Your restaurant can look like crap, so long as it's "authentic"

A couple of years ago, my wife and I -- who at the time I believe was just my significant other -- were walking with another couple in Astoria, over in Queens (over in New York -- why do I keep classifying this?). We were "couples friends" (still are) and all four people in this walk were essentially foodies, in that we can all cook, we believe we can c…