Why is Italian food so overpriced and overrated in NYC?

My take on Italian food is that it is overpriced and overrated because Americans romanticize Italian culture itself and perceive the food to be better than it actually is.

$30 for a bowl of pasta that's very easy to make and has simple flavors is not worth it.

The local Chinese restaurant uses a wok that requires much more skill and creates deeper depths of flavor for just $15...