This menu is a printable list of common dishes available at most local restaurants and their estimated cost.  There is such a wide variety of dishes that it's impossible to have a comprehensive list, but if you want to "go local" on food this will get you started.  It comes in 2 formats.  The .pdf  is for users without Chinese language-capable operating systems.  You can use the .doc format if you have installed the East Asian language module packaged with Windows XP or you have another language software capable of reading GB encoded Chinese characters

                 Chinese-English Menu for Visitors

Chinese Dish	Pinyin	English Translation and/or Description	Approx Cost (RMB)
APPETIZERS 开胃品
炸花生	zha hua sheng	deep-fried peanuts	6
五彩拉皮	wu cai la pi	cold dish with glass noodles and veggies	6
拌花菜	ban hua cai	cold dish; carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, etc in vinegar and hot sauce	8-10
杏仁瓜条	xing ren gua tiao	Chinese almonds & cucumber strips	10
PORK 猪肉
锅包肉	guo bao rou	sweet and sour pork	14
糖醋里脊	tang cu li ji	sweet and sour lean pork pieces	16
鱼香肉丝	yu xiang rou si	“fish smelling pork”; no relationship to fish, a little spicy with some veggies	16
宫包肉丁	gong bao rou ding	spicy pork usu. w/ peanuts & carrots	16
京酱肉丝	jing jiang rou si	saucy meat on a bed of Chinese onions	14
排骨	pai gu	ribs (come in a variety of styles)	8-16
水煮肉片	shui zhu rou pian	Sichuan specialty; pork in a spicy soup base with some greens	16-18
CHICKEN 鸡肉
宫包鸡丁	gong bao ji ding	spicy chicken w/ peanuts & carrots	16
鱼香鸡条	yu xiang ji tiao	fish smelling chicken; see above	14
软炸鸡条	ruan zha ji tiao	breaded, deep-fried chicken strips	14
辣子鸡丁	la zi ji ding	very spicy chicken dish	16
铁板鸡片	tie ban ji pian	chicken and onions on a sizzling skillet	18-22
咖哩鸡	ga li ji	curry chicken (usually mild curry)	16
腰果鸡丁	yao guo ji ding	chicken and cashews	22-26
BEEF 牛肉
铁板牛肉	tie ban niu rou	beef and onions on a sizzling skillet	20
干煸牛肉丝	gan bian niu rou si	fried, crispy beef strips; spicy	18
咖哩牛肉	ga li niu rou	curry beef	18
孜然牛肉	zi ran niu rou	deep fried beef with cumin	18
黑胡椒牛肉	hei hu jiao niu rou	black pepper beef	16-20
红烧牛肉	hong shao niu rou	beef braised in brown sauce	16

VEGETABLES 蔬菜
地三鲜	di san xian	potatoes, green peppers and eggplant	8-12
炸薯条	zha shu tiao	Chinese French fries	10
青椒土豆片	qing jiao tu dou pian	green peppers and potatoes stir-fried	8-10
烧芸豆	shao yun dou	fried green beans	8
木须柿子	mu xu shi zi	egg and tomato wedges stir-fried	8-10
木须瓜片	mu xu gua pian	egg and cucumber slices stir-fried	8
烧荷兰豆	shao he lan dou	stir-fried snow peas (usu. with garlic)	14-16
炸茄盒	zha qie he	breaded eggplant “boxes” w/ meat filling	14
鱼香茄条	yu xiang qie tiao	fish smelling eggplant strips; see above	12
茄排	qie pai	breaded, deep-fried eggplant strips	12
烧茄子	shao qie zi	stir-fried eggplant	8-10
蚝油生菜	hao you sheng cai	lettuce stir-fried in oyster sauce	8
烧白菜	shao bai cai	fried Chinese cabbage	8
六合菜	liu he cai	six veggies; bean sprouts, mushrooms, cellophane noodles, etc.	8-12
肉磨菠菜	rou mo bo cai	ground pork with spinach
蒜苗炒肉	suan miao chao rou	garlic shoots and pork stir-fried	12
TOFU 豆腐
麻婆豆腐	ma po dou fu	tofu chunks in spicy sauce (little meat)	6-10
家常豆腐	jia chang dou fu	tofu chunks in savory sauce	6-10
麻辣豆腐	ma la dou fu	tofu chunks in spicy and numbing sauce	6-10
青椒豆腐干	qing jiao dou fu gan	dry tofu strips stir-fried w/ green peppers	10
STAPLES
米饭	mi fan	white rice	1-2
蛋炒饭	dan chao fan	egg-fried rice (usu. w/ a little veggies)	3-4
水饺	shui jiao	boiled Chinese ravioli	12/jin
锅贴	guo tie