10/28 A Genuine Chinese Restaurant

So on our last day, we were discussing what someone would experience if they were to go to a restaurant in China.  We brainstormed some ideas that really encompass what our experience in China was like.  This is really said in jest as we had such a positive experience in China.  That said there were some really strange things that we experienced too :)

Welcome to Zeng's Chinese Restaurant.  You will receive a local Chinese tour guide (let's call her Teresa) who will help you through your dining experience.  You will be taken to a separate room in a restaurant to allow you and your party privacy while you dine.  Someone will order your dishes (probably between 15-20 dishes for a party of 8) - they will order fish with head, bones, and tail (you can go pick out the live fish if you would like), lotus root, chicken that was cut up using a cleaver, chicken broth, internal organs, tendons, tongue, daikon, tofu, napa cabbage, noodles, something so spicy your eyes water, and after you are really full, rice will be brought out.  Teresa (your guide) will put food on your plate without you asking and she will continue to do so even when you say you are full.  Most likely you will also get things put on your plate that you are not familiar with and you don't want to be rude so you try it.  You may get lucky to have some cake made out of actual flowers (not flour!).  There will be no salt and pepper available, but there will be common hot sauces that you can pick from.  Napkins may have to be purchased and you will only get chopsticks and maybe a large spoon for your broth.  All the food will be placed on a lazy susan.  Hot water is offered and other drinks are optional; however, if you bring your own soda, wine, etc that is acceptable.  After eating, you will be offered a toothpick to get the questionable food you consumed out from between your teeth.  So you need to use the restroom.  Well it will be a squatter and there will most likely not be any toilet paper... I hope you brought your own.  There will be a common sink in the hall and again most likely no soap or paper towels.  Other guests and even the restaurant staff might be smoking in the restaurant and even the kitchen.  As they clean up after your dining party has left, a broom made from twigs will be used to sweep up the mess you made from eating with chopsticks :)  As you leave the restaurant, you will notice most people are wearing winter coats (some with fur) even though it is 80 degrees outside.  There are cars parked on the sidewalk and mopeds driving down the sidewalk.  Finally, as you head home you will notice square dancing (this is really line dancing that is held in a public square) - all ages and genders are participating.  I hope you enjoyed your evening at Zeng's Chinese Restaurant and do come back and join us again!

 

Boy did we eat a lot!  My favorites were the Peking duck, most of the time the fish, the rice noodle dishes, butternut squash soup, and hash browns that were in rice (I mainly picked out the potato part).  I am happy to share that I didn't gain any weight on this trip - shocking but true.  Thank goodness for all the walking!  I hope you enjoyed the blog and please let me know if you have any questions (ashleybenedict@gmail.com).  Thanks for reading!

Peace, Love, and Dumplings!

Ashley