Chinese food in China; not as good as expected

[Maciamo]

Here is some more to help for the comparison.

In Japan, one can buy semi-ready-made Chinese food in supermarkets, that we only need to put in a pan with an onion, cabbage or hakusai. This is the Chinese fast-food par excellence, obviously less good than in a restaurant in Japan. Well, I'd say that it still tastes better than most of the food I had in China.

Has anybody been to the famous dim sum restaurant in Shanghai's Yuyuan, called Nanxiang Mantou Dian ? They have a branch in Tokyo's Roppongi Hills too. I have been to both, and the Roppongi branch tasted better (and had better decoration).

I tried 3x Mabou doufu in China, and it was less good that those I usually eat in Japan. In fact, I have to say that the best Mabou doufu I have had is the one my wife cooks (NOT the ready-made one bought in boxes). She has experimented a bit, and uses a firmer kind of toufu, and makes a thicker, browner sauce. I can't compare with Europe or S-E Asia, as I have never seen Mabou doufu there.

Another thing that is usually better in Japan than China is the rice.

This thread could serve as a recommendation for Chinese restaurants in various countries. Here are a few notable Chinese restaurants where I have been in Japan. The Kiwa Group operates over 20 chains of Chinese restaurants (so hundreds of restaurants) in Japan. Among them, I have been to Wanjuji (万豚記) and Benitora (紅虎), both similar and specialising in Sichuan cuisine, especially tan-tan-men, gyoza and fried rice. That's one of the best chain of Chinese I know in Japan.

One chain I wouldn't recommend is Seiryumon (青龍門), which interestingly belongs to the same Soho Group as Nanxiang in Roppongi Hills (see above). Nevertheless, I do recommend Nanxiang, except that it is a bit overpriced.

Ginza Chuka Daiitchiro (銀座中華第一楼) is one of the Imperial Chinese I went to with my in-laws (for a birthday). It was expensive and nothing special. I guess that Imperial cuisine is always expensive because of the ingredients (shark's fin, bird's nest, abalone...), but it doesn't taste that great.

Here is an example of a typical small Chinese restaurant held by Chinese people in Tokyo : Fuu (虎). It's good, but not exceptional (my wife's Jajamen is much tastier ), and a bit overpriced, as is usual wit Chinese restaurants in Japan. At equal price, Japanese (e.g. tendon, omerice, tonkatsu, bento...) or Italian food is much better quality in Tokyo.

Well, many Chinese restaurants in Japan are small and don't have a website, so it's actually difficult to recommend these ones.　What I can say is that I usually don't like much the messy, hole-in-the-whole type of Japanese-Chinese that always have the same limited menu : Chuka-don Ebi-chili, Subuta, Chaahan, Gyoza...