Eating Chinese: 4 tips to dining like a local

(Ecns.cn)—Foreigners who are new to China may find themselves confused in restaurants here, since the style of service differs greatly from the West. Yet that's not the most challenging thing.

What exactly to order, on the other hand, can be particularly tricky. Best to order dinner like a real Chinese, otherwise your meal might be a disappointment.

1) Soup?

First of all, skip the soup. It might look like an economic choice on the menu, since 18 yuan ($2.8) is enough to buy a large basin of West Lake Beef Soup, but it certainly doesn't contain fewer calories. Ask the waiter/waitress to serve the soup first, so you can taste a small cup before ordering it as a main course. Usually, dishes arrive randomly, so make sure you make yourself clear to whoever takes your order – unless you want your dessert first.

This however is not the case when you are entertaining your Chinese friends or business partners with a nice Chinese meal, since soup is a necessity at the table according to Chinese tradition. Ask your guests if they have any preference. If not, then vegetable or seafood soups are safe bets.

2) Tea is bad?

While some suggest that you should order green tea (it goes well with the mood of Chinese cuisine and won't fill you up), I personally advise against it. Drinking tea during a meal is actually bad for the stomach, because it dilutes gastric acid and spoils your appetite.

On some occasions, like lunch or important meetings, it's advisable to invite your guests to have after-meal tea, in a teahouse, for example.

3) Main course?

Though tastes vary among different people, fried rather than steamed dishes are definitely suitable, and it's always wise to ask what the specialty of the day is. However, never order fried chicken legs in a Chinese restaurant. Most importantly, order something in which vegetables are the stars, and the shrimp, chicken or scallops are the guest stars. Eat all of the vegetables first and then have a few pieces of the protein.

In general, one Chinese dish is enough for at least two people, but few restaurants offer small portions, which is why I recommend checking with the waiter/waitress first. Some dishes come in larger or smaller portions than the menu shows you.

4) Staple food?

For South Chinese people, rice is the staple food at everyday meals. Ordering a small portion of fried rice is advisable, but tastes vary, depending on the types and amount of added ingredients, such as beans, chopped meat, vegetables, eggs, as well as different styles of preparation.

In the North, however, people prefer noodles. But if you are looking forward to finishing all the other dishes, you might avoid ordering noodles, regardless of how inviting they look on the menu.