Food Stories
Discover the people, places and flavors behind Chinese dishes.
What is Mapo Tofu? Ingredients, Taste & How to Order
Soft tofu in a savory chili-and-bean sauce, usually with minced meat and the tingling sensation of Sichuan pepper.
How to Order Vegetarian Food in China
Explain your vegetarian preferences, check stock and sauces, and prepare useful Chinese questions before ordering.
How to Ask About Peanut Oil in Chinese
Chinese questions for peanut oil, sauces and shared cooking equipment, with a clear card to show restaurant staff.
What to Order in Chengdu: Three Sichuan Classics to Start With
Start with mapo tofu, kung pao chicken or dandan noodles, then ask about portions, chili and the kitchen’s actual ingredients.
How to Order at a Chinese Street Food Stall
Point out the food, confirm portions and price, explain changes, and show a simple Chinese order even without a menu.
What to Order at a Chinese Restaurant for Two
Build a balanced shared meal for two, check portion sizes and adjust your order to the menu and your preferences.
White Cut Chicken: A Delicate Taste of Guangdong’s Culinary Heritage
White-cut chicken (báiqiē jī, 白切鸡) is a Cantonese poached chicken dish. Its appeal is the gentle chicken flavor and smooth skin, often enjoyed with a dipping sauce.
Discover Suan Ni Bai Rou: Chengdu's Iconic Sliced Pork Dish
Sliced pork with garlic sauce (suànní báiròu, 蒜泥白肉) is a Sichuan appetizer built around thin slices of poached pork and a garlicky sauce. It is different from the stir-fried “pork with garlic sauce” found on some takeout menus.
Why Luosifen Is the Must-Try Dish on Your Next Trip to Guangxi
Luosifen (luósīfěn, 螺蛳粉) is associated with Liuzhou in Guangxi. Rice noodles, a snail-based broth and pickled bamboo shoots make a bowl with a distinctive sour, pungent character.
Crispy-Skinned Suckling Pigeon: A Cantonese Delicacy Worth Traveling For
Crispy-skinned young pigeon (cuìpí rǔgē, 脆皮乳鸽) appears on Cantonese menus. The word “suckling” in some English menu translations refers to a young bird; it does not mean the bird is a mammal fed on milk.
Discover Song Sao Yu Geng: Hangzhou’s Legendary Fish Soup Steeped in History
Sister Song's fish soup (Sòngsǎo yúgēng, 宋嫂鱼羹) is associated with Hangzhou. The name points to a local story about a woman known as Sister Song; accounts of that history vary and are best read as culinary lore.
Chinese Menu Portions: Per Person, Per Serving or By Weight?
Candidate · awaiting editorial reviewRead the unit beside a price before choosing an amount. A portion label can tell you how a dish is sold, without telling you how much your table needs.
Ordering Drinks in Chinese: Hot or Cold, Ice and Sugar
Candidate · awaiting editorial reviewChoose a drink, then confirm temperature and any changes before it is made. “Less sugar” and “no ice” are separate requests, not an ingredient list.