weakenedstrain t1_j7v1pff wrote on February 9, 2023 at 4:46 PM

Reply to comment by child_of_air in Takoyaki and A Proper Udon Broth by [deleted]

I’m a pretty well-known asshole around here.

In all honesty, your post was pretty cringe and insulting. There are lots of ways to ask for help without resorting to racial profiling and demeaning your adopted regions local flavor.

There’s plenty of bad food out there, but a simple “Hey, looking for authentic Japanese street food, I’ve been having a hard time finding some” will go much further than denigrating the local options you have tried.

Good luck out there.

child_of_air t1_j7vzlr9 wrote on February 9, 2023 at 8:14 PM

How is it insulting, actually? Insulting to white people that are trying to make sushi and open up an "ethnic" restaurant? Are you next going to tell me I'm being racist against white people? (That doesn't exist by the way.)

You know, I'll try anything once. I have eaten at quite a few establishments that were run by people of a different ethnic background other than the food they were serving. I paid my money, I ate my food. I wouldn't have an issue with them if they made it right. But they don't.

If you disagree with me, you would be writing about how awesome Maine's ethnic food scene is, but you're not. I think I just touched on a nerve because Mainers are sensitive to the fact that the lack of Ethnic diversity here makes it a very bland place in a lot of ways. The food scene is just once of them. You can bury your head in the snow and pretend that it's not an issue, but it totally is. The fact that everyone got offended at my post obviously touches on that.

>In Portland, I’ve found that there’s really only one place to go to get anything approaching a decent takoyaki and slurpable udon broth.

So it's just the one then, right? LOL, I'm sure I've already found it.

>your adopted regions local flavor.

What flavor?!? That bland flavor?! Is that what you're talking about? Is that the taste of Maine?

weakenedstrain t1_j7werog wrote on February 9, 2023 at 9:48 PM

Oof dude. I tried.

You just said a whole lot of words to justify your douchebaggery. If you’re dead set on alienating your neighbors, I wish you nothing but good luck with that.

You’re off to a great start.

child_of_air t1_j7wrwqf wrote on February 9, 2023 at 11:16 PM

My neighbors and I get along just fine. In fact, they are wonderful people and we all hang out together. I love the way you totally ignored everything I said, which makes you an asshole.

weakenedstrain t1_j7x0z57 wrote on February 10, 2023 at 12:21 AM

Already claimed my asshole status. I ignored what you said because despite apparently thinking it makes you sound worldly and enlightened, your takes on race and community are so far outside my own perspective that I really don’t have much to say about it.

I’m glad your neighbors like you. I’m glad you have joy in your life. You’re pretty miserable in an online anonymous forum, and if your friends saw the things you were saying they might want to have a chat, but dafuck does THIS asshole know?

I do know that I offered an olive branch, multiple times, and you took each as an opportunity to shit all over them, this state, this sub, and anything else you see as not worthy.

If you meet an asshole in the morning, fuck that asshole. If you meet assholes all day, chances are it’s not them.

child_of_air t1_j7xcjzr wrote on February 10, 2023 at 1:47 AM

I consider white people that have high fragility and a victim mentality to be assholes. A certain type of asshole. Luckily for me, most of my neighbors have all traveled the world, and they know what Maine does and does not have to offer. We talk about it all the time actually. The majority of them are Mainers themselves, and will readily admit that there are very few good restaurants in the state that serve ethnic food. So far I've found 2. Obviously we all live in the same area, and Maine is a big place. But I haven't seen or heard that Northern Maine is bursting with intensely good restaurants either. I haven't heard many positive things about Northern Maine at all....but I remain open to it.

If someone from Maine "shits all over" the state, is it different than if I do it? I'm sure you will say yes since I'm from "away....", lol.

And really, that's what people responded to here. They are getting themselves worked up because they don't like the idea of being told that in fact, no- white people can't do everything well. Especially when they don't take the time to learn about other cultures and ethnicities before trying to do it.

You and I both know that what passes for sushi here wouldn't meet the bar in a big city, or in Japan. You pretty much admitted that.

Food is culture. If you don't know shit about the culture you are trying emulate in your food, then chances are you are going to fail. Again, I'm totally willing to be proven wrong. I've willingly gone to restaurants that said they served up "Authentic" Korean dishes when there wasn't a single Korean face anywhere to be seen. I've walked into "Japanese" places where there wasn't a single Japanese face to be seen. And the fact that I did that speaks volumes, because I supported them. I gave them a chance to wow me, and they totally didn't.

I have been proven wrong in some places. I actually went to Boston and ate wonderful Japanese food mostly run by Chinese people. But the guy had lived in Japan for over 20 years, so he knew his shit. I actually am very happy when I see this kind of thing, because to respect a culture is to know it!

I love what Maine does have to offer. It was not my first choice but I'm actually enjoying it most of the time. But you Mainers need to honest here- Ethnic food is not your strong point. You need more people of color to really do that right, and that's something you simply don't have.

Thanks for the olive branch. I'm actually a very kind person, I just get sick of the lack of cultural diversity here and then the denial that there needs to be any, and the racism that shows when there is.