Fine China

Wanna order Chinese food like a pro? Tips and tricks from eGullet guru Steven Shaw.

While our fantasies of an Anthony Bourdain–style tour of Asia may never pan out, discovering the secret “restaurant” within any Asian restaurant can be equally transporting—if you know how to find it. Or so says Steven A. Shaw: writer, blogger and founder of eGullet.com.

In his latest book, “Asian Dining Rules,” which hits shelves this week, Shaw believes that you don’t have to be a native diner to get the full insider experience. “Every Asian restaurant is really two restaurants,” Shaw writes, “the one where the outsiders eat and one where the insiders dine.” In the book, Shaw offers helpful tips on getting the most authentic dishes at any Asian restaurant. And when it comes to getting the “real stuff,” you just gotta know how to ask for it.

Ask for it we did on our own guerilla-style dinner with Shaw, where we put his tips and tricks to the test. The testing ground: Grand Sichuan House, in Bay Ridge. The mission: authentic Sichuan eats. The outcome: enlightenment. —Kelly Dobkin


Pictured: Grand Sichuan's twice-cooked pork