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Comment by Thorentis | Hacker News Reader

Interesting observation!

In Australia it is similar. Roughly speaking, the following cuisines have these types of price ranges:

Indian: $-$$ Chinese: $-$$$ Thai: $$ Japanese: $$-$$$ Italian: $-$$$$ French: $$$-$$$$ Local: $$-$$$$

It seems that Asian is fairly set on low-mid, while European can go higher and still do well. Same with Japense and Chinese. Italian has been so integrated into the local cuisine that you have very cheap to very fancy. French is rare so more expensive. Japense also rare, though sushi train type places are becoming more popular (though still on the pricer side).

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Bizarre how that changes around the world. Here in the US (let's say average suburb around a moderately-sized city):

Chinese: $-$$ Tex/Mex: $-$$ Indian: $-$$$ Thai: $$ Japanese: $$-$$$ Italian: $-$$$$ French: $$-$$$$

Note: Tex/Mex, Italian, and Japanese availability, quality, and pricing vary widely according to where in the country you are.

I'd chalk up French to the 1980s. As in "If you wanted to be a really good chef, you studied French cooking", which resulted in popular "If you wanted to go to a really fancy restaurant, it was French."

Thankfully, that seems to be fading in the urban US in favor of more local/fusion emphasis.

New Chinese restaurants have dishes easily starting at $25 with nicer seafood dishes in the 30s+.

Not enough fancy Thai places though, only 1 really unique one in all of the Seattle area to the best of my knowledge.

Could you name it please? Thanks

Late reply if you see this.

1. Dong Ting Chun is really good.

2. Liuyishou Hotpot.

3. Núodle has some good dishes.

I'd say that cheap Italian and expensive Italian food are completely different cuisines in Australia.

Cheap places are "Australian Italian", usually with incredibly generic menus and large servings of bland food. That's your Lygon Street Italian, if you're familiar with Melbourne.

Expensive places usually serve "Italian Italian".

What are some typical "Australian Italian" dishes?

Lasagna, Carbonara (often with cream), and Bolognese. Chicken Parmigiana or schnitzel. Probably some very average pizzas.

For contrast, here's Universal's menu, which is a "Lygon Street" Italian restaurant: https://www.universalrestaurant.com.au/menu

Compared to nearby Tipo 00, what I would probably consider to be more authentic Italian (although still not 'expensive'): https://www.tipo00.com.au/food/

There are also significantly better inauthentic-Italian experiences around, like Capitano which takes its cues from Italian-American food culture.

Even so, those "Australian Italian" dishes still cost $20-$25 for a basic pasta dish which I can't justify.

As an aside I find it amusing that we have at least 3 of the more expensive Asian places here in Sydney (Spice Temple, Sake, and Longrain) run by local white guys who did significant time overseas to learn the cuisine. And the food is good. Though I just found out Longrain closed so that's sad, they had a few things you'd not see at a local place.

I would put Japanese as Japanese: $-$$$

Logic being a couple sushi rolls for lunch type thing is about as cheap as it gets and these places are everywhere.

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