The Second Menu

Fascinating article in Chicago Tribune (Aug. 2, 2012) regarding the habit of many Asian restaurants to have two menus. One for gwai lo (cantonese slang for foreigners) customers and a second menu for Asians. This is due to the belief that Americans are not ready for true Asian cooking. The author suggests that this practice is as George W. Bush put it " the soft bigotry of low expectations". I run into these low expectations repeatedly when I try to order hot and spicy Chinese (Szechuan) or Indian (Vindaloo) food. I usually receive a small bowl of hot sauce alongside of my meal. You may be able to add salt after a meal is cooked but adding hot sauce to Szechuan Beef does not make it Szechuan Beef. Serving Americanized versions of Asian food becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and ensures that dishes like crab rangoon will haunt us forever.