The Real Reason Why Family Restaurants Serve Rice on a Flat Plate Instead of a Bowl

...I have no way of knowing that, as I am neither a family restaurant employee nor anything of the sort. Sorry for the clickbait title.

But take a look at this.

It's a typical sharp remark from Mr. Horimoto, who values rationality above all else.
I understand what he's trying to say.

It takes up space. It's hard to eat. That part is certainly true.
In fact, rice on a flat plate cools down in seconds compared to a bowl.

However,

I cannot agree with this.You don't understand anything at all.

No, I don't mean to chime in with some irrational complaint like,Since hamburger steak is Western food, it lacks atmosphere if served in a bowl, you idiot!. Saying that to Mr. Horimoto would be boorish and misses the point. I don't want to argue with the original tweet. If anything, I want to make him look smug in a slightly cringey way, like,

Oh, so that's the only perspective from which you can discuss the difference between rice on a flat plate and in a bowl, I see,
is what I'm getting at.

What I want to say here is that the quality of the experience when eating rice can change depending on whether it's in a bowl or on a flat plate. At least, that's how it is for me.

As of writing this article, I've taken a quick look at the quotes and replies, and since no one else has mentioned this point, I'll say it myself:

Doesn't the texture of the rice when you put it in your mouth clearly differ when you scoop cold rice from a flat plate with a fork versus eating warm rice from a bowl with chopsticks?

I think it's the same phenomenon as 'Coke tastes different depending on whether it's in a bottle, a can, or a plastic bottle, even if the contents are the same'.If you don't get this phenomenon, I feel like you won't understand the difference between a flat plate and a bowl either, so let's just say goodbye here.

Eating with a metal fork versus eating with plastic or wooden chopsticks results in a different taste. Therefore, the reason for choosing a flat plate or a bowl isn't about whether it's Western food or not. It's aboutwhether you eat with chopsticks or a fork. Of course, there were a certain number of people who mentioned that a flat plate is easier to eat from with a fork, but no one wrote about the taste itself.

Rice eaten with a fork from a flat plate cools down faster and has a blander, drier taste, and I think this is more compatible with rich, soft meat covered in something like demi-glace sauce.

Cultural conditioning likely plays a large part, but at least for demi-glace hamburger steak, I think that's the case. If it were Japanese-style grated radish hamburger steak, I'd want to eat it with a bowl and chopsticks. If the sauce has a salty, soy-sauce flavor, you get more satisfaction from eating warm rice with a bowl and chopsticks, but for Western-style seasonings with strong sweetness or acidity, I prefer the rice to be refreshing. I'd even be fine with just putting salt on the rice. Salted rice is definitely better with a flat plate and a fork. It's the same reason why salted rice balls are good even when cold, or rather, even better when cold.

There is one more thing I want to say.

I believe that the deliciousness of dining out, including at family restaurants, is significantly influenced by visual and auditory information from the surrounding environment. You could say that the enjoyment is boosted by information other than the taste and smell itself.

Ultimately, that unique sensation when you put cold rice into your mouth with a metal fork is likely the magic brought about by the situation of dining out. If you do the same thing at home, it's just difficult to eat. It is precisely because a family restaurant is a somewhat 'out-of-the-ordinary' space that the act of scooping rice from a flat plate with a fork is elevated into a memorable taste.You might retort that it's just occultism after all, but that's just how human senses are.

If anything, I'm in the camp that believes it's better to moderately embrace these kinds of occultisms that enrich our lives. I like being rational. Therefore,it's fun to rationally handle occultism. Isn't that what it's all about?

So, please don't hate the flat-plate rice, and try drinking cola from a glass bottle.
If you thought, "It's exactly the same, isn't it!", then you are a person who lives rationally. Please stay that way.
If you can tell the difference, you are a happy person who can deeply savor these kinds of experiences and rationally enjoy fun occultism. Please stay that way.

However, if you secretly think, "...Actually, it does feel... slightly different, maybe?" but you end up saying, "It's not different at all!" or "It's completely different!", then you areguilty. You should just quietly order a Japanese-style set meal.