Order More Exciting Office Meals: Authentic Chinese Dishes Liven Up the Lunch Hour

When you’re tasked with ordering Chinese food for office meals, it can be easy to go for the classic standbys: sweet and sour chicken, egg rolls, crab wontons… but the same-old, same-old can make working lunches and meeting fare become part of the daily routine instead of a real, enjoyable break from the workday.

Think of it this way: if a company decides to provide office meals, whether every day or on special occasions, they have an opportunity to accomplish much more than just feeding employees. A simple lunch can communicate appreciation, boost morale, and provide a chance for socialization and relationship building — all factors that can have a lasting impact on employee engagement and job satisfaction in the office. But when the meals being served become predictable and just another part of the routine, the meaning behind the food can become muddled and the opportunity is lost.

The good news is that you don’t need to have a Google-sized food budget to create a special experience out of a meal. Instead, just make it a point to order unexpected items instead of the typical fare. And when it comes to Chinese food — one of the most popular cuisines for office meals — it’s easy to find a few unique dishes that will keep enthusiasm buzzing around the break room! Here are a few ideas to try:

Dim sum means “drink tea”, but when baskets full of dumplings and bite-sized treats appear, sipping tea will likely be the last thing on your mind. From pillowy barbecued pork buns (char siu bao) to shrimp-stuffed dumplings (ha gao), the fun of dim sum is trying a wide array of dishes — which makes it incredibly social and perfect for a lively office get-together…  just consider the picky eaters before ordering chicken feet.

Dan dan mian is a street noodle dish from the Sichuan province of China. The ingredients can vary, but the basic idea is a pile of fresh, warm noodles set over chile oil; from there, assortments of pickled vegetables, peanuts, peppers, scallions, and minced pork can be mixed in. Think of it as a Chinese version of ramen or pho (but please don’t say that in front of any ramen or pho enthusiasts).

Xiao long bao are more commonly known as soup dumplings, and the name kind of says it all: a thin-skinned dumpling is full of a rich broth (usually pork) so that when you bite into it, you’re eating soup. Making soup dumplings is pretty involved (chilling the soup into a gelatin, inserting it into the dumpling skin, and then liquifying it again during the steaming process), but the result is a totally unique experience! A little harder to find than your typical dim sum dishes, but if you spot these on a menu, make sure to try them at least once.

You’ve probably never had tofu quite like ma po tofu (also called mapo doufu). This fiery dish starts with a rich, spicy broth swirled with chile oil; then a pile of tofu is layered in, and finally that’s topped with minced pork. So while not a vegetarian-friendly dish when prepared traditionally, this dish is guaranteed to please the spicy-food lovers in the office!

Whatever Chinese dishes you choose to try, Waiter.com has a wide array of menus to ensure your office meals are convenient, delicious, and always unexpected!