Chinese eating practices you didn’t know

Chinese has a very rich culture in every way. They consider food as a source of great mind-broadening power. Today there are Golden Singapura restaurants, Chinese yum cha available at Brookvale that help in letting people know about Chinese food in a basic way. But did you know that traditionally, Chinese have a very different way of eating practices?

Sit-down buffets- sharing the food is essential to Chinese culture. It is more of a communal activity rather than an individual. They order dishes one by one so that everyone has the chance to eat each dish separately.

Chopsticks- Usage of chopsticks is a cultural phenomenon. Everyone serves themselves food by using the chopstick. If need be, spoons are kept near the bowl as an option.

No desserts- there is no such concept of desserts in the Chinese culture. You will also notice this in the Brookvale Chinese restaurant-menu. Eating sweets is not a Chinese custom. It is more of a western concept.

Smoking and noise- there are some popular restaurants around the world that do not have restrictions for people from uninhibited chatter. Smoking is allowed and drinking games can be quite loud. You can ask for a separate room if you feel like it. Eating noisily is considered rude in some countries. But slurping, lip-smacking, and talking while eating is normal in China. This is to promote a friendly and open atmosphere without any restrictions.

Soft drinks and beer- Soft drinks are available in every place. While having food, it is normal to have refrigerated soft drink or beer. Beer is a very popular drink in China but none of the dark brewed ones. The other is Rice Wine, which can be very strong. Drinking is a normal culture with food but no one gets drunk.

The table- Generally you will expect a table that has salt and pepper shakers or a bottle of Tabasco, tomato and chili sauce.  But that’s not the case with China. Instead, they keep small containers with vinegar, soy sauce and chili paste.

There are many more facts that we still don’t know about China. But there are restaurants where you can try Yam cha in northern beaches. To get the authentic feel of China, you need to see and feel it believe it. The rich culture that celebrates food is something no one should miss out on. 

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