It’s just a side dish.

Watching the dishes means watching what people say and do. The meaning is the same. It has a similar meaning to "move to the wind" and is close to a neutral word. In life, there are always some people who are good at observing words and emotions and then acting according to the circumstances. They attach great importance to the rich, the poor, the noble, the humble, the powerful and the status in interpersonal communication, and are good at "seeing what other people offer and do what they like" in their words and deeds.