Well, I'll answer my own question. We served Tsingtao Chinese beer (pronounced, I found out, "Ching Dow"), and a Riesling, something I found was more or less universally recommended for Cantonese style food if you were only serving one wine. Everything was well received - and the beer was especially appreciated by the Chinese wait staff at the restaurant since we asked each of them to help themselves to a bottle if they wished.

Just saw this or I would have posted earlier. There was a Chinese guy in Manhattan who was a wine freak - was on a mission to show that wine worked w Chinese food. Great restaurant and great wines. He finally sold his place (Henry's, on 1st Ave) and moved to Napa to open a restaurant.

You did well.

Problem w much Chinese food is the salt levels - soy sauce, fermented beans, etc. So reds, especially tannic reds, can taste really wierd. Cantonese tends to be lighter with a lot of seafood, so I would go with whites. People recommend gwertztraminer - OK I guess, but chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc, and some others work better. I would avoid anything that has noticable oak and instead look for something with light, crisp flavors and lots of acidity. Riesling can be perfect as it comes in so many guises.