In Japan, like many other Asian countries, most households and restaurants will serve meals in the form of shared plates. Most people in the West don’t have a frame of etiquette for this kind of situation, so the prospect of dining with a communal dish can understandably be a little strange. In case the situation should ever arise for you, take the advice of our Lynnwood Japanese restaurant and follow these simple rules:
With a shared plate, it is generally appropriate to serve yourself onto your own personal plate. There may be a spoon or large pair of chopsticks for this purpose, but it is also perfectly acceptable to use your own chopsticks if no such utensil is provided. In this case, it’s common practice to pick food off of the shared plate with the end of the sticks opposite the one that you eat off of, for the sake of sanitation. Use good judgement and be mindful of others, and your shared dining experience should be a success among all circles!