What is the Chinese menu?
A variety of dishes that people share are selected and placed in the middle of the table. Chinese menus are often helpfully separated into sections such as "rice dishes", "noodle dishes", "vegetables", and "beverages" (see food type links below), and they are not usually separated into sections such as "lunch" and "dinner" as in Western menus.
How many meat dishes can you have in a 5 person party?
This means that if you have a group of 5 people, you might select 2 meat dishes and 3 vegetable dishes, but it's up to you. Appetizers, entrees, or desserts are optional as is the choice of beverages.
Is there a "just in time" approach to eating in China?
Unlike in the West, where at most sit-down restaurants, the whole meal is prepared and served at one time, in China there's a "just in time" approach. The cooks will usually decide to cook the dishes in an order that makes sense to them, and the dishes will arrive at varying times when they are ready.
Is there kosher food in China?
Unfortunately, kosher restaurants and restaurants catering for food allergies are almost non-existent in China. If you have a food allergy or other requirements, see How to Handle Food Allergies When Traveling in China for help on explaining to the restaurant staff how they should prepare your food.
Can Chinese menus be written in English?
In China your first Chinese restaurant visits and use of Chinese menus might cause frustration, especially if the menus are not written in English and there aren't pictures of the dishes. Here you'll learn what Chinese menus are like and how to use them.