I used chopsticks since I was little, and so in terms of dexterity, there really isn't much difference. I like to eat stuff like salad and noodles with chopsticks because it feels better. However, food that is squishy, like some slippery dumplings, a fork is better. I figure - use what is easier. If you feel better eating your spaghetti with ohashi, go for it, but you can also use a fork for Udon if you need to.
I haven't had very much experience with as of yet. I use them periodically.^_^
Well, I can't say I'm surprised that Chinese resaurants don't provide chopsticks. The goal of most chinese restaurants in america is not really to emulate the dining experience of China. Most of them exist because people like eating americanized Chinese food. Hence it would make sense that those restaurants that would not go out of their way to make the dining experience more chinese because that's not why most people come to those restaurants.
Well, I can't say I'm surprised that Chinese resaurants don't provide chopsticks.
Most Chinese restaurants DO provide chopsticks. I was referring to the few oddball ones around here that don't. It just so happens that those particular places also happen to have terrible food.
I know that most do, but it's not vital for Chinese restaurants to provide that service hence it is unsurprising that some don't. I'm guessing that the restaurants that skimp on details like the chopsticks probably skimp on food preparation as well which would explain the correlation between lack of chopsticks and bad food. But that's purely speculation and is not based on anything concrete.
As for authentic Chinese food, unless the restaurant presents you with the head and feet of the animal in the meal you are about to eat on top of the dish, it most likely isn't "authentic"...Also, even the Cafe Maya is not authentic Mexican food, any menu that has burritos on it (a Tex-Mex) creation isn't authentic Mexican food.
I have something of a problem with these statements. Authenticity of food has more to do with ingredients used and the style of preparation, as well as the type of food actually prepared. Your first statement about the traditional Chinese presentation is a little out there; I contend that even in most places in China, you wouldn't find someone that would actually serve you the head and feet of the animal you're eating. Does that make the food there somehow not "authentic?" What if a Chinese household that prepares an authentic dish decides, for whatever reason, to eschew the head and feet that night. Is it suddenly not authentic?
Additionally, though the Cafe Maya serves burritos (you are correct in calling them a Tex-Mex creation, but do remember that Tex-Mex INCLUDES Mexico; burritos are a staple food in northwestern Mexico and have been since their inception), it doesn't invalidate the rest of the menu's authenticity. The ingredients used are typical of authentic Mexican dishes, the dishes themselves are authentic Mexican creations, and the style of cooking is fairly authentic. If we really want to split hairs, authentic Mexican food would probably consist of tortillas and beans and very little else, since that's what a lot of Mexicans eat to this very day.
Aside from that, at what point is a dish no longer "authentic?" Norwegian cuisine includes a dish called gravlaks, which was traditionally prepared by wrapping a piece of salmon in bark and burying it for 2 - 3 weeks. Today, most people cure gravlaks in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days, and many put various spices or other seasonings in it to make it more palatable. Are these variations no longer authentic? What if a chef native to a region decides to create a new dish using the cooking techinques and style of his region; is that food not authentic either?
Essentially, I think you seem to be saying that "authentic" is synonymous with "traditional" or "old-fashioned," and that's not really the case. If that were the case, there are many parts of the world where preparing a dish in an "authentic" manner would be dangerous and illegal, even in the place where the dish originated.
EDIT: Yes, using chopsticks is pretentious. They're not easier to use than a fork or knife, and in most cases the fork or knife is far superior. However, they do provide a nice asthetic that nicely accompanies a good Asian meal.
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*it's late and I'm a wee drunk YAY!*
Additionally, though the Cafe Maya serves burritos (you are correct in calling them a Tex-Mex creation, but do remember that Tex-Mex INCLUDES Mexico; burritos are a staple food in northwestern Mexico and have been since their inception), it doesn't invalidate the rest of the menu's authenticity. The ingredients used are typical of authentic Mexican dishes, the dishes themselves are authentic Mexican creations, and the style of cooking is fairly authentic. If we really want to split hairs, authentic Mexican food would probably consist of tortillas and beans and very little else, since that's what a lot of Mexicans eat to this very day.
Aside from that, at what point is a dish no longer "authentic?" Norwegian cuisine includes a dish called gravlaks, which was traditionally prepared by wrapping a piece of salmon in bark and burying it for 2 - 3 weeks. Today, most people cure gravlaks in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days, and many put various spices or other seasonings in it to make it more palatable. Are these variations no longer authentic? What if a chef native to a region decides to create a new dish using the cooking techinques and style of his region; is that food not authentic either?
Essentially, I think you seem to be saying that "authentic" is synonymous with "traditional" or "old-fashioned," and that's not really the case. If that were the case, there are many parts of the world where preparing a dish in an "authentic" manner would be dangerous and illegal, even in the place where the dish originated.
EDIT: Yes, using chopsticks is pretentious. They're not easier to use than a fork or knife, and in most cases the fork or knife is far superior. However, they do provide a nice asthetic that nicely accompanies a good Asian meal.