Chicken Namban And Authenticity

I eat Chicken Namban from the Japanese chain restuarant Hokka Hokka Tei about twice a week. Chicken Namban is a Japanese South dish consisting of deep fried battered chicken breast with a type of tartar sauce - high on mayo, low on relish - with a 2nd sweet and sour sauce hidden neath the mayo sauce. The 2 sauce combination unleased by the Namban is much greater than the sum of its admittedly meager parts. Just sit down, strap in and enjoy the ride. Chicken Namban is my addiction; my cross to bear.





Query: Is Chicken Namban from a Take Out Linch Box shop like Hokka Tei necessarily inferior to Chicken Namban cooked at a authentic Miyazaki-ken (Ch.N.'s Japanese Home) restuarant. Are the origins of a food relevant apart from how they do, case by case, affect taste?





Or to Americanize the question: Is a Big Mac necessarily bad because its cooked at McDonalds?



This is a question of high versus low cuisine.




Let's say HHTei's version of ChN would be judged a fine tasting example of that dish in a blind taste test. Would we then take-off points because of its mass produced origins?


Helpful Equation


The tastiness of DishX as judged by Agent A in a blind taste test minus - the tastiness of DishX as judged by AgentA in a non-blind taste test equals = the degree to which AgentA is food snobby.



Food snobbiness is determined by pleasure that varies based on origin. Just as we should not judge a manneth based on the color of his skin, nor should we base a judgement on food on anything outside of taste. Unless, of course, you are fine with being a snob. Though I would shudder to think who would be fine with such a term.




Now, I am not saying a Big Mac tastes good. But I am saying its origins should have nothing to do with that judgement. McRibwiches and HHT's Ch. Namban are two such dishes who defy their humble origins.



That said, one only has an infinite span of time on this planet, and therefore, must use stereotypes and judgements based on origins to choose his or her meals. So, we must be biased at times. Nevertheless, we should never equivicate origins with taste, nor pass off prejeudice as knowledge.





For Shame.