"Excuse me, can I have shrimp dumplings?"

"Here is barbecue pork, please!"

"And please gimme the cabbages!"

Guess what time is it now? It's just 4 o'clock in the morning and the place is always so crowded - some people gather in this tiny Chinese restaurant every early morning while most people are sleeping soundly in their beds.

Wu Lo Restaurant, running for nearly 10 years since 2001, is only open about 3:30 early morning for 3-4 hours every day. Near the Iao Han Market in Areia Preta, it is not a big restaurant and simply capable of containing about 7-8 tables, each can seat 4-5 people together. However, it is always full of people every time you come in, and you even need to be arranged to sit outside of the restaurant though it is quite early in the morning. How could this restaurant be so popular that it attracts people to patronize constantly in the early morning?

"Because of this particular period of time, I suppose. Only few Chinese restaurants open so early like us every morning at around 3:30 and can provide customers the traditional steamed Chinese food," the shop owner, Mui Chao said. She starts preparing all the food three hours before Wu Lo opens every day. Although she cannot have the normal daily schedule like others, she is accustomed to working during the early morning and loves to see customers crowded in her restaurant. That scene and noisy atmosphere are always a joy of her day.

Interestingly, instead of many old people gathering in this restaurant to drink tea, you can find numerous people who are in their 20's or 30's here. You can also observe that more and more young people like drinking tea and having a meal so early in the morning!

"I think our generation love eating so much as well as gathering with others!" James Cheong, a Year 4 university student said. "Wu Lo can provide us some hot steamed food and those are not expensive when we are starving after a late-night party. I have been gathering with friends sometimes in early morning here for several years!"

Steven Chiu, 27 years old, works as a dealer in a casino, stated, "Although some McDonald's now open for 24 hours, it is much healthier for those people like me who need to work overnight to have hot steamed food and vegetables rather than the fried food and soft drinks!"

It is near 3:30 am, more and more people keep coming into this crowded restaurant, and Chao is getting busier to offer food to the customers.