Navigating a Chinese Takeaway Menu

Chinese takeaway is one of the most popular choices across the UK and beyond — but with menus often running to several pages, it can be hard to know where to start. Whether you're a first-timer or a regular who always orders the same thing, this guide helps you understand what's worth trying and why.

The Essential Starters

Chinese starters set the tone for your meal. Here are the classics you'll find on almost every menu:

  • Spring Rolls: Crispy pastry filled with vegetables and sometimes pork or prawn. Light and crunchy — a great way to start.
  • Prawn Toast: Minced prawn mixture on white bread, deep-fried and sesame-coated. Rich and satisfying.
  • Crispy Seaweed: Despite the name, this is usually deep-fried shredded cabbage — but utterly addictive.
  • Dim Sum / Dumplings: Available at more specialist places, these steamed or fried parcels are a highlight if you can find them.

Main Course: The Heavy Hitters

This is where most people spend their budget, and rightly so. Chinese mains are generally designed to be shared:

Duck Dishes

Crispy Aromatic Duck is the undisputed king of the Chinese takeaway main. Half or quarter duck is served with thin pancakes, sliced cucumber, spring onion, and hoisin sauce. You assemble it yourself — and it's always worth the effort.

Chicken, Beef & Pork

  • Sweet & Sour Chicken (Hong Kong Style): Battered chicken with a vivid, tangy sauce — a crowd-pleaser for all ages.
  • Beef in Black Bean Sauce: Tender strips of beef with a savoury, slightly fermented black bean sauce. Excellent over rice.
  • Char Siu (Barbecue Pork): Slow-roasted pork with a caramelised glaze. If the restaurant makes it fresh, don't miss it.
  • Kung Po Chicken: A spicy, nutty stir-fry with dried chillies and peanuts — more complex than its sweet-and-sour counterpart.

Noodles & Rice

No Chinese order is complete without a base. Egg fried rice is the default and rarely disappoints. Chow mein (stir-fried noodles) is a solid alternative — ask for it dry or saucy depending on preference. Singapore noodles (thin rice vermicelli with curry powder and prawns) are underrated and worth trying.

Tips for Building the Perfect Order

  1. Share generously: Chinese food is designed for communal eating. Order 1 main per person, plus a shared starter and a couple of rice/noodle dishes.
  2. Balance your flavours: Mix a saucy dish (like sweet & sour) with a drier stir-fry and a steamed option if available.
  3. Don't ignore the specials board: Many Chinese takeaways put their best, most authentic dishes on a separate specials menu — often written in Chinese. Ask what's on it.
  4. Sauces on the side: If you're health-conscious or mixing dishes, ask for sauces on the side so you can control portions.

Regional Variations to Know

Most UK Chinese takeaways draw from Cantonese cooking — characterised by lighter sauces, seafood, and steamed dishes. Sichuan cuisine (known for numbing spice from Sichuan peppercorns) is becoming increasingly available and is worth seeking out if you enjoy heat. Peking (Beijing) style dishes tend to be richer and more roasted in character.

What to Avoid

Avoid over-ordering saucy dishes with no textural contrast — your meal can become a sea of gravy. Also, don't skip vegetables entirely; dishes like stir-fried pak choi or mixed vegetables cut through the richness and balance the meal beautifully.