There’s a thin line between a meal being amazing and memorable or it being the experience and setting of that meal which triggered the brain to make it more than what it really was. As a “foodie” who thrives on eating very authentic dishes of all types from across the globe, there’s something about remembering the smell, taste and atmosphere weeks after enjoying it. Was it highly recommended note that you received from a trusted source that made the anticipation so high that there was no what that it couldn’t be good or was it the atmosphere that made for a great night out which excused a less than perfect meal? Whenever I receive a recommendation or eat at some place new, I often over analyze the situation which is normal for a food snob but once you make that right assessment, you’ll never be disappointed. I love Korean dishes and especially Korean BBQ so when I visit the country, I try to get my fill in of the best in the city which is often times at the the cheap mom and pop restaurants in the neighborhood. The rule of thumb exists for all foods but when I return home and eat at comparable restaurants it always becomes this tug of war on is it good enough or authentic enough. Of course eating in the local spots where the food originates will always be about experience first versus at home where it’s about food first with a very thin line of it being an equal measure that go hand in hand.
Often times when returning home I have to cleanse my expectations before eating at certain restaurants to go in with an unbiased opinion and just enjoy the dish thats in front for what it is. People, places and things are what heighten experiences with no two ever being identical and the only way to prove that the food is as good as you thought it was is to eat there multiple times after your hype factor cools down and enjoy like a normal person would. Being a food snob is rough especially when analyzing things from the perspective of eating from a country of origin or hybrid of Americanization with Italian definitely topping the list with the biggest difference, but thats a topic for another day.