Danny ChaiSo a pet peeve. I’m super not into “authenticity”. I mean as it regards to food and whatever. I could care less. So don’t tell me, oh, this food *actually* came from wherever. You can play that game forever. Pasta *actually* came to Italy from China. Tomatoes *actually* came from the New World. So like spaghetti in marinara isn’t *really* from Italy? Ridiculous. I could care less where it came from, I just care what it’s like now.
And like there are endless arguments on ba.food about how there are no “authentic” Mexican restaurants anywhere in the Bay Area. Or no “authentic” Italian restaurants. Cry me a river. Who cares about authentic? I just care about good. Authentic is important only as it relates to good. But on its own, I care less. So like how this place in Sunnyvale, Il Postale, calls themselves an Italian-American restaurant. That’s cool, almost saying that being “true” Italian doesn’t matter. I like that. Not enough to have actually gone there, but I applaud the sign.
What I don’t like is mixing terms though. Is that inconsistent? Maybe, I dunno. Not talking about fusion food. I’m fine with that, even if it’s a little overdone. I mean like terms. Worst example: PF Chang’s China Bistro. China Bistro? What does that mean? Anger. I dunno, maybe I’m overreacting. I just have a lot against PF Chang’s. You know what PF stands for right? Paul Fleming. The owner. I think Chang is just a consultant or something. Bruce – I know you like to be called that – you must stop teaching our secrets to the enemy!