In larger Chinese restaurants you will be met and seated by a hostess. Tea (often free) will usually be brought after you sit down. Service may appear abrupt to Western eyes, and some staff may be genuinely rude, but generally it is a matter of different culture, different approach, don't be intimidated. 

Menus often have English translations, but sometimes not all available dishes will be listed in translation, 'seasonal specialities', for example, are usually only in Chinese. If in doubt, point. Check the price of seasonal and other specialities carefully, they are usually expensive. 

When food arrives help yourself from the communally presented dishes. Request a fork if chopsticks are too difficult. Porcelain spoons are provided for soups. Never leave chopsticks sticking up in food - this symbolises a funeral boat and death and is considered unlucky. 

The bill is mai dan, otherwise simply gesture. Even where service is included it is usual to leave any small change as an extra tip. Otherwise tip 10 per cent. 

Chinese meals usually start with a cold meat dish followed by fish or seafood, red or white meat, vegetables and soup. White rice is the usual accompaniment, though bread noodles can replace rice, especially in northern- style (Peking) restaurants. When ordering the general rule is to order one dish per person, plus one extra (usually a soup). Traditionally a meal should combine the five basic tastes of Chinese cooking: hot, bitter, acid, sweet and salty, thus maintaining the delicate balance between the positive (yang) and negative (ying). Textures should balance crisp and tender, dry and sauced. Such tenets were established centuries ago, and many younger Chinese view them as little more than superstition, though they are still frequently adhered to.

Tea is a common accompaniment to most Chinese and other Asian cuisines. It is drunk without milk, sugar or lemon. Beer is also widely drunk: the best Chinese beer is Tsingtao, made to a German recipe, though locally brewed San Miguel and Carlsberg are also popular. Wine, especially fine French claret, is becoming increasingly coveted, thanks largely to its price and prestige, as is VSOP brandy. Chinese 'wine' is worth a try at least once, though it is generally made from flowers, herbs and grains (rice and millet), and with an alcohol content around 70 per cent is actually more of a spirit than a wine. Mao tai and kao liang are two of the most poweful, while sui hing is often served warm on winter days.

You have to be careful in Hong Kong's Indian restaurants. They offer some of the city's cheapest dining experiences, but ambience, food - and occasionally hygiene standards - are not what they might be. Most of the better places tend to offer northern Indian cuisine, which is relatively mild and focuses on tandoori- cooked meats: at lunch you might try curry buffets or plump for thali, a tray of house specialities which allows you to taste a range of different dishes. Japanese restaurants are at the opposite end of the price scale, but you can keep prices down by choosing a multi-course set meal (kaiseki) or avoiding the more expensive fish dishes - notably sushi and sashimi - in favour of hotpots such as sukiyaki, tempura (deep-fried fish and vegetables) or teriyaki beef and pork dishes.