Tips on dining out in Beijing

Here’s some advice on navigating the Beijing dining scene:

* Don’t worry if you don’t speak Chinese. Many menus are translated into English, though with sometimes amusing results. Menus may include photos of the dishes. If all else fails, point to what looks good at another table.

* As for getting to the restaurant, ask your hotel concierge to write down its address in Chinese characters so you can give it to the taxi driver, or once in the cab, call the restaurant and hand the phone to the driver. (Take your hotel name and address with you so you can get back easily.) It is proper to use two hands to give or accept business cards.

* Credit cards are not universally accepted.

* Call ahead, if possible. The restaurant scene is changing rapidly, so make sure your choice still exists. Also, many restaurants close between lunch and dinner.

* Smoking is allowed in many restaurants -- even in the expensive ones -- and the no-smoking “section” might be just a few tables right next to the smokers.

* Menus can be enormous, with many pages of pictures and descriptions. And the waiter often stands at the table while you consider what to eat. Don’t feel rushed: Ordering is a much more consultative process than in the U.S., and the server may be there just to discuss the meal to come. If you can’t converse, don’t worry; just smile and take your time.

* The more people the better, so you can taste many dishes. The delivery of dishes can seem random, with rice usually appearing toward the end of the meal. Vegetarians can eat well in many restaurants.

* No tipping, though expect a 15% service charge in fancier places.

* Bathrooms? My best advice is: “Hold it.” In expensive restaurants, the bathrooms should be fine, but otherwise be prepared for a hole in the floor. If there’s a handicapped stall, go there; it usually has a toilet.

* Napkins are rare, so take packets of tissues.

-- Mary MacVean/Times staff writer