The idea of expensive wine and candlelight dinners is definitely not Chinese style. The atmosphere in Chinese restaurants in “renao”, which means hot and noisy.
One of the biggest differences between Chinese dinner and western dinner might be the position on table where dishes are served.
In Chinese dinner, dishes are served at the middle of a round table for all to share, and each person uses a small bowl in front him/her to hold the food one has picked from the shared dishes. So in that way everyone can order a different kind of dish make it shared by all.
Chinese starters are normally cold dishes. Main ma¬terials in Chinese starters can be either vegetables or meat that has been cooked and cooled down. And then dishes are served. Types of Chinese dishes are just too many to enumerate.
Beer, wine or alcohol can be taken together with dishes.
The Chinese will order rice too. It is normally served to each person separately in a small bowl.
Chinese soup is served after main dishes. But in Guangdong area, soup is served before main dishes.
The most typical dessert in Chinese dinner is fruits. High quality restaurants would often assemble a big plate with several types of fruits arranged in beautiful patterns. Most favorable fruits might be watermelon, orange and pear, which can make one feel clean and clear in his/her mouth and stomach after the meal.
