The first rule of eating tempura is to get it while it's hot. If you're sitting at the counter, the chef will transfer each piece directly from the vat of hot oil to the counter in front of you, placing it on a sheet of white paper to drain off the excess oil. Even if you're sitting at a table, every effort will be made to get your tempura to you as hot as possible. When you use the dipping sauce, it's a good idea to dip the tempura quickly and avoid lengthy soaking. The sauce may come with a small mound of grated radish, which can be mixed in.
Some tempura fans forgo the dipping sauce entirely, using just a bit of salt or lemon for seasoning.
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