Re: [tlug] [OT] French cuisine

[Josh Glover <jmglov@example.com>]

2012/5/31 Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>:

> [A Chinese restaurant in Melbourne] have an English menu and a separate Chinese menu.
> [The prices] on the Chinese menu were lower.
[...]
> "Good" to hear that this sort of thing happens everywhere...  :-(

I actually consider this a feature, not a bug. I feel that if you've
taken the time to learn a foreign language, you have presumably soaked
up at least some of the culture as well. Therefore, in my mind, you
are entitled to more authentic food at lower prices. Think of it this
way: if you order yakiniku in Japan, you get raw beef that you grill
yourself, probably for 800 or so yen at lunchtime. In Stockholm, you
get a weird bowl of pre-cooked yakiniku-style beef, swimming in
teriyaki-style sauce, and usually pay 80 crowns (almost 900 yen) for
the "privilege".

As a Japanese speaker, I would love to be able to get more authentic
yakiniku, pre-grilled but lacking the disgusting sauce (ideally with
real yakiniku dipping sauces on the side), and it would be fantastic
if I only paid 75 crowns as a reward for knowing my ass from my elbow,
culinarily speaking. ;)

I would not begrudge a Thai speaker, native or otherwise, the same
privilege at one of Stockholm's many "Thai" restaurants. (Well, at
least they tend to be Thai-owned and operated, unlike the Chinese-run
"Japanese" places.)

Cheers,
Josh