Every time my parents come to visit Boston, I inevitably end up consuming a lot more Chinese food than I care to. We don't have the best Chinese food back in North Carolina, so their first stop is Chinatown; specifically dim sum and dumplings. It's atrocious, really, because I can afford to eat Chinese food. What they should be doing is taking me to eat in the North End or other places that have food that I can't afford to eat on a regular basis. I give them hell for this.
In any event, I have spent a lot of my life eating at Chinese restaurants. Back home, we had Chinese food every Sunday because my grandmother refused to eat anything American. From those experiences and from working at a restaurant that is literally steps away from Chinatown, I have noticed some very specific things about how Asians like to have their meals.
1) Appetizers don't exist. The food comes when it is ready.
2) Tea is the new water. It's always on the table and you are not going to be asked if you'd like something else to drink.
3) They share everything. Asians don't understand the concept of everyone getting an individual plate. This confuses my friends to no end every time we go out to eat Chinese food. It's meant to be shared. The funny thing is when Asians come into American restaurants and the opposite thing happens. They want to share everything but the waiters are insistent on putting plates in front of specific people.
4) Desserts do not exist. The few that do exist are not very good. This (in my opinion) is because Asians don't bake. They fry, they grill, they saute, they steam, they don't bake.
5) Forks are not an option. White or Asian, they don't supply a fork unless you ask for one. You should know how to use chopsticks. The funny thing is, I always ask for a fork. Because chopsticks just take too long. My dad is the same way, though, so I don't feel bad. Are we bad Asians? Perhaps we are. My dad and I also don't eat rice. We believe it is a waste of stomach space.
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