FAQ: Why do I eat sushi/kimchi/tandouri/etc., in the US and not in Paris?

That’s an interesting question.

Just last week, I had what was close to the best pizza of my life in ………….. ah, here’s the hitch – Bologna. But I had another that was similarly mind-blowing in New York of all places last year.

So, part of the answer is that I’d much prefer to hold off eating "ethnic" food until I’m in the mother country.

But then, why do I eat sushi/kimchi/tandouri/etc., in the US?

Somehow, it seems that when in France (or Italy) one should eat French (or Italian) food, whereas in the US there is no real American cuisine (save hamburgers, cranberry jelly, catsup and ramps).

Is it a question of quality?

Yes and No.

My one Indian meal here was awful, but a Thai place around the corner from it was terrific until it changed owners. I always attributed that to their use of native (Thai) spices and herbs combined with French products, cooked by real Thai chefs.

I also used to have a sushi place whose clientele were largely Japanese expats but it too changed ownership and direction, so “Sayonara.”

It’s puzzling that Chinese/Asian take-out places all have the same offerings as if from a central kitchen rather than a couple of woks in back with which to prepare stuff on order; can it be that difficult?

And to complicate matters, two of my top places in Paris in 2011 as we face the end of the year tallies are Sola and Kei which if you walked into them in Kyoto, you’d swear were just Nouvelle Japanese.

Comments

[Alec Lobrano]

"No real American cuisine"????! What about New Orleans, Charleston, other regional kitchens and the whole glorious battery of James Beard, to say nothing of Dan Barber, David Chu and thousands of other incredibly talented young Americans chefs?

[John Talbott]

French, African and Scandanavian or other imports/influences. I never said chefs weren't "incredibibly talented."