There's also the question of authentic/traditional to which part of china, in particular in cases where dishes with the same name aren't made the same. But beyond that, just because there's a dish on the menu one recognizes from their homeland doesn't mean it's prepared the same.

Yes, and we tested this as well by letting him order some of them. He said that they were like the food he would get at home.

One other amusing bit, I had to stop him before he shoved an entire fortune cookie in his mouth and ate the paper. Those are 100% American.