Comments on: Rasika Will Be the First Ethnic Restaurant to Earn 4 Stars from Tom Sietsema

By: creativemeat

creativemeat — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:47:16 +0000

Am I ethnic?

By: White peoples are "ethnic" too

White peoples are "ethnic" too — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:15:57 +0000

And yes, I understand the irony that they have to be defined as "nonwhite"; saying non-European or non-former colonial powers would include white majority cultures such as America and Australia.

By: White peoples are "ethnic" too

White peoples are "ethnic" too — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:05:49 +0000

I'm not white -- Indian, in fact -- and I agree 100% with Simon and Tony. Of course, Bajaj used the term himself, which was dumb. He, Sietsema, and others should understand that labelling all products of nonwhite cultures "ethnic" is just the latest racist gloss for the idea that whiteness is default and everyone else is defined by their opposition to it.

By: EthNick

EthNick — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:10:49 +0000

Oh, please. "Ethnic" is widely accepted shorthand for non-European cuisine. What next, picket signs outside Tyler Cowen's house because he dares to put together the Ethnic Dining Guide? Spare us the false outrage, especially since you're probably white anyway.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:34:18 +0000

So that means Maestro (Italian), Citronelle (French) and Komi (Greek) are not recognized ethnicities?

I'm surprised a language use like that could slip past an Editor.

By: Former Staffer

Former Staffer — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:26:35 +0000

I'd concur with Tom. The two or three occasions I've enjoyed Rasika the service has been splendid and the dishes superb.

Congratulations.

By: Simon

Simon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:54:53 +0000

Woah, talk about a eurocentric notion of "ethnic." Former colonies = ethnic. Former colonial powers, apparently, not. I thought thar sort of retrograde mindset went out with the '70's.