What to Order
Good First Chinese Vegetable Dishes
Chinese vegetable dishes can be mild, garlicky, spicy, saucy, dry-fried, or banquet-style. The sauce usually determines the dietary signals.
Good first orders
| Dish or format | Why it works | Signals to check |
|---|---|---|
| Garlic greens | Simple, widely available. | Alliums, shared wok. |
| Chinese broccoli | Cantonese green vegetable. | Oyster sauce or soy sauce. |
| Dry-fried green beans | Sichuan vegetable dish. | Possible pork, chile. |
| Fish-fragrant eggplant | Saucy Sichuan eggplant. | Garlic, soy, possible pork. |
| Stir-fried pea shoots | Delicate green vegetable. | Garlic, shared wok. |
| Mushrooms and tofu | Vegetarian-style option. | Soy, oyster sauce, gluten depending on sauce. |
Ordering principle
These are not rankings. They are practical starting points for building a balanced order with enough variety, manageable risk, and a clear relationship to the restaurant format.