Local Gem: Eat Like an Emperor... for Lunch!

The yellow oilpaper fan and red seals on it are a subtle nod to the imperial background of this small eatery

Take the elevator of Building A to the sixth floor, turn right followed by an immediate left, and there you will find the star of today’s blog, Lotus Restaurant, sitting at the end of the corridor. Frankly, it's difficult to miss around lunchtime given that it's the most crowded place on the sixth floor, a sea of people tucking into comfort food to get them through the rest of the day. Most patrons opt for the full-set-meal which contains a main course, a seasonal greens dish, a type of grain, and a drink or sweets. What's more, each category features plenty of options. For example, grains include plain white rice, purple rice, fried rice, steamed corn-bread, or even assorted steamed veggies such as sweet potato and pumpkin, at no additional cost. Perhaps most importantly though, every set meal is less than RMB 40, and the quality definitely doesn't suffer for it. All proteins are freshly picked by owners Lianlian and Yongming, which explains why their stewed leg of lamb in clear broth is so tasty, even without much seasoning. On the other hand, it's still a wonder how they can sell it for a mere RMB 33. Moreover, knowing how tight the working class's schedule can be, they always try their best to feed their customers as soon as possible even when the manpower is limited.

Various choices to keep your lunch interesting and nutritious from Monday to Friday

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Lianlian and Yongming. When they decided to open Lotus Restaurant, neither had any experience in the foodservice industry, however, it turns out that would prove to be the least of their worries. On Jan 1, 2020, they rented out the Chaowai Soho storefront with hopes of opening after the Spring Festival holiday. Unfortunately, as is the case with so many of last year's stories, the best-laid plans often go astray. As COVID-19 continued to spread, the co-owners were forced to reimagine their opening date again and again. Fortunately, just around the time that their operating costs were becoming too much to bear, the government eased dining restrictions, and everything began falling into place. Likewise, the seemingly dire situation was not without its silver lining, because as more and more companies in the area began returning to on-site work, there remained a limited number of restaurants that were open. As one of the only available take-out options around, Lianlian and Yongming were able to make a bit of money while devoting the time they would've spent serving customers and cleaning tables on refining their recipes and the quality of their food, all while growing the ranks of their devoted fan base.

Lian, the owner of the Lotus Restaurant and her father, who instilled this eatery with its magic

Not a single walnut should be taken lightly

Whereas Lianlian generally handles the front-of-house business such as taking orders and chatting with her regular customers, her father is training a new chef with the wok and decades of experience in the kitchen. True to the form of most old Beijingers, Lianlian’s father is proud of the heritage and legacy that he has mastered and is unwavering in his commitment to the principles that guide ancient cooking methods. Whether the customer is a member of the royal family or a bank teller at ICBC, all ingredients need to be treated properly and in a timely manner, and one cannot sacrifice this level of devotion when preparing a dish. For example, every walnut needs to be meticulously rinsed with hot water and then carefully peeled with tweezers to remove the thin layer of skin that creates an unpleasant grainy texture and bitter taste. Likewise, the 抓炒里脊 zhuā chǎo lǐjí glazed deep-fried pork loin should be coated with a dark amber glaze, and the chef must be careful not to leave any extra liquid on the plate.

Glazed deep-fried pork loin, one of the specialties of the Lotus Restaurant

Images: Zeus Zou, Lotus Restaurant