How to order Chinese food family-style
Family-style means everyone shares every dish, served with steamed rice. A common rule of thumb is one dish per person, plus a soup or one extra dish for groups of four or more.
How many to order (rule of thumb)
| Party | Dishes | Suggested balance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 people | 2–3 | 1 meat or seafood, 1 vegetable or tofu, optionally 1 more protein; steamed rice for each person |
| 4 people | 4–5, plus soup | 1 fish or seafood, 1 poultry, 1 pork or beef, 1–2 vegetable or tofu; 1 soup; rice for each person, or 1 fried rice or noodle in place of some rice |
| 6 people | 6–7, plus soup | 1 whole fish or seafood, 1 poultry, 2 pork or beef, 2 vegetable, 1 tofu; 1 soup; rice for each person and 1 noodle dish |
These counts are rules of thumb. Portion sizes vary by restaurant; ask your server if plates look small or large.
Balance: vary protein, cooking method (steamed, stir-fried, braised, fried) and flavour (mild, spicy, sweet-sour). Aim for at least one vegetable dish per three dishes. A whole fish or roast duck counts as two dishes. Drinks: a pot of tea for the table is standard.
What to order
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Steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion
Delicate, usually the centre of the table.
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Kung pao chicken
Stir-fried chicken with peanuts and dried chillies.
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Mapo tofu
Soft tofu in a spicy, numbing Sichuan sauce with minced meat.
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Sweet and sour pork
Crisp pork in a tangy sauce, a crowd-pleaser.
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Twice-cooked pork
Sliced pork belly stir-fried with leeks and chilli bean paste.
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Roast duck
Crisp-skinned duck, sliced; Peking duck is served with pancakes.
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Salt and pepper squid
Fried squid with garlic, chilli and pepper.
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Dry-fried green beans
Blistered beans with garlic and preserved vegetables.
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Stir-fried seasonal greens with garlic
The simplest way to balance the table.
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Hot and sour soup
Peppery, tangy soup with tofu and mushroom.
Tips
- Use the serving spoons or chopsticks provided, not your own, when taking from shared plates.
- On a turntable, turn it slowly and wait if someone is serving themselves.
- Don't stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice; rest them on the holder or across the bowl.