Restaurants in China

         Hole in the wall restaurants in America are a joy to visit. They are usually smaller, cute and cozy and full of really nice staff. The food is usually very homestyle or ultra unique. The experience usually leaves you with a happy heart and a happy stomach.

          In China, it’s a bit different. Hole in the wall restaurants are the norm instead of the exception. They all have a rectangular sign with some sort of colored background and some sort of Chinese written on them. In my previous post, I’ve mentioned that they all look the same so we make up names for them. Inside they all contain the same wooden tables with a horizontal beam so low, that your thighs don’t fit under it, causing you to sit two feet away from the table. A cup of “sanitized” chopsticks stands in the middle of the table along with a stack of tissue thin napkins. Upon entering one of these hole in the wall establishments, it is up to you to find a seat at one of these impossible to sit at tables, which during the lunch rush could be difficult. Often times, you just sit at a table with other people. Enjoy the stares you get, as you are often the only white people in the restaurant.

            Ordering is obviously an ordeal, but once that is done, you can sit back and enjoy the piping hot water that they serve you. The Chinese don’t do cold water…  even on the hottest day in the middle of summer.

             The thing you will notice about Chinese hole in the walls is the excessive noise. The servers don’t bring your food to the table, but rather they pick it up from the chef and then scream the name of the dish out loud, and it is your responsibility to claim it. So at any given point in your meal, you will hear random Chinese screaming which is highly annoying. Further, the Chinese patrons themselves don’t understand the concept of indoor voices. It’s one thing to speak loudly every now and then to emphasize a point or because you got excited, it’s a totally different thing to scream across the table for the duration of the entire conversation. Most of the time it doesn’t  even sound like a conversation, but rather a screaming fest, kind of like six 5 year old children arguing over legos.

               So between waitresses screaming out dishes every 3 minutes, and the table next to you and behind you engaging in some verbal  combat, Chinese hole in the wall dining is not particularly pleasant. Add enough cigarette smoke to make you disoriented and then you are having a jolly good time.

Beer Duck. That upside down glass has actual beer in it. Pretty darn delicious!

Here are some other observations regarding Chinese dining:

-all bones of animals are placed directly on the table or throw on the ground

-all used napkins are thrown on the ground

-slurping noises are not a problem in China. They are by no means considered rude.

-bringing your entire face to the table to eat something is not considered bad etiquette

-if you ever need your waitress, it is up to you to scream out “waiter!!!” Same thing goes for when you want your check

-immediately upon sitting down at your table, you are handed a menu and are expected to order right then and there. If you aren’t ready, the waitress will stand there staring at you until you are. It’s normal protocol here.... me personally..... I think it's creepy.