I have a huge network of foreign friends and have lived abroad for the last decade.

Again; you are missing the point. It has nothing to do with whether the food is “authentic” or not, which is itself a highly debatable question. It has everything to do with the way you communicate to people when disagreeing with them or criticizing their ideas.

If you don’t care that people will immediately think you’re a pedantic, difficult person, as long as you get to be “right”, then sure, feel free to disregard what I wrote.