Chinese Chefs Reveal Restaurant Dishes to Avoid, Including Roast Duck and Prawn Dumplings

Two prominent Chinese chefs have identified specific dishes and menu descriptions that can signal a decline in quality or authenticity at Chinese restaurants. These insights come as Chinese food ranks as the UK's second favorite foreign cuisine, following Italian.

Chefs Emily Tang, owner of Banquet 88, and Cheong Yew, co-founder of Three Uncles, advise caution with certain popular items, emphasizing that taste, texture, and preparation methods are key indicators of quality.

Dishes to Approach with Caution

Roast duck is a dish that warrants careful consideration. According to Tang, roast meats should ideally have crisp skin and juicy meat. Soggy or leathery skin, she noted, could suggest the dish has been stored improperly or reheated. Yew added that a well-prepared roast duck should be flavorful on its own, without needing excessive sauce to compensate for blandness. Both chefs warned against rubbery skin, excessive fat, or dry, tough meat as warning signs.

Ambiguous menu descriptions are another point of concern for Tang. Dishes like "mixed vegetables" or "steamed fish" can be problematic if the specific components are not disclosed. Chefs should be able to clearly articulate what goes into such dishes, even if not explicitly listed on the menu.

When it comes to prawn dumplings, Tang highlighted the importance of texture, stating that the filling should be bouncy and juicy, contrasting with the delicate wrapper. Finely minced prawns that lack this texture might indicate that the filling is being bulked out. Similarly, for pork and prawn siu mai, Yew looks for discernible pieces of prawn within the filling, rather than a completely smooth paste, emphasizing a satisfying bite.

Sweet and sour chicken, a classic dish, is also subject to scrutiny. Tang described a well-executed version as a "texture explosion" with a balanced sauce, crisp batter, and tender chicken. Overly sweet or sour sauces, or excessively crispy batter, could suggest the chicken has been fried multiple times or that the sauce is unbalanced. Yew cautioned against dishes where sweetness is the dominant, or only, flavor, arguing it masks the complexity of good Chinese cooking.

Dim sum selections can also be revealing. Tang suggested that a limited offering of only three or four dim sum items, or a single platter, might indicate that the dumplings are not made fresh in-house. The preparation of fresh dim sum typically requires a skilled team and a broader range of options.

Fried rice, often seen as a simple dish, is highlighted by Tang as a strong indicator of a kitchen's standards. Good fried rice should have individual grains of rice, with ingredients evenly dispersed. Greasy or soggy rice suggests a lack of control and effort.

Char siu, or Cantonese barbecue pork, should not be judged solely by its bright red color, according to Yew. He advises looking for caramelized edges, a glossy finish, and tender, juicy meat with balanced flavors. Bland or dry meat, regardless of color, is a sign of poor preparation.

Steamed bao, or buns, should have soft, light dough and a generous, well-seasoned filling. Yew warned against bao that are dense or underfilled, where the dough overwhelms the filling.

Finally, Tang cautioned against restaurants with extensive menus being operated out of very small kitchen spaces. The variety of dishes offered, such as roast meats, dim sum, and wok dishes, typically requires significant prep and cooking space. A mismatch between menu size and kitchen capacity can be a red flag.

Positive Indicators

On the other hand, the chefs pointed to several "green flags." Tang suggested that directness from staff, even if seemingly blunt, can be a sign of pride in their food and ingredients. Yew recommended exploring traditional, less familiar dishes on menus, as these often rely on fresh ingredients and authentic techniques. He specifically mentioned Mapo Tofu, Tomato and Egg Stir Fry, Steamed Fish with Ginger and Spring Onion, and Braised Aubergine as examples.

Both chefs agreed that crispy pork belly is a strong indicator of quality. Because achieving perfectly crisp skin is difficult and doesn't transport well, its presence on a menu often signifies it's made fresh on-site. Yew described ideal crispy pork belly as having a light crunch and skin that is blistered and crisp but easy to bite through.