Tea is served, but first, you'll have to do the washing-up

YOU'VE sat down, ordered your dim sum, and been elbowed by an old lady from the next table who's wildly gesturing and yelling at her companions over the restaurant's din.

Having moved yourself a safe distance away, you're back to waiting for plates and chopsticks to be laid out so you can tuck right into your siu mai and chicken feet that you've come to Hong Kong to savour.

So you're confused when the waiter comes by and hurriedly dumps a pile of crockery and utensils in the middle of your table, along with what looks like a large mixing bowl for a salad you don't recall ordering.