So, what is real Chinese? ——资深吃货遇到了新问题。
起因是卡丽娜，昨日她群发伊妹儿，说有工友要过生日，约大家一起出去爬个梯，啜一顿。有两个选择：PF Chang's，或者Souplantation。前者是迎合歪果仁口味的中餐，说是中餐，实际上，烹调参数都作了调整， 只能算是美式中餐。至于正果仁，吃中餐当然要来真的。尤其是资深吃货，对中餐往往怀有先入之见。尚未开吃，便有个期待，就好像与盘中餐，有个预约：吃起来该是这么个味道，这么个口感。若是哄歪果仁的，那就另当别论了。凭以往的经验，美式中餐，待端上来，看一眼，okay，马虎相。再尝一口，哎呦喂，甜不拉叽，酸不溜秋的。也不是很反感，就是不怎么对味。这叫“食”与愿违，不爽！
再说Souplantation，顾名思义，soup + plantation，喝汤 + 吃素。主要食材都是从种植园里进货的各种菜蔬——店家是这样标榜的——由顾客自选，自拌沙拉。也不是百分之百吃素，也有荤素搭配，要认真找，肉星子还是找得到的。还有各种面点，曲奇，批萨，烤土豆，烤红薯，冰淇淋等。不管怎么说，这家店子是名副其实的洋餐，锐儿(real)洋。
由于自认是资深吃货，宁要锐儿洋，不要假中餐。所以，我义无反顾地选择了Souplantation，并且理直气壮如此这般地回复卡丽娜：
PF Chang's is not real Chinese; Souplantation is not Chinese at all. But I can take a break for a real American lunch. Anyway, I would be with the majority...
卡丽娜明白了我的意思。可是，她扔过来一个问题：So, what is real Chinese？
我一看，愣住了。不是问题太复杂，是太简单了。简单到似乎不用想，却从未想过答案。天天吃中餐，什么是中餐？一时还真难下定义。难就难在：一，真相让人尴尬。总不能说：告诉您呐，食有五味：酸、甜、苦、辣、麻。可你们歪果仁，在饮食文明方面，缺心眼，还停留在酸、甜的初级阶段。人家听了不好想嘛！二，说穿了也不妥，说：再瞧我们正果仁，早就进化到了苦、辣、麻的更高境界。——是不是有点不中听？要是人家不好你这一口，你不是自作么？三，如果不说真相，不捅破窗户纸，哼哼哈哈，绕弯弯，那么，要绕得漂亮，也是蛮费周章的。
憋了半天，想起了我家掌柜的，平常煮南瓜汤、红苕粥，讲究的是一个清谈，原汁原味。于是，我回复道：
Good question!
The difference between real & American-style Chinese dishes is not about the food per se, it’s about how you cook it.
If you cook your food without manipulating its natural taste too much, except for adding a bit oil and salt, then you probably end up with real Chinese. If you put so much sugar in it, or do deep-frying, then it's something else.
没想到还挺讨喜，大家都说领教了(very well said)。工友Hawaii还饶有兴致地议论道(铺垫一下先：工友们捣腾的买卖，主要是交通模型)：I really like your comments on Chinese food. To make it a little more work-related:
The difference between real and policy-driven transportation models is not about the model per se, it’s about how you build it. If you build your model without manipulating its original data too much, except for adding a little bit math and computer-science, then you probably end up with real model. If you put so much political-correction in it, or do deep-intervening, then it’s something else.
卡丽娜最后总结道：See, this is why our unit works so well together, we all bring a little something extra to the table. So, our food or model will meet all our palettes。
我原想补充Regardless if it’s real or not。转念一想，还是不要桶破了那层纸。
由于我最初的弯弯绕，对majority产生了一定的影响。所以，大家最终决定去Souplatation。
有时，真相并不重要。事与愿违，不妨绕个弯，而且要绕得漂亮。
