Eating is a universal hobby, which almost everyone in the world shares mutually. Eating not only helps to fill the gut, but is also a tantalizing experience when tastebuds are put to test. Being in Taiwan, you must never escape the chance of sampling the local cuisine. To the Chinese people, food is like the very 'air' they breathe, thus the preparation and eating of food is a chief preoccupation. The quantity and quality of their daily meals is analogous to the quality and success of life collectively.

Chinese cooking is mainly divided into a few different styles based on geographical domains: northern, southern, eastern, western, and local cuisine.

Basics of Chinese Dining

In Chinese cooking, the preparation of each dish requires concentration, time, and skill. The importance of color, aroma, and flavor are emphasized greatly in their daily cooking. A dish with fragrant aroma will whet the appetite. Basic ingredients found in most Chinese dishes are scallions, fresh ginger roots, garlic, chili peppers, wine, star anise, stick cinnamon, pepper, sesame oil, dried Chinese black mushrooms, and other mouthwatering aromatic spices. Sauces are made from vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings that add richness to a dish. Nutrition is another bearing to Chinese cooking. Ingredients used in Chinese cooking, such as scallions, garlic, ginger roots and more, have properties that thwart and alleviate various illnesses. Therefore, the correct ingredient proportions must be adhered to in the preparation of each dish or soup to ensure full nutritional value.

Ordering a Chinese meal

Going into a Chinese restaurant in Taiwan is like entering an examination room - you never know what to expect. Foreigners frequently encounter pitfalls when they try to order from a Chinese menu without fully understanding its contents.

Nonetheless, if you do not get the same menu as Chinese patrons, call upon a waiter to assist you. Do not be afraid to inquire about the freshest items at hand that day or to ask for house specialties.

The general rule of thumb for ordering any Chinese meal is to choose a main dish for each person in the group, a few appetizers, a soup perhaps, and dessert.

A typical Chinese restaurant is hardly ever quiet. The rambunctious and clamorous surrounding of any Chinese restaurant is a distinct trademark that differs from the more subdued Western tradition. Dining is a gala occasion meant to be merry and joyous. The more people in a party, the more festive the occasion.