Reply to Why is there so much premium on western/european food?

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Reply to "Why is there so much premium on western/european food?"

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[quote=Anonymous]I don't think this is about the particular cuisine.

Everyone has their own palette. But generally, you can eat very well at a reasonable cost in France, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Croatia, and other European countries.

Any you can eat extraordinarily well at reasonable cost in China, Thailand, India, and even Japan. Not to mention Peru, Mexico, and Brazil.

But the restaurant situation in the DMV has been mediocre for a while. Far too often, restaurants try to cater to "American" tastes. So much Chinese and Italian food here is basically market tested schlep that would never fly in Shanghai or Milan. And you can't fault the restaurants for that historically. It's immigrants trying to make a living. And dishes are adjusted accordingly.

The real problem is the cost of real estate. You might have the greatest Korean chef in the world. But they are not cooking on K street. They are in Annandale. And the food might be great, but it won't be a luxurious experience because the owner invests nothing in decor or staff and all the other things that make a dining experience special.

It's a two way street. The old timey Italian and French restaurants have an advantage bc they've been here longer. They have better real estate situations. And they have the generation that grew up with Jacques Pepin and Julia Child. And later Giada and Gordon Ramsey.

So it's a weird situation. For good food, you head to the exurbs. For a dining experience, you go downtown.

Perhaps one day, they will intertwine. Just a good bistro. Or a takoyaki place. Or thali. Simply good affordable food in a warm, comfortable, welcoming place.

Seems like a big ask these days[/quote]

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