Beijing cuisine consists of a variety of dumplings, baked and steamed breads, various buns and noodles. Mandarin-style meals usually include vegetable dishes, soups, tofu (soybean curd), and fish. The food is mild in taste, is often slightly oily, and vinegar and garlic are common ingredients; food is frequently fried, stewed, or braised. Some favorite snack foods, such as buns and dumplings, can double as meals. Round flat buns are stuffed with meat and pan-fried or baked with sesame seeds sprinkled on top, while dumplings are filled with a meat or vegetable mixture and steamed, boiled, or fried.
Cantonese food is the mildest and most common kind of Chinese food in the United States. Cantonese food tends to be more colorful, less spicy and is usually stir fried, which preserves both the texture and flavor. Dim Sum or "tea lunch" (usually tasty little dumplings and pastries stuffed with meats and vegetables) are served at many Cantonese restaurants during lunch hours. Most of the time the food is brought around on tiny carts, allowing the diner to pick-and-choose entrees from tiny bamboo steamers and trays.
Food from the Szechwan regions of China use lots of garlic, scallions, and chili. Therefore, it's the spiciest region of Chinese food available and certainly very tasty. When prepared in a traditional manner, many of the dishes are very hot, although banquet dishes tend to be milder. Chicken, pork, river fish, and shellfish are all popular items.