, most Chinese is served in simple take out containers on on blank white plants. In China, the presentation is almost as important as the dish itself. Many Chinese chefs, especially Jiangsu experts will often to to great lengths to create a presentation that is almost art. They believe that the first bite of every meal is taken with the eyes. Because of this, it is highly important that dishes be served in precise patterns that mimic lifelike shapes. They often brighten these patterns by including intricate vegetable carvings and decorative herbs as garnish.