N talked about meeting up with a neighbour. He invited her over "for some chinky chonk". I know there's that Eastend banter which tests a person's mettle. Culturally, people are direct. They say things and you answer back. And respect to you, when you do answer back.
I think that's why middle-class English people think Eastenders are racist. To me, they're no more racist than the middle-classes, just more direct and more challenging.
But I don't know, if you wouldn't say something to a person's face, should you say it behind their back? I guess I don't think she would have phrased it like that if I was Chinese...