I like this point from an interview with Jennifer 8. Lee:
In one chapter you describe your attempts to find the greatest Chinese restaurant in the world. Why do you think so many people you spoke to expected it to be a hole-in-the-wall place or a dive? There are certain kinds of food where authenticity seems to imply dive-ness. For example, if I told you the best barbecue is this four-star restaurant on Wall Street, with white tablecloths and fine crystal, you'd be like, Huh? There's something about those kinds of food that [makes us] associate their authenticity with the idea that they're not upscale.
