Spring Festival reunion dinners a hot commodity

热门商品——年夜饭

Visitors admire replica dishes for Chinese New Year's Eve at a folk custom show in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Jan 11, 2020. [Photo/China News Service]

2020年1月11日，在陕西省西安市的一场民俗表演中，游客们正在欣赏除夕菜肴的复制品。（图源中新社）

It took Shanghai resident Su Zhihao several rounds of phone calls and personal visits to three restaurants to secure a reservation for a family reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year.

上海市民苏志豪(音)打了几轮电话，亲自去了三家餐厅，才订到了年夜饭。

A family feast on the occasion has long been an essential part of celebrating the most important festival in China, also known as Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 25 this year.

一场家庭聚餐成为了庆祝中国最重要的节日——春节必不可少的组成部分，今年的春节是1月25日。

"Before I got married, we used to eat at home," said Su, 30. "This year, we will be joined by family from my wife's side."

30岁的苏志豪说：“在我结婚前，我们一般都在家里吃饭。而今年，我妻子的家人也要一起吃年夜饭。”

While Su is looking forward to the big reunion, a family feast at home is a challenge.

在他期待着大团圆的同时，在家里吃年夜饭就成了一个挑战。

"So we decided to go to a restaurant, but it's really difficult to find a suitable one less than a month ahead of the holiday," Su said.

他说：“所以我们决定去餐馆，但在离除夕不到一个月的时间里，很难找到一家合适的餐馆。”

By suitable, Su said, he meant he had to consider the price, cuisine, location and, last but not least, availability. Reservations at major restaurants have run short in major cities despite higher prices due to the rising cost of labor and food, especially pork.

他说他指的合适，是需要考虑价格、味道、地点，还有不能忽视的是否还能预订。尽管劳动力和食品价格在上涨，尤其是猪肉价格的上涨，但大中城市的主要餐厅仍供不应求。

"All of our tables and rooms for Spring Festival Eve have already been booked," said Wang Shijia, deputy manager of Lubolang, one of the most famous traditional restaurants in Shanghai. It has received many foreign dignitaries, including former United States president Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth II.

上海最著名的传统餐厅之一“绿波廊”的副经理王世佳(音)说：“我们所有的年夜饭餐桌和包间都已经订满了。”这家酒店曾接待许多外国政要，包括美国前总统比尔·克林顿和英国女王伊丽莎白二世。

With 10 dishes, three dim sums and a fruit plate, the restaurant, which just completed a renovation in October, offers festival sets for 10 people priced from 3,988 yuan to 6,888 yuan ($570-980).

10道菜、3道点心和一个水果拼盘，这家刚于10月份改造一新的餐厅提供了这种10人节日套餐，价格从3988元到6888元不等（即570-980美元）。

"Even before our reopening, our patrons were calling in, making reservations for our festival meals," Wang said.

“甚至在我们重新开业前，我们的老顾客就已经打电话来，预订年夜饭了。”副经理说。

Similar demand is being observed in other cities such as Beijing and Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province.

北京和陕西省省会西安等其他城市也有类似的预订需求。

Guan Na, meeting events director for Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido, said the hotel has launched set meals for the festival, catering to families of various sizes, which have proved popular.

北京丽都皇冠假日酒店的会议活动总监关娜(音)说，酒店已经推出了年夜饭套餐，为各种规模的家庭提供餐饮服务，深受欢迎。

Dong Hui, manager of the newly opened Hualuxe hotel in Xi'an, said the hotel offered 15 tables for Spring Festival Eve meals and most had already been booked.

西安新开业的华邑酒店经理董辉(音)说，酒店将提供15桌年夜饭，大多数已经被预订。

"Traditionally, Chinese parents make the family reunion meals at home, but as more children want their parents to save the sweat and have a good rest during the last day of the lunar year, people come to us," Dong said.

他说：“按照传统，中国父母会在家里做年夜饭，但随着越来越多的孩子希望父母能在农历年的最后一天不那么辛苦，好好休息一下，大家就会选择我们酒店了。”

Su, who eventually booked a 4,000 yuan meal set for 15 people in a private dining room at a restaurant, agreed that convenience is the top reason behind the demand.

苏志豪先生最终预订了一家餐馆的包间，订了15人4000元的年夜饭套餐，他认为方便是在外吃团年饭的需求背后的首要原因。

"The more people we gather, the merrier the festival atmosphere," Su said, "but only when you don't have to fuss over the cooking."

他说：“人越多，越有节日气氛，但前提是你不用操心做饭的事。”

翻译：MS小冰晶