Tourists to Tianshui are treated to a vibrant spectacle of traditional folk performances on March 16, 2024. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

These days around 7 am, Ga Haiying's restaurant in Qinzhou district becomes crowded with diners, some still rubbing their sleepy eyes. Earlier, the restaurant would open at 11 am. To serve the surging number of customers, Ga and her family now work from 6:30 am to 10 pm every day. They are too busy to pause for lunch.

"I have sold malatang for 30 years," Ga said. "I never dreamed that one day it would be so popular."

Recently, more than 1,000 customers have been trooping into her restaurant daily, despite an average waiting time of about two hours. The restaurant's revenue has tripled.

Ma Yulin, a malatang restaurant owner in the city's Maiji district, said that over the last 10 days, the establishment was packed with diners, more than half of whom were from other cities. Many young customers not only come to eat but also take photos. Ma has hired more workers and added seats to cut the waiting time.

"I'm exhausted," he said. "I'm overwhelmed that our malatang is suddenly recognized by so many."

In a typical malatang restaurant, customers select fresh food items, strung on skewers and hand them over to the chef. The chosen ingredients are boiled in the broth and then scooped into a bowl, with or without the original soup, depending on the customers' preferences. With two spoonfuls of oil and pepper drizzled on top, the bowls fairly burst with flavor.