I've spoken quite a few times about how strong the word "popular" is here. That if a restaurant is deemed popular than everybody must eat there. With the interesting thing that taste, service, etc doesn't matter. If there are two places that sell the same food, and one is the popular one with the long line, and one has no line and you actually admit it tastes better, well you still have to get into the line for the popular one, because heaven forbid you stick out in any way.
The unfortunate thing that I've learned as I get older is that "popular" pretty much means that something is not very good. That to appeal to that many people you have to be as generic as possible. So i tend to stay away from any place that is said to be popular.
My desire to stay away was made stronger by the restaurant in the picture. It's a very popular Hong Kong style lunch box restaurant. Let me tell you that this is the worst HK lunch box I've ever had and one of the top five restaurants i've eat at in any country. My Taiwanese friend agreed that it was horrible, but was much kinder, saying that since it's so popular she will try it again.
The thing is this place was so bad that it pretty much brainwashed me. Now when anybody mentions that there is a popular place i should try, i recall the memory of eating at this HK lunch box and how horrible it was. This makes me run away from trying any other place in the city that is said to be popular. Yes i'm probably missing out, then again, I be willing to bet that I'm not.
