Is the World Suffering from Overcomplication?
Definitely. It’s time to speak out.
“What’s the best food you’ve ever had? And by the “best,” I mean dishes you never want to end?”
When you ask this question to people around you, don’t be surprised to hear the same answer. “Authentic local dishes.”
For instance, you can always wake me up for Hakata ramen noodles, Din Tai Fung soup dumplings (xiao long bao), or Ladurée macarons (particularly the salted caramel flavor).
It seems timeless wisdom, but the best dishes are the simple ones. Prepared with fresh and local ingredients. Perfectly seasoned. Decently priced. And eaten in a straightforward, local setting.
A quote from the travel and food documentary, Somebody Feeds Phil, says it all: “One of the most delicious things in the world is one dollar.”
The show was referring to khao soi, a crispy fried egg noodles drenched in coconut curry dish from Northern Thailand.
In contrast, the food experience at high-end, fine-dining restaurants is often overpriced and disappointing. Ironically, chefs tend to overdesign the menu to heighten guest expectations and justify the exorbitant prices. They ignore that the best things in life aren’t complicated. We seem to have a craving for simplicity.
