又中又英 | Packed to the brim | 褚简宁
By the time you read this, the Metropol restaurant in Admiralty will have ceased business after 35 years as a popular dim sum place for lunch. The restaurant was often packed to the brim with office workers, shop assistants, and others during lunch hour. If a place is packed to the brim, it means it is at maximum capacity or completely full. One thing that made the Metropol such a drawing card was that it still served dim sum in traditional trolleys. So-called dim sum “aunties” wheeled trolleys filled with different types of dim sum in bamboo steamers from table to table where diners chose what they wanted.
If a place is a drawing card, it means it attracts a lot of people. A similar word is “crowd-puller”. During my days as a Hong Kong reporter, I sometimes went to the Metropol for lunch with friends because the dim sum trolleys reminded me of my younger days when many dim sum restaurants used trolleys. The City Hall’s Maxim’s Palace is one of the few remaining places that still use dim sum trolleys. I sometimes went there with relatives and friends when I lived and worked in Hong Kong.
It sometimes took me nearly an hour to get a table during lunch hour, but it was worth the long wait for the dim sum trolleys and the atmosphere, especially if I got a harbour view table. I hope it doesn’t cease its business! Dim sum trolleys are a dying breed, which means something that is becoming rare, such as dai pai dongs and bamboo scaffolders.
当你读到这里的时候，在金钟有35年历史，著名午膳饮茶的名都酒楼已经结业。这间酒楼在午饭时段，总是挤满了（packed to the brim）办公室员工、店舖售货员以及其他食客。若一个地方是packed to the brim，那即是它已达到容纳上限或已满座。名都能成为吸引人的地方，其中一样就是它仍然使用传统点心车。那些「点心姨姨」会推着餐车，上面满载各式各样的竹蒸笼点心，经过一枱又一枱，让食客可以挑选想吃的点心。
若一个地方是个drawing card，意即它能吸引许多人到来。类近的字词是“crowd-puller”。我在香港当记者的日子，有时会跟朋友去名都午膳，因为那些点心车令我回想起年轻时代，许多茶楼都是用点心车的。香港大会堂的美心皇宫亦是硕果仅存仍然使用点心车的酒楼。我在香港居住和工作的年头，偶尔也会跟亲朋戚友到那里用膳。
在午膳时段，有时要耗上近一个小时才能入座，但为了点心车和环境气氛，特别是如果我能坐在有海景的座位，等得久也是值得的。我希望它不会结业吧！点心车是a dying breed，意即它越来越少，例如大牌档以及竹棚架。
[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
