ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- 上午11点，林新贵叔叔准时打开新汉商酒楼的卷闸，阳光洒入半砖板双层老店屋，为室内空间增添明亮和暖意。古旧的木柜台是他驻守的堡垒，对面小圆桌上摆满啤酒瓶，里头装的并非啤酒，而是循环再利用装自家煲薏米水。阿贵叔叔将后厨制作的手工点心排列进保温蒸柜，旋即招呼陆陆续续到店就餐的食客，每桌必点招牌菜其中之一：酸辣鱼片、酸辣排骨、福州杂菜、酸辣鱼鳔汤、红糟面线、福州卤面。
霹雳州爱大华（Ayer Tawar）位於怡保与红土坎之间、毗邻实兆远，居民大多为福州籍华人，开埠百余年以来在语言和饮食习惯上依然保有原乡特色。老字号传统酒楼--新汉商坐落在大街上的一排半砖板双层店屋，与后方的一幢戏院原本属于同一名地主，建筑于大约1935年。店面原为“汉商”茶楼，于1954年易主到林新贵的父亲手中，在招牌上加个“新”字后重新开业。
林父早年从中国南来，先是落脚甘文阁做煮炒，再来到爱大华打拼，继而盘下店面，举家迁徙。当年生活条件艰苦，店内事务仰赖全家大小互相帮忙，秉持着福州人刻苦耐劳的精神，每天长时间营业。从清晨六点开始提供包子、点心、粥品，割胶工人能在劳动前填饱肚子；全天候煮炒，确保镇上居民三餐都有着落，尤其夜间不少印裔顾客堂食；深夜戏院散场时还吃得上宵夜。透过一家人的辛勤努力，新汉商生意蒸蒸日上，扩建了二楼作为宴会厅，1970-80年代期间包办各式酒席。
到了90年代，餐饮业市场崛起，竞争日趋激烈，新汉商辉煌渐褪，专注在门市生意。林父年迈退休后将酒楼交由七名儿子轮流经营，但随着第二代年事已高，有的也已离世，而重新联合经营。营业时间亦缩短，目前为早上11点至傍晚7点。如今仍活跃于店内的三名兄弟中，大哥半退休，只是偶尔回来帮忙；排行第四的林新贵负责外场兼茶水，清晨上巴刹批货，再赶回店里煲薏米水、煮饭、打理庶务；幺弟林兴銻掌勺，一同负责后厨的还有两名侄儿和几位伙计。
自从西海岸大道（WCE）开通后，过路客锐减，生意不复往昔热闹，所幸每天都会有熟客来光顾。周末假日会有吉隆坡、槟城的老饕为品尝老店老师傅煮的福州菜而来。逢年过节，游子返乡，必定前来品尝那熟悉的滋味。店后方的戏院已在廿、卅年前停业，大部分同排的店屋因年久失修而弃置，据闻政府有意回收该地段扩宽公路，律师正处理拆迁估价事宜。阿贵叔叔已年届古稀、店内众员工年龄偏大，若搬到新地点营运也有心无力，侄儿们无意接管酒楼，终有落下帷幕的可能性。
数十年如一日烹调福州风味佳肴，承载着一代代爱大华居民的味蕾记忆。新汉商酒楼内福州话的点菜声、交谈声此起彼伏，气氛亲切又温馨。亲朋好友欢聚，满桌丰盛的菜肴颜色红红彤彤，美味又喜庆。这些情景，未来或许将已不再，只能长存记忆中。
As the clock strikes 11A.M., Uncle Ling Hing Kooi rolls up the shutters of Sin Han Seong Restaurant, sunlight pours into the half-brick and half-wood double-storey old shophouse, lending brightness and warmth to the interior. The ancient wooden counter is his fortress, and the small round table opposite is laden with glass beer bottles, containing not beer but homemade barley drink instead. Uncle Ling arranges dimsum handmade in-house into the steaming cabinet, and greets customers as they enter. At least one of the signature dishes will appear on each table: spicy and sour fish fillets, spicy and sour pork ribs, Fuzhou mixed vegetables, spicy and sour fish maw soup, red rice wine noodles, or Fuzhou braised noodles.
Ayer Tawar in Perak is situated between Ipoh and Lumut, adjacent to Sitiawan. Most of the residents are Chinese, originating from Fuzhou in China, who retain their ancestral dialect and food culture even after a century of settlement. Sin Han Seong Restaurant was established within a row of shophouses facing the main road, originally belonged to the same landowner as the cinema behind it, built around 1935. Previously named Han Seong Teahouse, it was renamed Sin Han Seong upon changing ownership to Ling Hing Kooi’s father in 1954.
The senior Mr Ling hailed from China, at first he settled in Kampung Koh working as a hot kitchen cook, then he moved to work in Ayer Tawar, where he acquired a shop and brought his family over. In the face of difficult living conditions at the time, the entire family worked together to run the restaurant. Upholding the hardworking spirit of the Fuzhou clan, they open for long hours every day. Serving bao, dimsum, and porridge from 6A.M. onwards, so that rubber tappers may fill their stomachs before work; cooking hot meals all day long to cater for local residents, especially at night when many Indian customers dine in; late night supper spot for movie-goers. Through joint effort by all family members, Sin Han Seong’s business flourished, and the second floor was expanded as a banquet hall, which hosted various banquets during the 1970s and 1980s.
In the 1990s, emerging market competition dealt a blow to Sin Han Seong’s glory, therefore they focused on dine-in foodservice instead. After the senior Mr Ling retired, his seven sons take turns to run the restaurant. However, as the second generation grew older and some passed away, they resumed joint operation, with shorter opening hours from 11A.M. to 7P.M. Among the three siblings still actively involved in the business, the eldest brother is semi-retired and only helps occasionally. The fourth brother, Ling Hing Kooi, is in charge of operations and beverage-making. He sources goods at the wet market in the morning, then rushes back to prepare barley drinks, cook rice, and take care of general affairs at the restaurant. The youngest brother, Ling Hing Tee, is in charge of the cooking, together with two nephews and a few hired help.
Since the opening of the West Coast Expressway, lesser travellers drop by the town, business declined but fortunately there still are regular customers. On weekends and public holidays, foodies flock from Kuala Lumpur and Penang to get a taste of authentic Fuzhou cuisine. During Chinese New Year, when those working outstation return to their hometown, they would come for the nostalgic childhood taste. The cinema behind the restaurant ceased operations 20 or 30 years ago, most of the shophouses in the same row were abandoned due to disrepair. Word has it that the government intends to reclaim the area to widen public roads, and lawyers are handling property valuation.
(Full text: uniness.galler...)
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有机会一定要去吃😋
Thank you for sharing your content, will try this restaurant soon! :)
Ahhhh I miss both the sour hot fish maw soup and red wine chicken mee sua.
And the barley in beer bottles.
I really need to go there and makan.