Most Australians love the opportunity to eat out at restaurants and try new and different foods. Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Thai,  Greek, Mexican, Italian ... the food world is at our fingertips.

But not all ethnic foods are good for you. Many restaurants and fast-food chains serve up high-fat, high-calorie foods that aren't so great if you're health conscious or if you're watching your weight.

Dietitian Allan Borushek, the Calorie King, suggests keeping an eye on portion size, as restaurant servings can be much larger than the portions we would serve at home. He also makes the point that the fat quantity of a particular meal will vary from restaurant to restaurant, or even from chef to chef. To avoid eating excess fat, you can make it clear that you would like a low-fat meal when you place your order.

If you're dining out on ethnic foods, here are some ideas for keeping the calories and fat down.