Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING OUT
The Chinese care about food with a passion that perhaps only the French can rival. For the
Chinese, eating is a pleasure imbued with philosophical profundities: even the dead are
offered food and wine to make their journey more peaceful.
Restaurants are a place for family and social gatherings. Eating out is one of the main
forms of socialising, and the Chinese usually eat in large groups. If Chinese hosts invite you
to a restaurant, put yourself in their hands; they will try to order according to their impression
of your tastes.
Chefs have a demanding clientele. All Chinese consider themselves gourmets and demand
not only the best flavours but colour, texture and presentation to enhance the pleasure of the
food. A real Chinese meal is orchestrated, and must contain a harmonious progression from
sweet to sour, crunchy to tender. A Chinese banquet is a triumph of the well-rounded art of
food.
Rice to meet you
A common Cantonese greeting is 'Lay sik jaw fan may ah?' -
('Have you had your rice yet?')
You will find restaurants serving food from all over China, Asia and the world. The long-
established Indian community means there are many excellent Indian restaurants; Thai and
Vietnamese cuisine is well represented; and Hong Kong's love of Japanese and Korean cul-
ture means there are some great places for sushi and Korean barbecues. Among the most pop-
ular international cuisines are Italian, French, Middle Eastern, Mexican and American-style
steakhouses and there are plenty of international and local fast-food and coffee shop chains.
Swiss, Austrian, Burmese, Ukrainian and African restaurants are some of the more unusual
finds here. Vegetarians do not have an easy time in Cantonese restaurants as most Chinese
chefs use chicken or other meat stock routinely in otherwise vegetarian dishes, but there are a
growing number of dedicated vegetarian restaurants.
Meal times
