These are the dishes you’ll typically order in a restaurant or at a banquet — they highlight Cantonese technique (subtle seasoning, precise heat control) and showcase fresh ingredients.

1. Gān chǎo niú hé — Dry-fried beef rice noodles (干炒牛河)

How it’s made / seasoning: Wide rice noodles (ho fun) are tossed on very high heat with thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, spring onion, and savory soy seasonings. The signature is the quick, violent heat that creates wok-hei (鑊氣) — the smoky, toasty aroma you want. Taste / texture / feature: Smoky, slightly charred aroma; tender beef and silky noodles that carry the soy glaze. A true test of a Cantonese chef’s wok skills. Tip for tourists: Look for places where you can watch the chef stir-fry on high heat — that sizzle is part of the show. Best eaten right away while still hot.

2. Claypot rice (煲仔饭 / bò zǎi fàn)

How it’s made / seasoning: Rice and toppings (lap cheong/Chinese sausage, preserved meats, chicken, or spare ribs) are cooked together in a claypot. The bottom crisps into a prized crust (the “pot rice” or锅巴). Before eating, the pot is drizzled with soy-based sauce and mixed. Taste / texture / feature: Savory, slightly smoky rice with bites of sweet-salty sausage or succulent chicken; the crispy bottom adds a lovely contrast. Tip for tourists: Ask the cook for extra crust/pot-rice if you like crunch. Eat straight from the pot and mix sauce in to your taste.

3. White-cut chicken (白切鸡)

How it’s made / seasoning: A whole chicken is gently poached to preserve natural juices, then chopped and served with a ginger-scallion oil or light dipping sauce. The technique preserves the pure chicken flavor. Taste / texture / feature: Silky, tender meat with a clean, natural chicken taste. Simple but very revealing of ingredient quality. Tip for tourists: Choose restaurants that use local free-range (走地) chicken if you want more flavor; dip lightly in ginger-scallion sauce.

4. Roast goose (烧鹅)

How it’s made / seasoning: Typically made from well-fattened domestic geese, the bird is cleaned, lightly blanched, marinated, hung to dry and glazed (often with maltose or a sugar glaze) so the skin caramelizes. Traditional roasters finish it over charcoal — fruitwoods like lychee are prized for a subtle fruity-smoke.

Taste / texture / feature: Crisp, glossy skin with rich, juicy meat underneath; the contrast of crunchy skin, rendered fat and tender flesh is the signature.

Tip for tourists: Best eaten hot so the skin stays crisp — ask if the shop uses fruitwood (lychee) charcoal for a more authentic, smoky aroma.

5. Char siu — Cantonese BBQ pork (叉烧)

How it’s made / seasoning: Pork (usually shoulder or loin) is marinated with honey, hoisin/char-siu sauce, five-spice and soy, then roasted until caramelized. Taste / texture / feature: Sweet-savory glaze, slightly charred edges, tender slices with a pleasant fattiness. Common both in restaurants and as a takeaway roast. Tip for tourists: Try thinly sliced pieces to judge the sweetness level; pair with rice or include as part of a mixed roast plate.