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10 Dishes You Shouldn't Order at a Chinese Restaurant & 10 You Definitely Should


10 Dishes You Shouldn't Order at a Chinese Restaurant & 10 You Definitely Should


Try Something New

Chinese cuisine is a vast and varied world that's so much more than your fried rice and sweet and sour pork. The flavors are rich, complex, and can change drastically depending on the region and dish you're eating. And while America might do its best to replicate its authenticity, many fall flat. Today, we're going to open your eyes to a new world of taste - here are 10 Chinese dishes you should stop ordering so you can try these 10 amazing ones you've never heard of before instead. 

File:Flickr preppybyday 4665999863--General Tso's Chicken (cropped).jpgEvan Joshua Swigart (TheCulinaryGeek) from Chicago, Illinois, USA; hometown of Ames, Iowa, USA on Wikimedia


1. General Tso's Chicken

A popular dish found in many Western-Chinese restaurant, General Tso's Chicken is a sugary calorie bomb that Americans have fallen in love with. You might question who General Tso is, but what you should be questioning is just how authentic these flavors really are. With the chicken battered, fried, and then coated in an overpowering sweet and sticky sauce, it can feel a bit too much at times. 

File:General Tso Chicken.JPGEric T Gunther on Wikimedia

2. Deep-Fried Wontons

Whenever you hear "deep-fried," it wouldn't be a stretch to think of an American food. After all, fried foods are incredibly common and beloved in this country! But when you take something as delicate as a wonton and throw it in a fryer, it removes all of its original flavors and leaves you munching mostly on fried dough.

File:Deep-fried wontons.jpglazy fri13th on Wikimedia

3. Sweet and Sour Pork

Just like General Tso's Chicken, sweet and sour pork is typically a far cry from the genuine Chinese culinary experience. The chicken is battered too heavily, the sauce is too sweet, and something about it simply just tastes more American than Chinese.

File:Sweet and sour pork.jpgProjectManhattan on Wikimedia

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4. Egg Foo Young

While a Chinese-style savory omelette dish might sound delicious, when served in America, it's often far too greasy and heavy. Loaded with cheap fillers like bean sprouts while tasty ingredients like meat are added at a minimum, it just tastes a bit uneven. To put it bluntly, it can often come out as a disappointing choice.

File:Fried egg Thailand.JPGSakurai Midori on Wikimedia

5. Chop Suey

A dish made from leftovers, chop suey doesn't exactly sound like a stellar dish you'd want to order - just make it at home yourself! This Western-Chinese dish can be pretty overrated and feels far from a Chinese culinary masterpiece. By using a mishmash of ingredients, the result doesn't always taste harmonious and can leave you unsatisfied.

File:Chopsueywithrice.jpgEli Hodapp from Naperville, United States on Wikimedia

6. Crab Rangoon

This American-Chinese appetizer consists of a strange combination: cream cheese and crab? And when we say crab, there's usually barely any! It's all wrapped in a wonton wrapper and then deep-fried, creating a pretty unhealthy dish. Crab rangoon is far more about the creamy texture and less about authentic flavour.

File:Try 1,000 new things (making crab rangoons at home) Life List - 4161286494.jpgJodimichelle on Wikimedia

7. Lemon Chicken

Here comes another Western-Chinese dish drowning in its own sauce! Lemon chicken is a bit of a confusing one - nothing about it seems very Asian! Featuring a thick, overly sweet lemon glaze, this dish masks the flavor of the chicken completely. We love sweet and savory too, but this one is veering on a being a dessert at this point.

File:Tenglong Chinese Restaurant Lemon Chicken (37577556406).jpgWillis Lam on Wikimedia

8. Peking Duck (from non-specialized restaurants)

When not prepared in a specialized restaurant, Peking duck can be a serious letdown. The skin isn't as crispy and the meat can be dry, lacking the delicacy and flavor of the authentic version. It takes real skill to prepare this dish despite its simplicity! 

File:Peking duck by Mr Wabu in Beijing.jpgMr Wabu on Wikimedia

9. Beef and Broccoli

This dish is exactly as described - it consists of beef and broccoli. It can sometimes feel severely underwhelming, with overcooked broccoli being too soft, undercooked broccoli being too hard, and the beef usually being low-quality. The sauce itself can be too salty and completely the dominate the dish, creating an unharmonious mix of flavors.

File:Szechwan beef broccoli food dinner.jpgJon Sullivan on Wikimedia

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10. Fried Rice

You may be wondering, why is fried rice on this list? While it's often a go-to choice for many, it can also be an overrated item in many commonplace Chinese restaurants. It can be bland, greasy, and boring. Sometimes, there's just far more rice than there is other ingredients and it's something you can easily whip up at home yourself anyway! 

brown and green dish on white ceramic plateChristopher Alvarenga on Unsplash

1. Peking Duck

A true masterpiece of Chinese culinary expertise, Peking duck (when done in an authentic Chinese restaurant) highlights crispy skin and incredibly succulent meat, often served with thin pancakes, scallions, and hoisin sauce. It's a dish that perfectly balances texture and flavor, a must-try for any food enthusiast.

File:Peking duck wrap 1.jpgjoyosity on Wikimedia

2. Dim Sum

This broad category of dishes includes bite-sized treats like dumplings, buns, and rolls. Whether steamed, fried, or baked, each piece is bursting with unique flavor, showcasing the artistry and diversity of Chinese cuisine. There are so many different little goodies, there's definitely something for everyone!

baked dumplingK8 on Unsplash

3. Kung Pao Chicken

Now here's a chicken dish that's done right; Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy, stir-fried dish that balances sweet and savory flavors in an expert manner. Loaded with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers, it's got a little bit of everything to make you satisfied. It definitely has a punch of bold flavor you won't be able to resist. 

File:Kung-pao-shanghai.jpgSteven G. Johnson on Wikimedia

4. Mapo Tofu

This Sichuanese classic combines soft tofu and ground meat in a spicy, bean-based sauce. That description might confuse you, but it uses a delightful blend of spices and numbing Sichuan peppercorns to offer consumers an authentic taste of China's spicy cuisine. If you can't handle spicy food however, you might want to be careful.

File:Authentic Mapo Tofu.jpgSichuanfoodlover on Wikimedia

5. Char Siu (Barbecued Pork)

Glazed in an irresistible sweet and savory sauce, this Cantonese-style barbecued pork is tender and extremely rich in flavor. It can be served as a standalone dish or incorporated into other delicious dishes like fried rice or noodles. Honestly, this style of meat really just pairs well with everything.

File:チャーシュー@豚組しゃぶ庵.jpgTatsuo Yamashita on Wikimedia

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6. Hot and Sour Soup

Requiring a bit of an acquired taste, hot and sour soup certainly has an explosive flavor though it won't be for everyone. It's both spicy and tangy, and filled with ingredients like mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. For those who love the taste, it's a comforting yet exciting dish that's a great way to start off any Chinese meal.

File:Mmm... hot and sour soup (7218396478).jpgjeffreyw on Wikimedia

7. Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

These delicate steamed dumplings hold a wonderful surprise within: a warm and savory broth perfect for slurping. Just be careful you don't burn yourself, the soup inside is incredibly hot! These dumplings are filled with meat and a delightful broth that highlight the amazing methods of Chinese cooking. 

File:Truffle Soup Dumplings at Din Tai Fung.jpgOkadiputera on Wikimedia

8. Szechuan Shrimp

For seafood lovers, Szechuan shrimp is a delight. It's spicy, loaded with flavors of garlic, ginger, and Szechuan peppercorns, and stir-fried with vegetables for a satisfying crunch. It'll hit every note on your tongue, especially if you're a fan of that numbing heat. 

File:Szechuan noodles with shrimp and bok choy (5232290249).jpgjeffreyw on Wikimedia

9. Beef Chow Fun

A Cantonese favorite beef chow fun features wide rice noodles stir-fried together with beef and bean sprouts. All mixed together in this savory sauce, the key is the "wok hei" or "breath of the wok" which gives it a distinct smoky flavor that makes the dish as special as it is.

File:Gon caau ngau ho (20150222171214).JPGN509FZ on Wikimedia

10. Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

Don't look down on eggplants - they can be the star of any dish! This vegetarian delight showcases the beauty of eggplant; cooked to perfection in a sweet and spicy garlic sauce, this dish is a perfect example of how Chinese cuisine can make even vegetables the star of the show. Though it has no meat, it tastes just as good with rice as General Tso's chicken.

File:Qiezi.jpgPopo le Chien on Wikimedia