A Nostalgic Glimpse of 90s Chinese Restaurant Life
Amidst the murmur of conversations and the haze of stir-fried delights, a young woman’s warm smile draws you in. The rustic charm of a tiny eatery captures the essence of heartfelt connections and forgotten memories.
Prompt
{
"prompt": "cinematic nostalgic realism; a young beautiful Chinese woman with soft dark brown hair tied loosely in a low ponytail, gentle face-framing bangs, and a warm natural smile, sits sideways on a narrow wooden stool inside a tiny, crowded Chinese restaurant. She turns back toward the camera with calm curiosity and softness in her expression. She wears a white blouse and light gray high-waisted shorts, her posture relaxed yet elegant. Around her, several middle-aged Chinese men in short-sleeve casual shirts are chatting quietly over small dishes and baijiu. The restaurant interior feels narrow and warmly cluttered — walls covered with old red menus, faded posters, and handwritten food prices; shelves stacked with ceramic bowls, soy sauce bottles, and small ornaments. A faint haze drifts through the air, illuminated by soft warm tungsten light mixed with a touch of greenish cast, evoking the smoky scent of stir-fried food and nostalgia. The atmosphere feels intimate, authentic, and deeply human — a candid 1990s Chinese urban night moment captured with gentle cinematic realism.",
"style": "Wong Kar Wai + Luo Yang + Daido Moriyama + Kodak Portra 400 film realism",
"camera": {
"framing": "medium close-up from rear 3/4 angle; subject turning toward lens",
"lens": "35mm analog film lens equivalent",
"focus": "shallow depth on subject face; soft falloff to background",
"motion": "static candid framing with slight natural hand-held micro movement",
"aspect_ratio": "3:4"
},
"lighting": {
"type": "soft warm tungsten mixed with subtle green hue",
"source": "overhead bulbs and reflected wall light",
"quality": "low contrast with fine atmospheric haze",
"details": "visible volumetric glow and smoke from stir-frying; warm diffusion on skin and clothing"
},
"color_palette": "muted yellow-green warmth, aged red walls, gray-white tones, dark wood, desaturated neutrals",
"mood": "intimate, nostalgic, cinematic, candid, quietly emotional",
"environment": {
"location": "tiny urban Chinese restaurant, 1990s aesthetic",
"details": [
"wooden stools and narrow aisles",
"cluttered shelves of bowls, soy sauce bottles, and ceramic ornaments",
"old red paper menus and hand-written prices on walls",
"worn floor tiles reflecting dim light",
"soft haze in air suggesting steam and cigarette smoke",
"subtle motion blur of people chatting"
]
},
"film_look": {
"film_stock": "Kodak Portra 400",
"grain": "visible fine analog film grain",
"texture": "slightly soft focus, low contrast edges",
"color_grade": "subtle yellow-green cast with faded highlights",
"vibe": "nostalgic 35mm analog snapshot aesthetic"
},
"quality_targets": [
"authentic 1990s Chinese restaurant texture",
"natural tungsten lighting and shadow realism",
"film grain and analog softness preserved",
"subject expression warm and genuine",
"depth and atmosphere through haze and tonal subtlety"
],
"negative_prompt": [
"no digital oversharpening",
"no clean modern decor",
"no neon lighting or blue tone",
"no beauty retouch or skin smoothing",
"no modern camera clarity or HDR look"
]
}
Published: October 17, 2025