The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

oriental food
 n.

    Hackers display an intense tropism towards oriental cuisine, especially
    Chinese, and especially of the spicier varieties such as Szechuan and
    Hunan. This phenomenon (which has also been observed in subcultures that
    overlap heavily with hackerdom, most notably science-fiction fandom) has
    never been satisfactorily explained, but is sufficiently intense that one
    can assume the target of a hackish dinner expedition to be the best local
    Chinese place and be right at least three times out of four. See also ravs
    , great-wall, stir-fried random, laser chicken, Yu-Shiang Whole
    Fish. Thai, Indian, Korean, Burmese, and Vietnamese cuisines are also
    quite popular.