Spring Festival reunion dinners a hot commodity

熱門(mén)商品——年夜飯

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，在陜西省西安市的一場(chǎng)民俗表演中，游客們正在欣賞除夕菜肴的復(fù)制品。（圖源中新社）

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.

上海市民蘇志豪(音)打了幾輪電話，親自去了三家餐廳，才訂到了年夜飯。

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.

一場(chǎng)家庭聚餐成為了慶祝中國(guó)最重要的節(jié)日——春節(jié)必不可少的組成部分，今年的春節(jié)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歲的蘇志豪說(shuō)：“在我結(jié)婚前，我們一般都在家里吃飯。而今年，我妻子的家人也要一起吃年夜飯?！?/div>

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

在他期待著大團(tuán)圓的同時(shí)，在家里吃年夜飯就成了一個(gè)挑戰(zhàn)。

"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.

他說(shuō)：“所以我們決定去餐館，但在離除夕不到一個(gè)月的時(shí)間里，很難找到一家合適的餐館。”

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.

他說(shuō)他指的合適，是需要考慮價(jià)格、味道、地點(diǎn)，還有不能忽視的是否還能預(yù)訂。盡管勞動(dòng)力和食品價(jià)格在上漲，尤其是豬肉價(jià)格的上漲，但大中城市的主要餐廳仍供不應(yīng)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.

上海最著名的傳統(tǒng)餐廳之一“綠波廊”的副經(jīng)理王世佳(音)說(shuō)：“我們所有的年夜飯餐桌和包間都已經(jīng)訂滿了?！边@家酒店曾接待許多外國(guó)政要，包括美國(guó)前總統(tǒng)比爾·克林頓和英國(guó)女王伊麗莎白二世。

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道點(diǎn)心和一個(gè)水果拼盤(pán)，這家剛于10月份改造一新的餐廳提供了這種10人節(jié)日套餐，價(jià)格從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.

“甚至在我們重新開(kāi)業(yè)前，我們的老顧客就已經(jīng)打電話來(lái)，預(yù)訂年夜飯了?！备苯?jīng)理說(shuō)。

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

北京和陜西省省會(huì)西安等其他城市也有類(lèi)似的預(yù)訂需求。

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.

北京麗都皇冠假日酒店的會(huì)議活動(dòng)總監(jiān)關(guān)娜(音)說(shuō)，酒店已經(jīng)推出了年夜飯?zhí)撞?，為各種規(guī)模的家庭提供餐飲服務(wù)，深受歡迎。

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.

西安新開(kāi)業(yè)的華邑酒店經(jīng)理董輝(音)說(shuō)，酒店將提供15桌年夜飯，大多數(shù)已經(jīng)被預(yù)訂。

"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.

他說(shuō)：“按照傳統(tǒng)，中國(guó)父母會(huì)在家里做年夜飯，但隨著越來(lái)越多的孩子希望父母能在農(nóng)歷年的最后一天不那么辛苦，好好休息一下，大家就會(huì)選擇我們酒店了。”

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.

蘇志豪先生最終預(yù)訂了一家餐館的包間，訂了15人4000元的年夜飯?zhí)撞?，他認(rèn)為方便是在外吃團(tuán)年飯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."

他說(shuō)：“人越多，越有節(jié)日氣氛，但前提是你不用操心做飯的事。”

翻譯：MS小冰晶