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I also strongly disagree with you Ed that authenticity doesn't have anything to do with hipness. Look at italian food...For years...its been spaghetti and meatballs, and it was a time when italian food wasn't particualry hip as in "haute" upper class refined cuisine. (Although in large part thats b/c historically unlike in china, italy didn't have the concept of refined "royal" cuisine)

Now that italian cuisine has become part of hip style cuisine, there s a trend to disscoicate the cuisine with its americanized style. These days it seems people are so worried about whehter or not they're eating their pasta al dente b/c its how the italians do it, not because they may or may not prefer al dente pasta. And there are more examples.

People like hte idea of eating something that is not only foreign and authentic, but also really enjoyable.

lets not forget though....in terms of overall burger....regardless of stytle...the best burger in CA is supposed to be FATHERS OFFICE.

I've never been....how is fathers office burger?

Regardless of how you feel towards these two cuisines...chinese and french have always been considered classically the two greatest, most influential cuisine in teh world.

Chinese cuisine has been "hip", particularly in the asian countires so greatly influenced by it. In america, i simply attribute the lack of hte great, grand chinese restaurants that exist in other countires, simply because the fact is the chinese restaurant fad was at its peak in the eighties...

But i suspect thats all going to change.I really bleieve.. as even ruth reichel says, grand chinese cuisine is going to be making a big impact in the american dining scene

i for one am suprised by the ignorance of the majority of comments posted here. Jeffrey Steingarten writes about chicken sashimi in one of his articles in his books-

the fact that the chicken could be eaten raw only speaks very highly of the chef and his products, and the fact that he isn't using the industrial salmonella ridden chicken. Remember trichinosis in pigs, which is no longer such a big deal, was the result of extremely dirty and poor rearing processes especialy in diet.

as for those who are turned off by raw chicken- i'm sure it isn't an "alternative" to chicken fully cooked, as rare steak is eaten to well done, but a dish in itself. Just realize that it is possible to eat rare chicken that isn't contaminated with salmonella, and that our food preferences change over the years for the better. Ie rare steak to well done.

Bourdain worship is certainly frowned up...worship of anybody is. But the fact remains that Richman's 'review" was more of a personal attack against Bourdain, probably because of the golden clogs. Criticism of hte food is certainly fair, but the restaurant doesn't seem to pretend to be somthing that it isn't. The snarky and vicious tone certainly suggests that Richman wasn't really talking about the food...

The Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills has one of the best if not the best burger in LA. Yes I know it is pricey and the shoe string fries are extra but if you are looking for a burger that is made to be eaten rare (black and blue) then this is the place.

We used to say that if you wanted to enjoy a serious case of indigestion, go to Tommy's. A must before or after any home Dodger game. But beware the after effects. When I visit now from the Northeast anywhere in California now it seems, I hit In n' Out. I have always found their ingredients fresh, the hamburgers cooked to a slightly crispy outer layer and tender inside, second the vote on the toasted buns, and real vegetables unlike other places cited in this review. The shakes are excellent and the fries so-so. I think the fries have a good, honest beginning in the potato but not a good finish in the frying.

chaevans: Americans may have the most diverse set of restaurants to choose from, but how much of what is offered is actually un-Americanized fare from the original cuisine? You may have restaurants representing 500 different cuisines from around the world in one place. But if they all use ketchup and cheese to make their offerings approachable to the American palate, then how much diversity is there truly? As an example, how many Chinese restaurants have you gone to in America that serve whole, steamed fish? The Chinese revere fresh fish, simply steamed as one of the greatest expressions of culinary finesse. But the average American diner would run out the door if he had to deal with a fish head gaping at him. Ditto a suckling pig head.

"American's adventurous eaters?"

That's an elitist attitude. People said the same thing when sushi started making its presence in the 80s and now look at that. I've lived in many countries in my life and Americans by far have the most diverse set of restaurants to choose from.

The downscale aspect of Chinese restaurants is due to the restaurants not the ingrained beliefs of the eaters. If a transplant from China could get funding and open a high end Chinese restaurant in the Time Warner building and actually made some high quality food it would do unbelievably well. I personally have given up on Chinese food in this city (along with Mexican).

I have to agree with Cathy (Comment #2) and this is because of very direct knowledge of the different menus in Chinese restaurants. My father married a wonderful woman from China almost twelve years ago and her family owns several well known Chinese restaurants in various suburbs around Chicago. When I visit them, I always sit at the "family table" (the big round table in most mid-grade Chinese restaurants that seems to always be reserved) and eat what is prepared for the cooks and family. It is outstanding, authentic and definitely NOT on the American menu with the meal typically consisting of whole fish that is roasted or fried in a wok, incredible vegetables, dumplings, and broths along with all the seasoning sauces made from scratch from peppers you would never see on the American menu.

When I tell my dad's wife's family that if they would serve what they serve at the family table and they could not only charge more for it but would make their restaurants stand out in the sea of take out places around Chicago, they tell me that American's would never like it so why bother.