Beiyuan (North Garden) Restaurant

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 Beiyuan (North Garden) 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——北园酒家。

北园酒家 Beiyuan Restaurant

Beiyuan (North Garden) Restaurant is one of a handful of old-schooled Lingnan garden restaurants left in Guangzhou. Built in 1928, it was formerly a private residence of Zou Dianbang, the former president of Guangzhou General Chamber of Commerce. The restaurant had nice surroundings and a peaceful ambienceenlivened by the splash of lanterns as well as trees and bamboos, which were even praised by Liang Sicheng, a renowned Chinese architect and architectural historian. Besides, a calligraphy work of Liu Haisu, a master Chinese artist, praising the great taste of the restaurant's dishes, is engraved on a plaque at the gate.

1958年，建筑大师梁思成来穗参加座谈会，有人问他最赏识广州哪幢建筑物的设计，梁先生脱口而出：北园酒家。北园的一大特色便是其园林式装潢：回廊挂着摇曳的灯笼，园内竹影婆娑。它的历史则可以追溯至1928年：由广州市商会会长邹殿邦开设于现十七中学右侧的一座别墅中，吸引了市内不少官僚政客、富商巨贾、社会名流、著名粤剧艺人前来光顾；亦有由著名艺术家刘海粟题写的“其味无穷”四个大字，被装裱成牌匾置于入门处。

Beiyuan Restaurant in the Republic of China era 民国时期的北园酒家 

Beiyuan Restaurant is an old-schooled Lingnan garden restaurant 北园是典型的园林式酒家

A calligraphy work praising the great taste of the restaurant's dishes written by Liu Haisu, a master artist, can still be seen at the gate of Beiyuan Restaurant now. 今天在北园门口依然可以看到刘海粟题写的“其味无穷”四个大字。

In the 1940s, Beiyuan Restaurant was famous for its chicken dishes cooked in various ways such as stir-frying, braising, deep-frying and stewing, from which customers were free to choose three.

上世纪40年代，北园最出名的菜式为“大鸡三味”，即以鸡为主料，用炒、焖、炸、煎、白切、汤等方法烹调，任顾客选择其中三款。

Chicken dishes cooked in various ways served by Beiyuan Restaurant “大鸡三味” 

Dim sums of Beiyuan Restaurant 北园酒家点心

Just like Lian Xiang Lou Restaurant, Beiyuan Restaurant was listed as one of the top-class restaurants of China in 1998 while five years ago in 1993, it was already awarded with the title of time-honered brand of China.

1993年，北园被授予“中华老字号”称号；1998年被评为“国家特级酒家”。