Los Angeles Times: California Rolls Drive Them to Distraction. Ever wonder whether the negi toro you ordered at that sushi place on Wilshire was the real deal? Well, the Japanese government does. Officials in Tokyo, concerned that diners around the globe are getting a less-than-genuine taste of their nation’s cuisine, are devising a sort of bureaucratic Zagat guide that will confer a stamp of authenticity on restaurants that meet the government’s standards.

Some bureaucrats with too much time on their hands? Actually, I’m a bit jealous. Some government worker will probably get to travel the world on the taxpayer’s dime trying out different restaurants. However, the true test of a restaurant isn’t whether it is authentic or not, but whether the food appeals enough to their clientele’s tastes. That’s why you won’t find “authentic” Chinese restaurants in some parts of America. If the customers want sweet and sour pork instead of braised chicken feet, you prepare the dishes that pays the bills. It’s that simple.

As much as I like “authentic” Chinese food, I’ll take orange chicken any day from Panda Express over stinky tofu at your local Chinese diner.