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January 26, 2017

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Home 禄 City specials 禄 Hangzhou

Local lane takes on new life during holiday

By Xu Wenwen | January 26, 2017, Thursday | Print Edition

MANY areas of China’s big cities are starting to feel a whole lot emptier these days, as residents return to their hometowns for the Chinese Lunar New Year, which begins from Saturday. The same can’t be said for Shiwukui Lane in Hangzhou.

This bustling commercial and residential strip is a hive of activity as the holiday approaches. Its grocery market is drawing shoppers looking for nianhuo (New Year goods), while its many eateries and restaurants are luring diners with their tempting Hangzhou treats.

Shiwukui Lane links the city’s Drum Tower and Chenghuang Hill, and was traditionally a residential area. It used to house many families known for their kungfu skills. According to local lore, the lane produced 10 martial arts scholars who attained the imperial rank of wukui. Thus, with shi meaning “ten,” we can see the origins of the lane’s name.

The Shiwukui Lane Community consists of Shiwukui Lane, Chenghuangpailou Lane, Sipailou and Zhongshan Road S. It’s a great place to go strolling if you spend Chinese New Year in Hangzhou.

Most of the stores and restaurants there will stay open during the holiday, as the majority of shop owners are locals. Some of them are residents of the community.

Walking through Shiwukui Lane is also a great way for non-locals to experience Hangzhou culture.

At the south end of the lane is a pailou (memorial arch) inscribed with the phrase min bu neng wang (“people will not forget”), to commemorate China’s four ancient sages. A few steps away, a shop sells wooden barrels, bamboo baskets and raven ware.

Those inexpensive, useful, durable and natural items were used by local people for thousands of years until the advent of plastic. Luckily, some locals continue to practice this time-honored traditional craft.

Nearby is Dama Lane, which contains a bustling grocery market. Here, shoppers can find sausages, ducks and pork preserved in soy sauce all hanging in the sunlight. Vendors also make spring roll wraps, another must-have for any local holiday feast.

Both affordable eateries and high-end restaurants can be found on Shiwukui Lane. Youbu Soy Bean Milk is a popular spot for locals to grab breakfast favorites like youtiao (friend dough sticks), shaobing (Chinese oven cakes) and, of course, doujiang (soy bean milk). The shop has been run by Ye Jun and his wife Jiang Wenxian for 24 years.

Ye, Jiang and their family get up at 2:30am every morning to prepare for work. Ye makes youtiao, his wife makes doujiang, and their parents and other relatives make wontons, banmian (noodles served with soy sauce), and fried zongzi (rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves).

Customers usually start pouring in around 7am and the family works steadily into the afternoon. During peak hours, the shop is packed with people. Average spending is less than 10 yuan (US$1.50).

Another nearby mom-and-pop eatery is Yangji Shaomai, which sells 10-yuan shaomai (steamed pork dumplings). These treats feature fresh pork, tender bamboo shoots and skin as thin as paper.

Not far away, Xiao Lao Wonton sells wontons for prices between 10 and 15 yuan. Although it only opened about four months ago, it has won a loyal following among local diners.

Lao Jianhui, who started the eatery with her partner, said they had no experience in the restaurant industry, but decided to open the small wonton spot after their old company went bankrupt.

“We put our heart into making fresh wontons and keep everything in the store clean,” she said. Lao added that additives like MSG are avoided at their eatery.

Along the lane are also three noodle joints, all small but serving classical Hangzhou-style noodles.

At the northern end of the lane are five local restaurants. All of them are run by local owners and only make traditional Hangzhou dishes.

Lan Bian Wan has only seven tables, but it’s gotten a number of favorable reviews from hotel chefs and food critics. One recommendation here is the pork liver fried with bean paste sauce. If organ meat isn’t your thing, try the farmer-style diced pork, also fried with bean paste sauce.

Opposite is Cu Cha Dan Fan, where the signature dish is Crab and Tofu Pot. This place was formerly a tea house, but expanded into a full-scale restaurant after customers asked the owner — who’s also an accomplished musician — to add more dishes.

Next door is Si Zao Er, which excels at making pork intestines braised with soy sauce, a Hangzhou favorite.

Also on the street is a Japanese restaurant, a boutique hotel, and two restaurants that offer service only through reservation.

Hangzhou
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