Cantonese restaurant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cantonese restaurant |
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A seafood restaurant in Sai Kung, Hong Kong
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| Traditional Chinese | 粵式酒家 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 粤式酒家 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Cantonese Restaurants | ||||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 酒樓 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 酒楼 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | wine house | ||||||||||
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A Cantonese restaurant is a type of Chinese restaurant. These restaurants first started in Southern China. They have become very common in Hong Kong.
Contents
History of Cantonese Restaurants
Some of the first restaurants in Colonial Hong Kong were inspired by Cantonese people. Over time, many foods from Southern China became known as Cantonese-style food.
As Cantonese people moved from Hong Kong to other parts of Asia and the Western world, these restaurants opened in many Chinatowns. This happened in places all over the world. From the 1980s, many people left Hong Kong each year. This helped Cantonese restaurants spread.
Many Chinese restaurants in the United Kingdom are actually Cantonese take-out places. Most people do not know the difference between Cantonese and other Chinese food.
Cantonese restaurants began as tea-houses. Tea-houses were places where people met to drink tea. This was popular in southern China. People loved drinking tea there. So, tea-houses were always places for people to gather and socialize.
Southern China has good weather for farming. This is why many regional Chinese foods started there. Cantonese food became very popular among them.
Types of Cantonese Restaurants
In the afternoon, many Cantonese restaurants serve dim sum during a time called yum cha. A few other Cantonese dishes might also be available. In the evening, these restaurants often host big Chinese banquets with many courses.
- Tea house (chaa lau): This is a place that mainly serves tea, dim sum, and simple dishes.
- Wine house (jau lau): This place used to serve big banquets, often with nine courses for a table of 12 guests. From the early 1900s, wine houses also started offering tea and dim sum, just like tea houses. Because of this, only a few original tea houses are still open today.
- Seafood restaurants (hoi sin jau ga): These restaurants are special because they focus on dishes made with fresh, live seafood.
Modern Cantonese dishes are different from their early forms. They often use many ready-made sauces and flavors. These make the food look and taste very good. Most Chinese restaurants today cannot afford to cook only with raw herbs and spices.
How Cantonese Restaurants Work
Almost all Cantonese restaurants offer yum cha, dim sum, regular dishes, and banquets. What they serve changes depending on the time of day. Some restaurants try to be special. They might focus on hot pot dishes or seafood. Others offer food from different Chinese cuisines. These can include Sichuan, Shanghai, Fujian (like Teochew cooking), and Hakka food.
A new type of Cantonese restaurant is becoming popular. It is often called a Hong Kong-style jau lau outside of Hong Kong.
About the Food
Traditional Chinese culture really values enjoying food. They like to make dishes that taste great and look beautiful. Food is usually served in two ways. It can be on a big round plate or inside a steaming basket.
For example, most dim sum is steamed in a bamboo basket. So, Chinese restaurants serve dim sum right in the basket. For seafood restaurants or banquets, food like steamed shrimp or fried noodles comes on a big round plate. This makes it easy for everyone at the table to share the food.
Food is often placed nicely on the plates. It might have colorful decorations, like carved carrots or cucumbers. Recently, some fancy restaurants have started new ways to present Chinese food. They might shape dim sum to look like a rabbit or a fish. Making the food look good also helps people enjoy it more.
Cooking Chinese food is not easy. The cooking process is very important for good Chinese food. It is key to control the time, water, and temperature perfectly. Many famous Chinese restaurants have a long history. These popular restaurants often have secret recipes. Only an experienced chef can make a Chinese dish perfectly. You can find many Chinese restaurants, but not all of them can make truly delicious and traditional Chinese food.
Michelin-Starred Cantonese Restaurants
The Michelin Guide gives stars to very good restaurants. In 2009, 14 restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau received stars. Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong got the highest award of three stars. It was the only Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong to get this honor.
Other Cantonese restaurants that have received Michelin stars include:
- Fook Lam Moon
- Forum Restaurant
- Ming Court in Langham Place Hotel
- T’ang Court in The Langham Hotels International
- Shang Palace at Kowloon Shangri-La
- Summer Palace at Island Shangri-La
- Yung Kee
In 2013, Pang's Kitchen in Happy Valley also received one star.
Old Customs at Restaurants
Yum cha has a long history. Many customs have developed around it.
In a traditional Chinese restaurant, all tables are round. Food is served in the middle of the table. Everyone at the table shares the dishes. This is why yum cha is seen as a social event. The round table helps people talk to each other.
A common practice is to help others refill their teacup if it is empty. This is especially true for older people. It is a Chinese custom to tap your fingers twice on the table near your cup. This is a sign of thanks and respect. Parents often teach their children to show respect to elders by refilling tea and serving food to them.
Chinese Restaurants Around the World
From the 1980s, many people moved out of China. Many chefs brought their cooking skills with them. They helped create a Chinese food industry in other countries. Some businesses brought money to open Chinese restaurants abroad. People who moved brought Chinese food and its eating culture overseas. This became a main type of business for Chinese immigrants.
At first, these restaurants were not widely accepted by non-Chinese people. But by the 20th century, this changed. Younger generations have worked to change the image of Chinese food. They want it to be seen as trendy, not just cheap.
In Spain, there were about 800 Chinese restaurants in Madrid and 100 in Barcelona. In the United States, there are now three times more Chinese restaurants than McDonald's restaurants.
Famous Cantonese Restaurants
In Canton
- 廣州酒家 (Guangzhou Restaurant)
- 蓮香樓 (Lin Heung)
- 陶陶居 (Tao Tao Ju)
- 裕景軒 (Yu Jing Xuan Restaurant)
- 泮溪酒家 (Panxi Restaurant)
- 大同酒家 (Dai Tung Restaurant)
- 西關粵 (Saikwan Jyut)
- 南園酒家 (Nan Yuan Restaurant)
- 北園酒家 (Bei Yuan Restaurant)
- 西關人家 (Xi Gaun Ren Jia)
- 聚寶酒家 (JuBao Seafood Restaurant)
- 實惠堅酒樓 (ShiHui Jian)
- 炳勝品味 (Bing Sheng PinWei)
- 翠源酒家 (Zui Yuan Restaurant)
In Hong Kong
- Jumbo Floating Restaurant
- Luk Yu
- Lung Mun (龍門大酒樓)
- Mak's Noodle
- Maxim's
See also
In Spanish: Restaurante cantonés para niños
