The Traveler Boundless tj Text

(former site of the Shilin)

Tianjin opened its port, and western food came to Tianjin with foreigners. At first, it was just a "meal" in the barracks, a "meal" in the family and a "feast" in communication. Later, all kinds of "big dishes" in hotels and restaurants were only for foreigners. By the early years of the People's Republic of China, there was no such word as "western food" in Tianjin, but it was called foreign food or big dishes, and the hotels operated were called "foreign hotels".

(Chi Shilin and his family)

The earliest and most influential western restaurant in Tianjin is Chi Shilin. It was opened by a German army chef named Albert Schilling. It is said that this person used to be a court chef, who was good at making pasta. Later, he abandoned his military career and stayed in Tianjin. On September 7th, 1911, a small western restaurant with an area of about 111 square meters was opened in the form of a bar on Dafa Road (now Jiefang North Road) in France-America, and its name was taken as the store name, and then it was moved to the junction of the old German-American rent-world, that is, the intersection of Jiefang Road and Xuzhou Road, and its name was changed to "Chihlin Bader Restaurant". This restaurant not only supplies thousands of kilos of bread to the troops stationed in various countries along the Beijing-Fengjing Railway every day, but also is famous for selling cream pastry and western food in Beijing and Tianjin.

(Victoria Restaurant in Xiaobailou, later Chihlin Restaurant)

It is said that the popularity of western food in Tianjin has a deep relationship with Yuan Shikai. In order to make friends with diplomats from various countries in Tianjin, Yuan Shikai invited the chef of western food to dinner with them, who made exquisite dishes, big dishes, soups and sweets, which won the appreciation of Yuan Shikai and foreigners. Yuan-Shikai rewarded the silver with 111 taels, with which Chilin opened the western restaurant. There was Yuan Shikai's compliment (Yuan's 46th birthday was hosted by Chihlin), not only foreigners often patronized it, but also Chinese people eagerly tried it. At that time, Chihlin became famous, its business was booming, and it moved several times. Later, it was located in Xiaobailou. After several decades, it had specialties ranging from German flavor to classic Russian food, such as canned beef and grilled mixed dishes. Coffee candy, butter cake, chestnut noodles, ice cream and other western candy cold food, but also children's favorite.

(frontispiece's son and the interior of Chihlin)

Since Chihlin, the number of western restaurants in Tianjin has gradually increased, and most of them are mainly operated by Chinese, such as Hualou in Nanshi, Deyi Building in Jiexu Street (now Heping Road) (now the address of Industrial and Commercial Bank of Jinzhou Road) and so on. The National Hotel, which opened in 1923, is a large-scale hotel. In addition to a big meal, in order to adapt to the economic conditions and fast-paced life of Chinese people, a simple Western-style set meal (three dishes and one soup or two dishes and one soup) is also introduced. Dahua Senior Hotel (located at the intersection of Yingkou Road and Xinhua Road), which opened in 1927, does as the Romans do, and has the characteristics of China. Western-style West Point is not only available in stores, but also can be used for banquets or takeout in theaters, dance halls and houses, and even delivered to Mei Lanfang's room in Lishunde Hotel. Some restaurants sell both Chinese and western food. For example, Songji, which specializes in Cantonese food (located at the intersection of Dagu Road and Harbin Road where Cantonese people live in concentrated communities), not only sells guangdong snacks, but also sells western food. Besides knives and forks, a pair of chopsticks is also placed on the dining table.

(name card and advertisement sheet of Chihlin)

By the 1921s, western-style prawns, salads, grilled fish and other western dishes had been included in the menus of large and medium-sized restaurants, and some Chinese restaurants also created a way of "eating Chinese dishes in the west", with less portions, and one person could eat three or four dishes at a time, and the total price was not high. In 1932, Wenlixi Restaurant, which was opened at the back door of Tianxiang, pioneered the creation of zero western food, with 21 cents for each serving, which is very suitable for tourists and students, similar to today's fast food.

(Big Cake Made by Chihlin)

Subsequently, the number of western-style coffee shops, cold food shops and bakeries increased one after another. Western food, western food, coffee and cold food made Tianjin people's diet more colorful, and they gradually accepted it into the mainstream culture of catering. I remember that when I was in primary school, an overseas Chinese classmate lived next door to the Chihlin factory. As soon as I opened the window, a sweet smell wafted in. Every time I went to his family to study, I smelled the smell of chocolate and watched The Wandering of San Mao. It was really "enjoyment", which was a lingering memory of my childhood. For many years, the Shilin in Tianjin has almost become synonymous with western food, and its historical role is worth remembering.

(Dahua Hotel, another famous western restaurant in Tianjin during the Republic of China)