Firstly, thanks must go to English expat Mr Carey Harmer in Chengdu for his time, effort and thoughtfulness in producing and sharing the following information so that newcomers may feel more at ease when ordering food in Chinese restaurants. Well done, Carey !
ORDERING IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT FOR NEWCOMERS
Print this out and carry it with you. Point to the Chinese phrases. These are all common dishes that most Westerners like.
1. SMALL EATERY MEALS
For quick meals. Sometimes surprisingly good. Most dishes about 4 yuan to 10 yuan, menu written on the wall. Individual bowls or plates, each person chooses their own, can be all different. You can use a tissue to wipe the table and your chopsticks. Never mind the state of the walls or floor, you don’t eat off them. If they don’t give you tea, there's no point in asking for it. Usually a watery soup supplied free with the rest. In some larger places you have to order and pay near the entrance, then go in, sit down and give the ticket to the waitress.
鸡蛋炒饭 egg fried rice
肉丝面 pork noodles
牛肉炒饭 beef fried rice
鸡蛋面 egg noodles
西红柿炒鸡蛋 fried egg + tomatoes
牛肉面 beef noodles
鸡蛋炒葱 fried egg + onions
猪肉炒饭 pork fried rice
牛肉刀削面 beef thick noodle soup
a. (不要辣椒 don’t want it full of chilli)
b. (我吃辣 hot is OK)
Only some eateries (restaurants never) serve dumplings,
but they are worth asking for.
二两 is a normal portion.
你有没有饺子? do you have dumplings?
肉饺 meat dumplings
菜饺 vegetable dumplings
锅贴, 炸饺 fried dumplings
抄手 dumplings with soup
Comments
Continued ....
SOUPS (usually a large bowl, thin soup)
番茄鸡蛋汤 egg + tomato soup
三鲜汤 3-flavour soup (includes meat)
豆腐汤 bean curd soup with veg (vegetarian)
鸡蛋汤 egg soup
漂汤 soup with assorted meat &vegetables
PANCAKE TYPE DISHES
南瓜饼 pumpkin pie (sweet)
葱油饼 onion pancake
玉米薄饼 sweet corn pancake
When you have finished ordering the main dishes:
还要米饭 we also want rice.
DRINKS
橙汁 orange juice
喝冷水 cold water
雪碧 Sprite
豆浆 bean ‘milk’
可乐 Coke
西瓜汁 melon juice
PLEASE BRING:
Please bring the bill: 买单
Please bring toothpicks: 牙签
Please bring more bowls (for the soup)： 空碗
You can ask for a ‘doggy bag’ 请打包 to take uneaten food home.
This is quite normal. Indicate which dishes.
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TOILET SIGNS:
卫生间 or 厕所 male 男 female女
Where is the toilet? 卫生间在那儿？
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Chinese Restaurants
Ever notice that the smaller and farther out in the countryside a restaurant is the more likely it is to have a picture of a French brunch pictured on the wall. You know, Champagne, Croissants, 10 cheeses, the whole spread.
And these are all things most people out in the villages have never even eaten. Once I asked if I could have what was in the picture and they looked at me like I was completely insane. Not sure how any of this relates to the above topic other than that it's about restaurants in China.
French Connection
Well, the French have been in China quite a long time now, &
It would seem that the Eiffel Tower (in various sizes) has often
been replicated in cities & towns across the People's Republic.
I always shout XIAOJIE !!!
I always shout XIAOJIE !!! at the top of my voice. That gets attention.
Heh heh heh
Fidel
Sichuan
In Sichuan everyone does that, so it probably wouldn't get anyone's attention.
MEI DAN !!!
Another good attention-getter
across China is "MEI DAN !!!"
How do say...
Don't spit in the kitchen?
Am I the only one who has heard the cooks spitting on the floor? I know they aren't intentionally spitting in the food, but some of it must fly off in different directions. This is all very upsetting to me.
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