Dumpling appetites grow after Xi drops in

Restaurant chain boosted by presidential seal of approval

Zhu Yuling's mobile phone has hardly stopped ringing since President Xi Jinping dropped in on one of his steamed dumpling restaurants for lunch in December.

"I received at least 200 calls recently. The callers asked me whether they can join my group and how to become partners. I'm so busy now," said Zhu, general manager of the restaurant chain's holding company, the Beijing Huatian Restaurant Group.