Most people find all other cuisines, except their native one, to be more tasty and interesting.
Such is the case also for Japanese cuisines.
"AUTHENTIC JAPANESE CUISINES", the huge painted signboard hangs over the entrance of a Japanese restaurant in town. The fonts on the signboard attempts to mimick the kanji language, having the english characters done in thick strokes twisting weirdly at certain ends.
So one will enter these restaurants, expecting Japanese food, or rather the common Japanese food, which most think is the everyday's native Japanese staple food.
Sushi, Bento, Ramen, Unagi, Ebi, etc.
But who gives it the authenticity?
Is it because the chef is a native Japanese person?
Or is the food prepared from ingredients imported from Japan?
Could it be because the chef has learnt it from a Japanese chef?
Funny how us locals refuse to eat our local food when we are in a foreign land.
No matter how authentic the "local" food in the foreign land might come close to the same standards and/or taste as the ones back home, we'd rather taste something else which is foreign to our taste palette.
So if that's the case, whom is the authenticity for?
Since the ones whom would know the difference would rather eat "local" food that needs no authentication.
Today is 1st August 2005
Time is 11.19am.
Everytime I enter a Japanese Restaurant, I'd ask for Japanese Tea and specifically inform the service staff not to give me green tea. And do you think they know any differences?
