2018 Creator Expert Modular - Downtown Diner

I have to admit to a bit of excitement myself. While I wish they would release a library, police station, or even a generic office building, this seems like a worthy addition to the modular line. The interior is much more impressive than previous offerings with that fabulous grill and such.

Nice one, and very detailed interieur. I especially like the music box :-)

But LEGO has to keep up with their modular building design with all the great stuff showing up in China lately (from XingBao/Lepin).
My modular city consists of the 12 genuine Lego houses + Haunted House & Ninjago City and already 8 modular buildings from China (Starbucks/Barnes & Noble, Rivendell National History Museum, Anastasia Astoria International Hotel, Yi-Hong Courtyard (Whore House), Maritime Museum, Toys and Bookstore, Potter Corner, Bar & Finance Company). I know the first Chinese releases were still stolen ideas, but for the latest ones the have even held their own design contest.

The problem with XingBao/Lepin--aside from the fact that they shamelessly plagiarized Lego's designs, which is certainly immoral even if they can escape the legal consequences of such behind China's communist curtain--is that you can't get parts for their sets separate from the sets like you can for Lego. If I want to update a Lego modular interior I need look no further than Pick-a-Brick or the new Bricks & Pieces. $20-30 later, I have a fabulous tile floor and office furnishings in a previously barren interior. 

I suppose one could use Lego pieces to modify a Lepin set, but I'm afraid my OCD would prevent that. While I can mix and match a few accessories across brands, I tend to keep the overall builds entirely Lego, Mega Bloks (I haven't bought any Mega Construx sets), or Cobi. I dare say if I ever decided to buy a Lepin set I would avoid mixing Lego into the build.

Nevertheless, to each their own. I personally would love to see Lego create more modulars within a given year, and to expand their selection to provide some more standard buildings such as an office building, a police station, and a hospital. The closest we have to a health care facility at present is the rather small dentist office in Assembly Square.

And now we know how to keep the Professor busy for a few days - just sub out a few pieces of his largest build and tell him without revealing which ones - or just mix his entire collection...

There are ways to tell...  I once got a pair of binoculars of whom's glasses (binoculae?) where different sizes.  But you are right, it's very hard to tell.