DINING

As an Asian, I Dislike Dining at Asian Fusion Restaurants

Actually I really hate it

Photo by piotr szulawski on Unsplash

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I shake my head at the cute salmon tacos that look like a toddler made them in their play kitchen. The salmon is coated in an “Ume emulsion” and is sushi-priced for a single mouthful. I sigh and bite my lip. This is what I mentally prepared myself for as a Chinese man at an Asian fusion restaurant. Not my choice for dining out, but it’s my girlfriend’s birthday dinner.

“Just shut up, Chin. Be grateful to be with a person you love and her friends,” I tell myself.

A waiter stops by and asks if we need anything.

I kiss my girlfriend and remind myself it’s not about me tonight, completely relent, and order another fancy drink that will be mostly ice and costs more than the tacos. My mind wanders to burritos and late-night food trucks because unless I spend half my mortgage, I’ll still be hungry after dinner. Perhaps, I’ll make eggs when I get home, or stop at the gas station for a bag of peanuts.

Asian fusion tacos are a thing. Another time when I lovingly accompanied my girlfriend to a different Asian Fusion Ripoff, I had Char Siu fusion tacos. Char Siu is a sweet and savory BBQ…