The Noodle Dancer

Western-style food is available here of course, and since it’s fun to see familiar restaurants with a Chinese twist, I’ve taken the obligatory photos for posterity.  I came to experience as many aspects of Chinese culture as possible, though, so am trying most things at our group dinners.  In four evenings so far, we have dined at some very interesting restaurants.  My plan is to try a very small portion of many things.  The trouble is that a little of each thing can add up to a huge amount of food with the multiple dishes served at each restaurant meal.  I regularly count around ten different dishes that turn up on the table over the course of the dinner. 

Thankfully, our directors and hosts have been working with us to be sure we use appropriate dining etiquette.  All meals are served “family style.”  Everyone chooses what she wants from the dishes on the Lazy Susan the middle of the table.  The Lazy Susan is a grand idea.  Not new, but very useful.  Dishes are set on the revolving platform in the middle of the table, and diners choose what they want from them.  Chopsticks should never be set on the table itself, and when the watermelon is served, the meal is over.  Westerners who dine out tend to like to linger over conversation and coffee after dinner.  In China, you should just leave.  Enjoy a few photos of the food and ambiance in the restaurants we’ve been to thus far.

Last night’s dinner was particularly entertaining.  Hai Di Lao Hot Pot is expanding to the U.S.  I understand you can find it in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Diners sit at a table with a cooking pot in the middle.  While we waited, free manicures were offered.  They didn’t have to ask me twice.  After appetizers such as boiled peanuts and mushrooms with seaweed, get to go to the spice bar to concoct 

your own sauce for dipping.  The soup is then started in the middle of your table and a variety of ingredients appear at intervals to be added.  The broth takes on the flavor of each ingredient and becomes very different from beginning to end.  Each time a new food is added to the broth, we let it cook and then took a share.  Chopstick challenged, I had a particular challenge finding and securing things such as mushrooms and noodles.  Speaking of noodles, I thought you’d like to see how they were made and added to our soup.  Do not miss this performance.  J