Chinese Take Away

[elfin]

It seems in movies or on TV sitcoms, whenever the actors eat Chinese carry out they always eat it out of the carton with chopsticks. After polling friends and family, no one eats out of the carton but rather use plates. It is about 50-50 for the use of chopsticks at home. What do e-gulleteers do?

[Simon Majumdar]

On my own - out of cartons

when sharing - on plates

S

[Varmint]

Plates with chopsticks.

[wawairis]

i usually use a plate unless it's such a small amount that i'll be able to finish it in one sitting.

[Stephanie]

Plates--it's easier to microwave that way.

[col klink]

Plates and chopsticks.

[Suzanne F]

Also plates and chopsticks. Absolutely necessary when sharing with another eater.

[Jaymes]

Also plates and chopsticks.  Absolutely necessary when sharing with another eater.

Me, too.

Unless, of course, we're being filmed.

[tissue]

I don't know any take out place that uses the cartons anymore. Every place I know of uses those big styrofoam flat things.

[Miss J]

Bowl and chopsticks, with non-rice items spooned out of containers onto rice-in-bowl.

Pretentious? Moi?

[Basildog]

Plates and chopsticks to start...then i get mad cos i can't bloody use chopsticks, so then a fork

[Jaymes]

I don't know any take out place that uses the cartons anymore.

Unless you're buying goldfish.

[tommy]

i rarely see those cartons 'cept for rice. and *some* noodle dishes at some places. my chinese food comes in tins with clear plastic lids or even plastic containers.

i use a plate and a fork. the stuff is usually oversauced, and it makes it easier to mix with a bit of rice. the plate does i mean, not the fork. but actually the fork does too. what's with chopsticks anyway?

[birder53]

We still get take out in cartons but my mom gets the flat styrofoam in south Jersey. It just doesn't taste the same to me out of styrofoam.

We empty the cartons into bowls and then spoon to plates to eat with forks. I never did get the hang of chopsticks. If you eat out right of the carton you miss too much of the sauce.

[Sandra Levine]

I don't know any take out place that uses the cartons anymore.

Yes, the papers cartons have become an atavistic movie convention, like showing nuns in the habits they haven't worn since 1968.

[NeroW]

My takeout (main dish) comes in the black plastic with the clear plastic lid.

Soup in the waxed-paper like cup.

Complimentary wings in the waxed-paper like baggie.

But they still put the rice in the cool paper container with wire handles.

What does your rice come in if not the cool paper container?

On topic, I usually put the stuff in a bowl and eat it with a big spoon or some other implement that will not interfere with my shoveling. If I'm not injecting it directly into my veins, that is.

[nervousnelli]

We still get it in the cardboard cartons with the thin metal handles. We put them on the table and we serve ourselves by spooning out what we want onto or into our own plates or bowls. Is this old fashioned or just plain uncouth?

[tommy]

What does your rice come in if not the cool paper container? 

the stryofoam soup container that you apparently don't have the pleasure of seeing!

i think we should call for some standardization here. it's all too confusing.

[Marlene]

Our Chinese food place still uses cartons for most things. Really gooey things like honey garlic ribs are in round plastic containers. We plate it and use chopsticks except for my son, who at least attempts the chopsticks before giving up in frustration and asks for a fork.

[jeniac42]

I love the paper containers so when I get food in those (a few of the takeaway places still use them here) I just eat straight out of the container with chopsticks.

Any other kind of container goes to a plate, unless I'm on my lunch hour, in which case I just eat straight out of whatever it is.

[=Mark]

My favorite take-out place still uses the paper containers. How I eat depends on the circumstances. I often use the Chinese take out to bring to local outdoor concerts on the beach. When doing this I generally eat out of the containers with chopsticks. At home if I need to reheat I usually use bowls as the wire handles on the cartons tend to do mini fireworks in the microwave oven. I still use chopsticks (Except for the hot & sour soup).

[elyse]

I'm in NYC, and rarely take it out or order in. BUT my leftovers uaually come in the cartons, and I always put them on a plate unless I'm taking one bite and putting it back.

[Jinmyo]

Plates? Don't you mean bowls?

[elyse]

Depends on what I have clean.

[nyfirepatrolchef]

The joy of containers is you dont have to wash them....Im a lazy critter...

containers

If I have sticks...sticks, if not, the western way.

Sidebar here.....one of the greatest joys for me is getting off work at 8AM, heading to Big Wong on Mott Street and being the only non Asian in the place. Its slow, relaxed, QUIET thank god.....and the staff know I get my chicken congee with peanuts and ginger scallion sauce. The guys behind the counter even talk to me for a while now.