20 lifepulse THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 CHINA DAILY SMALL BITES Human safety net SPRING FESTIVAL BEIJING Yu Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton At the Ritz-Carlton Beijing, executive chef Ku Chi-fai has When things go wrong for travelers, a train station patrol dreamed up reunion dinner sets that are both delicious and aus- picious, in the best festive tradition. Th e Cantonese chef’s sig- Zhao Yinan nature gourmet luxury dishes are available for a Spring Festival offi cer is ready to help, reports in Beijing. Eve set dinner available on Saturday, Feb 9, from 6 pm to 10 pm, at 6,888 yuan ($1,090) per table of 10, plus 15 percent service hen Zhang Runqiu charge. For last-minute shoppers for the Lunar New Year, there encountered Ma are also gift hampers available. 010-5908-8111. Zhongmei and her husband during Shang Palace at the Shangri-la a regular patrol at Th e Shangri-la’s WBeijing South Railway Station, the Chinese res- young couple was helping their baby taurant, Shang to breathe from an oxygen bag. Palace, prepares The mother, sitting on a large pile a double option of quilts and holding the infant in her for diners. Th e arms, was weeping quietly. Standing banquet hall beside her was her husband, holding will be open the oxygen pillow, which was connect- on Lunar New CHINAFACE ed by a transparent Year’s Eve for plastic tube to the reunion dinner baby. sets, and the Even to a veteran railway worker Shang Palace itself will also serve sets in the dining room and like Zhang, whose main job is assisting the private parlors. While most dishes will be from the auspi- the disadvantaged and travelers with cious selections from the south, including pen cai, yusheng or problems, the scene was dramatic and lohei, and steamed whole fi sh, there are also northern favorites piercing. such as braised pig trotters and dumplings. 010-6841-2211. The 33-year-old rushed over, bent down and asked how she could help. Th e mother was too sad to talk. Her Four Seasons Cai Yi Xuan husband said they were waiting for a Cai Yi Xuan elevates the art of Chinese dining with good, hon- train to take them back to their home- est regional cooking lightened up with fresh modern presenta- town for the Spring Festival. tion. Th ere is a large dining room, eight private rooms includ- Zhang invited the family to a sitting ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY ing two VIP rooms with one off ering an exclusive chef’s table. area reserved for seniors, pregnant Zhang Runqiu helps a nursing mother move into a sitting area reserved for seniors, pregnant women, the physically Chef Michael Liang starts off the New Year sets with yusheng, women, the physically disabled and disabled and children. or raw fi sh salad, traditional augury for good luck, good health children. and prosperity. Th ere are Northern and Shanghainese appetiz- Ma tells the professional Samaritan looking for people who need help is Over the years, she says she has been of passengers were stuck in the station er platters, traditional assorted seafood casserole, sauteed scal- that the 1-year-old baby had been diag- Zhang’s primary task every day. accustomed to eating breakfast while because trains were canceled due to lops with asparagus and wild mushrooms, and braised abalone nosed with lung cancer six months ago. Zhang and eight other members walking to the bus stop and applying bad weather. “As the number of strand- in oyster sauce with foie gras mousse-fi lled morel mushrooms. Since then, the parents had been seek- of Beijing South Station service team her makeup on the road. ed passengers was increasing, many Th e Lunar New Year menu is priced at 888 yuan plus 15 per- ing eff ective treatment in Beijing, but receive nearly 70 appointments by Lu Jing is part of Zhang’s service became extremely angry,” she says. cent service charge per person, for a minimum of eight diners. their hope was diminishing as time phone and on weibo, a Twitter-like ser- team. While she’s seeing off hundreds of In frustration, one of the angry pas- 010-5695-8888. passed. Recently, doctors had suggested vice in China. The team also assists passengers in this week’s holiday rush, sengers raised his hand and slapped that they go back home to share the hundreds more passengers like Ma the 21-year-old is prepared to spend Zhang’s face. But a woman standing child’s last days there. Zhongmei, who didn’t book special her second Lunar New Year’s Eve in behind her quickly grabbed her and HONG KONG “Th e poor baby reminds me of my attendance in advance but hit obstacles the station. pulled her back. Th e man’s hand just Ingots and pumpkins own daughter, who is 2 years old,” she when they travel. “My feet and legs were swollen as grazed her cheek. Chef Mok Kit says, pressing one hand on her chest During the Spring Rush, about soon as I joined the service team — I “Th ings happened all of a sudden. I Keung at the Shang and recalling the lump in her throat. 95,000 passengers arrive in and leave was not accustomed to long periods of only fi gured out what took place aft er Palace at the Kow- “But I’m not a doctor. Th e only thing Beijing through South Station every walking and standing,” she says with the woman standing behind me helped. loon Shangri-la is I could do was to off er them a seat and day. a big smile that her colleagues say is I totally understand the man, who says attracting attention help the couple get onto the train earlier Gao Yujie, Zhang’s colleague, says always on her face. he was delayed from urgent work,” she with a series of than other passengers, partly reducing railway workers who communicate “But I fi nd delight in helping passen- says. delicately craft ed the inconvenience of traveling for the directly with passengers, like Zhang, gers, especially when passengers come “I felt grateful to passengers. I put Lunar New Year sick baby.” face more pressure than those working back and say hello to me when they my heart and soul into them and they, goodies, including Zhang borrowed a wheelchair, in an offi ce. come to the station again.” like that woman, give me a hand at the niangao (sticky rice scooped up the mother and the baby But working at the world’s third larg- Lu says she probably will go back critical moment.” cake) shaped into in it, and wheeled them through the est railway hub does not simply mean home aft er the Spring Rush is over. an ingot and dusted emergency passageway to the platform. attaining happiness by reaching out to Commuting across the crowded Contact the writer at with edible gold In the carriage, Zhang made a phone others. capital and working long hours are not [email protected]. dust. Th ere is also call to the couple’s destination station Living outside the Sixth Ring Road the worst part of her job. Zhang says the a realistic pumpkin and asked staff there to help the couple south of Beijing, Zhang usually gets thing that she fears most is misunder- Online fortune cake that is with the luggage. up at 5:30 am and has to transfer three standing with passengers. See more China Face as delicious as it is attractive. It looks so good you may not be Walking around in one of China’s times by bus and subway so she can get March 23, 2012 is a day deeply stories by scanning the code. willing to cut it up. To buy some as gift s or just to decorate your most modern railway stations and to the station before 7:30 am. embedded in her memory. Th ousands own festive table, call 852-2733-8740. VALENTINE’S BEIJING Gala: Dion ‘enthusiastic to come to China’ Morton’s of Chicago at Regent Hotel Morton’s of Chicago has craft ed a Valentine’s Day special for 2013 CCTV SPRING FESTIVAL GALA couples to enjoy dinner together. With a menu boasting the best FROM PAGE 1 will help her with some of the pronun- imported prime beef and fresh seafood, Morton’s is encouraging ciations,” he said. 1. Opening song “Usher In The Spring 22. Magic show (Lu Chen) couples to bond over dinner as they share Prime Ocean Plat- With Beautiful Melodies” (48 CCTV “If you ask a Chinese person to Dion was enthusiastic to join the 23. Songs (Ping An, Xu Yina and ters, Whole Baked Maine Lobsters and a succulent 1,300 gram hosts and hostesses) name two English songs they can sing, gala and reacquaint herself with China Apusasa) Double Porterhouse for two. Every couple dining at Morton’s on 2. Song “Taste of China” (Phoenix Valentine’s Day will receive two complimentary Mortini vouch- it will be My Heart Will Go On and fi ve years aft er her last visit. These three artistes stood out from 36 Legend) Happy Birthday,” he says. Scheduling was the only fl y in the talented performers in reality singing ers valid for any day aft erwards. 010-6523-7777. To explore new possibilities for the ointment in bringing the star here, 3. Song “Chinese Zodiac” (Lee-Hom contests in the Chinese mainland, star in China, CCTV also organized as she had to avoid date clashes with Wang) Taiwan and Hong Kong.