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If you want Chinese food, going to Chinatown is always an option - but perhaps not the best one. Many of Chinatown's restaurants are basically set up to serve fried rice and sweet and sour gloop to the tourists who don't know any better, so it's unlikely you'll get anything worth eating by choosing at random. Read reviews, and learn who to trust (Ian Fenn at Time Out is very reliable). It's less of a crapshoot with dim sum - but still, some places are better than others.

Another thing to note is that the service in Chinese restaurants is often described by non-Chinese people as being rude and unpleasant. It's a cultural thing; British people who aren't used to interacting with Chinese people see rudeness where there is simply a difference in expectations. Good service in a Chinese restaurant is fast and efficient rather than solicitous and informative. Basically, if you expect obsequious service then you will almost certainly be disappointed - so don't do that.

See also:

Places to get Chinese food (view them on a map):

This is version 6 (as of 2008-06-05 10:53:52). View current version. List all versions.