Standardized Names for Chinese Dishes
In an effort to prevent tourists from becoming confused or scared-off by Chinese dishes with names often translated directly from Chinese to English, like fish fragrance eggplant (boy doesn’t that sound delicious!), the Chinese government has developed a standardized list of names for Chinese dishes.
I think this is a great idea and I really hope it catches on, both at home and abroad.
Unfortunately, according to the Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the guide “will be available to restaurants at the three-star level and above beginning June 20.”
It would be great if it were freely available online too.
For one thing, I’d like to have it as a reference; it sure would be handy to bookmark on an iPhone for use when you’re actually at a Chinese restaurant and want a clearer idea of what you’re ordering.
For another thing, there are plenty of restaurants in China that are not at the three star level but that are frequented by expats. Surprisingly, many of these restaurants have English menus, even in cities with very small expat populations, like Weifang. A freely available, well-publicized, online version of this menu might help speed the adoption of the menu even in these smaller restaurants.
If it has been put online and anyone knows where to find it please point to it in the comments.
Tags China, Chinese Food
July 3, 2008 at 1:20 pm
http://www.for68.com/new/2008/6/li8655365544181680024816-0.htm
Does this help?
April 24, 2009 at 3:56 am
I think this can be very interesting for tourists or even business people who don’t go to China very often but like to take their business relations to dinner. Most of the times the English translations aren’t very clear, so you still don’t have a clue what you are ordering when you read the description on the menu. If there would be standardized names for Chinese dishes I would very much welcome this idea.