How to Spot an Authentic Chinese Restaurant

Whether you’re looking for comfort food, indulging in your cravings, or just satisfying the foodie in you, you’ll never go wrong by going to a Chinese restaurant. A steaming hot soup and a good batch of dumplings is always a good idea, but not until you realise you’ve walked into a trap of a fake Chinese restaurant.

Authenticity plays a very huge role in the taste, vibe, and overall experience of eating Chinese cuisine. To give you a tip, here are some foolproof ways on how to spot a bonafide Chinese restaurant.

1. Majority of the people dining in are Asians

If you’re worried about whether the restaurant you picked serves authentic dishes, just take a quick look around. If the place is patronised by Chinese customers, chances are, it’s a legitimate Chinese restaurant.

2. Their chopsticks are made of metal

Check whether their utensils are made of metal or not. If its made of wood or plastic, you might want to rethink what you’re putting in between those chopsticks.

3. Their food is not salty

Good Chinese food isn’t salty nor greasy. It doesn’t need to be drowned in soy sauce or swim on an unnecessary amount of oil to taste. An authentic Chinese cook knows his or her way to finding the right balance between sweet, sour, and salty flavours.

4. They serve clay pot dishes

Clay pot dishes are almost always a staple! Bring a hearty appetite inside, you’re about to get an authentic pot of steaming soup or rice dish.

5. They give no fortune cookies

Fortune cookies were invented by Makoto Higawara, a Japanese-American immigrant who designed the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. No, giving out fortune cookies at the end of a meal isn’t an old Chinese tradition.

6. There’s tofu on the menu

Tofu is dearly loved by the Chinese people. There’s mapo tofu on the menu? It’s highly likely that that restaurant is an authentic Chinese one!

8. They offer tons of vegetable dishes too

Vegetable dishes are another staple on the menu, and they’re cooked in the most unique and delicious ways. If the veggies on your plate are exotic enough for your taste, you definitely chose an authentic Chinese restaurant.

9. They serve healthy dishes

Authentic Chinese food are healthy, because Chinese people are generally a big fan of keeping their health in check. If you see customers coming out of the restaurant feeling good, take it as a good sign!

10. Chinese is the main language used in the restaurant

Most servers in authentic Chinese restaurants speak little English or none at all. Even their menus are written in Chinese characters!

Keep this checklist the next time you’re going on a food trip! Trust us, an authentic experience is bound to change the way you see Chinese food forever. Or, how about you start with Ser Seng Turtle Soup? We are authentic and have the best turtle soup in Singapore!