# Restaurant authenticity clues **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276 "2019-08-06T23:19:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/61 "2019-08-08T14:19:21Z")
Most of my recent experience is in Oaxaca, which kind of has its own culinary traditions. So extremely rare was a bit of an exaggeration. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/62 "2019-08-08T14:29:02Z")
> [@Toledo\_Jim](#): > > My clue is if there are people of that ethnicity, as customers, give it a try. If there are no Japanese in a Japanese resturant, it’s likely not that good. Or that ethnic. Sometimes. However, it also turns out a lot of people, of any ethnicity, are cheap, and many immigrants tend to be poor and stay around people who look like them, which explains why the Chinese buffets, which are generally complete shit, are always packed with Asians; they offer familiar-looking food and at least the _illusion_ of value. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/63 "2019-08-08T14:38:53Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > The serving or not of chips and salsa isn’t really indicative of Mexican authenticity, as I’ve been to restaurants (mostly non-tourist restaurants) in Mexico that do, indeed, bring you _totopos y salsas_ to your table. It’s nowhere close to universal, but it’s not extremely rare, either. > > (For reference, I lived in Mexico nearly five years cumulatively one three separate occasions, and I’ve car-tripped extensively, covering nearly everything between Sonora and Quintana Roo.) > > I’m usually down on Mexican food in the United States, because while it can be tasty, it’s usually not what I’m looking for when I’m in the mood for guacamaya. If there’s a guacamaya on the menu (the torta, not the bird), then it’s probably a good Mexican restaurant, but the lack of a guacamaya doesn’t disqualify it, because it may simply be a _different type_ of Mexican restaurant. The same for tamales, etc. > > If the Mexican restaurant is in a popular tourist spot, say, Old Town San Diego or near Vernor Hwy and I-75, it’s probably going to to have “wet burritos” on the menu and most things will be covered with yellow cheese. If everything comes with beans and rice, it’s probably not authentic (I’ve literally, never, ever ordered a _plato_ in Mexico that came with both beans and rice, except in the airport restaurant at BJX). > > If the name of the place is “Taqueria Place-Name” and you go inside and have to stand at a counter and all they have is tacos plus maybe a couple of other things, and a fountain with aguas frescas, then it’s probably going to be an awesome taco place. Restaurants that don’t specialize in tacos tend not to have very good tacos. That’s pretty much what I was getting at; Mexico is a big and diverse place, and there’s a lot of overlap in border states as well, so there are a lot of dishes that can be described as authentically Mexican that only have the vaguest of common threads between them. And beyond that, if Mexicans invent a dish in the Mexican style somewhere else, is it not Mexican as well, even if it’s also a dish from wherever they are? But I would say that if I go to a taqueria and they serve me lime quarters, chopped onion and cilantro as my garnish, that’s usually a sign of a place that’s catering mostly to Mexican people and not anglos. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/64 "2019-08-08T14:45:22Z")
Here in Tucson authentic Mexican is likely to be Sonoran, which tends towards savory over spicy. So guests try it and come back complaining that it’s not spicy. Well, no. You wanted local Mexican. A local Chinese restaurant is a mix of authentic- they have a menu with dishes only in Chinese and I know from what my brother has said, who has asked and ordered from it, parts of animals not normally served here, for example - and really not. They have chop suey on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/65 "2019-08-08T15:13:21Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > A local Chinese restaurant is a mix of authentic- they have a menu with dishes only in Chinese and I know from what my brother has said, who has asked and ordered from it, parts of animals not normally served here, for example. An authentic Chinese dim sum place will have chicken feet as one of the items. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/66 "2019-08-08T15:20:18Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Mexican - if they DON’T put out a basket of chips and salsa when you sit down. That’s not really fair. A lot of places are fully aware of American expectations even if the owners are first generation immigrants. And if you don’t do that, the customers are gonna feel cheated. Might as well complain if give free drink refills. That is almost uniquely American too. I mean, maybe an authentic _experience_, but I think that has nothing to do with the food’s authenticity. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/67 "2019-08-08T15:43:30Z")
For me the #1 indicator that I’m in for a good, authentic meal is the clientele. IThe good taquerias here are usually full of immigrant Mexican farm workers. The better Chinese restaurants are usually full of Asian families (for Szechuan, full of Mainland Chinese students from the local universities.). The best Indian restaurant here (Cleveland) is almost always populated by Indian university students, professors, and families. It’s even nicknamed the Indian Student Union Bldg. The best Shawarma joint is jammed packed with Muslim families for iftar or during Eid al-fitir. And so on and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/68 "2019-08-08T16:52:12Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > This is very rare in Mexico. No, it’s not- at least in the border areas. In Mexico city, etc, they serve a different cuisine than the border. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/69 "2019-08-08T16:53:49Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > Most of my recent experience is in Oaxaca, which kind of has its own culinary traditions. So extremely rare was a bit of an exaggeration. Yes, there are several Mexican cuisines. The one us Americans are familiar with, and call “Mexican” is from the border areas. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/70 "2019-08-08T18:17:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, there are several Mexican cuisines. The one us Americans are familiar with, and call “Mexican” is from the border areas. same with Indian food. the usual stuff we’re familiar with (palak paneer, chana masala, tandoori chicken) is from a few northern parts of India. Lately in my area there have been a lot of _South_ Indian restaurants opening up with things like dosas, idli, Gobi 65, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/71 "2019-08-08T19:08:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, there are several Mexican cuisines. The one us Americans are familiar with, and call “Mexican” is from the border areas. Mexico has such a wide array of cuisines that having Sonoran/Border as the default borders (heh!) on the criminal. At least for most of the US. Some of us live in areas blessed by restaurants from every corner of Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/72 "2019-08-08T20:07:39Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > same with Indian food. the usual stuff we’re familiar with (palak paneer, chana masala, tandoori chicken) is from a few northern parts of India. Lately in my area there have been a lot of _South_ Indian restaurants opening up with things like dosas, idli, Gobi 65, and so on. Just seeing the dosa is making my mouth water. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/73 "2019-08-08T23:55:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, there are several Mexican cuisines. The one us Americans are familiar with, and call “Mexican” is from the border areas. Here in Chicago, most Mexican immigrants are from much further south. Jalisco, Guerrero, Oaxaca and, especially, Michoacan are well represented. I work with a guy from Veracruz and know a other family from Yucatan/QR. Closer to the border, Mexicans do seem to be from more northern areas. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/74 "2019-08-09T00:46:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Actually, I would also allow divided plates. That way the [best BBQ place in the country](http://www.bridgesbbq.com/) gets the **Silenus Authentic Star of Approval**. But butcher paper is standard at the best places in Texas. In North Carolina BBQ on a regular plate isn’t uncommon at all. Same at Ridgewood in TN. ---
**Author:** ![slatsg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@slatsg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slatsg)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/75 "2019-08-09T01:59:37Z")
Quote: \*In Blue Highways, William Least Heat-moon road trips off the beaten track and rates cafes based on how many calenders they have on the walls. The more they have the more of a home cooked family restaurant it is likely to be. \* I really enjoyed _Blue Highways_ but I avoid any restaurant that announces “home-cooked” food. If I wanted home-cooked food I would eat at **home**. Furthermore, based on my observations, any restaurant with the word “family” in the name will not have very good food. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/76 "2019-08-09T02:39:58Z")
There is a great Mexican restaurant a few minutes from my house that opened a year or two ago. Family run all first or second generation. There were two types of reviews they got when they opened… “Wonderful authentic food”, and “they charge $2 for chips and salsa… I’ll never come back.” After a month or two they started giving out free chips and salsa to appease the mid westerners. Now they get almost all 5 star reviews. I don’t think the chips policy changed the authenticity. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/77 "2019-08-09T07:08:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > An authentic Chinese dim sum place will have chicken feet as one of the items. I think what he tried was beef tendon. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/78 "2019-08-09T09:42:52Z")
> [@slatsg](#): > > Quote: > \*In Blue Highways, William Least Heat-moon road trips off the beaten track and rates cafes based on how many calenders they have on the walls. The more they have the more of a home cooked family restaurant it is likely to be. > \* > > I really enjoyed _Blue Highways_ but I avoid any restaurant that announces “home-cooked” food. If I wanted home-cooked food I would eat at **home**. > > Furthermore, based on my observations, any restaurant with the word “family” in the name will not have very good food. > > YMMV. 's why I chuckle at people who sneer about things and gloat about how they’d rather go to any “mom & pop diner” over other places. I’m like, “why, so you can sample the finest wares off of a Sysco truck?” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/79 "2019-08-09T13:51:07Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > If a Mexican joint doesn’t have a painting and/or statue of [Popocatépetl & Iztaccíhuatl](https://www.lataco.com/wp-content/uploads/helguera-popo-volcano.jpg), is it even a Mexican restaurant? Are those her panties at her ankles? Just curious… ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276/80 "2019-08-09T15:25:34Z")
Best Chinese food I ever had was in 1994 at a place in San Jose, CA. The only English on the storefront was the phrase “Chinese Food Restaurant”. Everything else was in presumably Chinese writing. Inside, 90% of the clientele was Asian. Food was fantastic and they did take out too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-authenticity-clues/838276.md?page=5)