Really?
I think the presumptive meme of “how they make it for themselves” is somehow a guarantee or imprimatur of deliciousness is overrated, if not just wrong.
I mean, what if they’re diabetic? Or have hypertension? Or a medically-diagnosed celiac?
I’m just talking about the capsicum level.
My general rule is, don’t change anything for me because of your presumptions about my palate. Make it the way you’d make it for someone who knows how it’s supposed to be made.
I wish I could find the article by the US-born woman who figured out that the reason she couldn’t get the same food at a restaurant her China-born uncle took her to when she went there without him was that the kitchen had different styles of cooking for four types of customers: not Chinese, Chinese, Chinese speaking Chinese, and “Chinese, from China, speaking Chinese.”
Whatever. Low sodium, sugar-free, gluten-free foods rock. 
Well, my only point was, having grown up in restaurant kitchens and reared by two parent-chefs, thinking that what chefs make for themselves to eat necessarily means it will be a dish that you qua diner or, really, anyone qua diner, will equally enjoy is often misguided.
Many Chinese restaurants did this, and many still do to this day (even with the proliferation of familiarity and acceptance of Chinese cuisine). It’s all about serving the clientele, and staying in business.
FTC-ers are probably 1% of the 1% of the culinary savants that actually recognize and appreciate sincere and authentic cooking.
Cutting through all that pre-judgment is a hugely important part of my ordering in so many places.
I know when I walk into many SGV places (or other enclaves/ethnicities/cuisines) that I am unfamiliar with - and that are unfamiliar with me - I may have to bend over backwards trying to make it clear that I would like the type of food they would serve the party boss of that region if he stopped by to pick up his graft check. Hold the free cigarettes.
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Most have been raised, educated, and fed abroad.
Woe is me to the chef who tries to curry favor with a graft boss by cooking “authentic” dishes.
Cue the ink on your arm, CB…
The best spicy food is Jitlada. Bar none. Fish kidney curry, jungle curry, dry southern Thai curry. The spiciest Sichuan food is mild in comparison. Sure you can make a habanero purée that is spicier, but it doesn’t taste like a real dish. That’s the problem with the spicy habanero taco thing at guisados. It seems like a spicy gimmick. At Jitlada the capsaicin will kill you and it’s totally balanced with the rest of the flavors, which are extreme to the max. At least if you let them know you can handle spicy. Your adrenalin will flow and your testosterone will flow
Could you elaborate? Or give some interesting examples?
The only one I know of in real life is Centeno’s Bäco’s, staff meal creations that ended up being so god he built a mini-empire based off of them haha
I should go back to Jitlada. I had a great meal there a few years ago.
Haven’t there been quite a few downhill alerts over the last few yrs, though?
In this recent discussion I find nothing to discourage me from going back. It seems like the people who like the special dishes there still like them, and there’s only one place really competing seriously with them in that niche.
You hate or love Jitlada and that’s pretty much the end of it.
Or the beginning.
I love the food, but the long wait + totally indiff service = me not going back (esp given how far it is for me).
I went to Jitlada for a late lunch. I’m not sure there was anyone else in the place and Jazz was as friendly and helpful as anyone I’ve ever been served by in this country.
She is amazing. Tui (her brother and chef) is as well.
You probably had a great experience, look forward to more details.
IMHO, Jitlada’s flaws have to do with lack of attention to detail when they are overwhelmed. But when you get their whole attention - it can be near-perfect.
Are there particular times/days when you can avoid this overwhelmingness?
Oh, I have no doubt she and the restaurant are fine when it’s near-empty. Unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t allow me to visit then.
Look forward to your report. 