Babao Duck ( duck stuffed with eight treasures) , signature dish of Lian Xiang Lou Restaurant 莲香楼的经典菜式八宝鸭
Nowadays, it is usual to see crowds of customers waiting outside some restaurants of Guangzhou in early mornings for 'Zaocha (dim sum or Cantonese morning tea)' . But in such a city full of particular foodies, what qualities are necessary for restaurants to remain popular with time passing by?
每天清晨，广州的各大茶楼还没开张，门外就已挤满了等待进场的食客——只有搭配着刚出炉的包点，嘬上一口茶，广州人的一天才算真正开始。在广州，一家茶楼要想常年屹立绝非易事。不过，有那么几家老字号，凭借各自的独家“配方”，百多年来一直安抚着广州人刁钻的胃口，也留下了不少传颂至今的故事。
Today, let's explore the story of Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) Restaurant, one of the time-honored traditional restaurants in Guangzhou.
今天，让我们一起走近广州茶楼的老字号之一——莲香楼。
莲香楼Lian Xiang Lou Restaurant ( Lin Heung Lau)
Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) Restaurant was first established as a pastry shop by Chen Weiqing in the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1889). At the very beginning, the restaurant rose to fame because of its pastry stuffed with lotus seed paste, which was the rudiment of famous Cantonese-style mooncakes.
莲香楼，前身是连香糕酥馆，由陈维清师傅创建于清光绪十五年(1889年)，因为用莲蓉做馅料的糕饼而受顾客欢迎，其出品的莲蓉月饼是后来广式月饼的雏形。光绪中叶，糕酥馆改为连香楼，并在香港九龙开设了三家分店。
Lian Xiang Lou Restaurant (Lin Heung Lau Tea House) located on Dishifu Lu of Xiguan areain Liwan district of Guangzhou in the 1940s 上世纪40年代位于广州西关第十甫路的莲香大茶楼
By the middle of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, three branches of the restaurant were set up in Kowloon district of Hong Kong while in 1910, Lian Xiang Lou expanded its business scope to cover teahouses.
宣统二年(1910年)，“连香楼”改名为“莲香楼”，兼营茶市，成为广州具有代表性的传统茶楼。
Register of shareholders of Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) Restaurant in 1910 1910年的莲香楼股东册
Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) Restaurant enjoys a good reputation for its sweet pastry which was served as snacks on wedding receptions of wealthy families in Xiguan area.
莲香楼也以“嫁女饼”闻名——这是一种广东地区“豪门”结婚嫁娶仪式中常见的点心，也叫绫酥，礼饼越丰厚，越能显出体面和气派。旧时广州西关一带的住户多是富裕人家，“西关小姐”出嫁，大多选择订购莲香楼的“嫁女饼”“老婆饼”。
Signature wedding pastry produced by Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) 莲香楼嫁女饼
Mooncakes mixed into white lotus seed paste produced by Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) 莲香楼白莲蓉月饼
Another signature snack was its pork biscuit. Integrated with minced garlic, fermented red beancurd, gingili as well as lard, the delicacy leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
莲香楼的干点心，最出名的就是鸡仔饼，色香味浓，既有蒜蓉的辛香，又有南乳的鲜香，细细品味，还有芝麻的油香和肥猪肉的甘香，让人回味无穷。
Pork biscuits produced by Lian Xiang Lou (Lin Heung Lau) 莲香楼鸡仔饼
In 1999, the restaurant was elected as one of the top-class restaurants of China. It developed a modern operation and management system in 2006 while maintaining the old name and its original flavor.
1999年，莲香楼被评为国家特级酒家；2006年，莲香楼由国有企业成功改制为广州市莲香楼有限公司，在保留老字号风味的基础上建立了现代经营管理机制。
Author: Liu Liu, Yuan
Supervisor: Lv Yun
Editor: Lv Yun
Source: GZ-Maritimesilkroad (丝路云帆Silu Yunfan), official Wechat account of City Alliance for the Preservation and world Heritage Inscription of Maritime Silk Road Heritage
Courtesy: Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism