Daddy's Gourmet Shop

Chapter 636 - 620: The Highest Level

"Waiter."Lin Jinyuan waved his hand.

He was one of the four customers who came to the So Delicious restaurant shortly after its grand opening.

"Hello, sir, is there anything wrong?"

The closest waiter, Lin Qiuyu, smiled as he approached.

"Are Boiled Cabbage, Longjing Shrimp, and Braised Turtle new dishes for today? How do they taste?"

He looked at the variety of dishes on the ordering system, and the visual impact was striking.

The word "delicious" seemed to emanate from the screen.

However, without having tasted them, he habitually asked the waiter for an opinion to avoid disappointment.

Lin Qiuyu politely responded: "Sir, these three dishes are new creations specially introduced for today’s grand opening. Each dish’s photo is of the real thing, and the taste is great. This Boiled Cabbage is made from selected cabbage hearts and a simmered clear broth. It might seem plain, but it highlights the skill in soup making. The ’boiled water’ is actually very clear chicken broth made from whole chicken, duck, ham, and other ingredients. When poured over the cabbage, it looks like a lotus flower—very beautiful. The aroma of the broth is captivating, transparent with no impurities. This dish is not only beautiful but also has an excellent taste. The cabbage is tender and flavorful, very refreshing. The broth is light and smooth, rivaling countless other delicacies."

"The Longjing Shrimp is crafted with the pristine green leaves of Longjing tea and fresh West Lake shrimp. It’s refreshing and tender, with jade-white and succulent shrimp and aromatic tea leaves. The colors are elegantly harmonious, with shrimp infused with tea aroma and tea with shrimp flavor. The taste is exquisite, fresh, and subtly fragrant, making it memorable."

"Braised Turtle is a dish made with turtle and fat hen as the main ingredients. The chicken is tender and fragrant, and the turtle is soft and flavorful, with a great taste and rich nutrition. It’s not only a delicious dish but also a superior nourishing delicacy."

Lin Qiuyu naturally shared his experience from the tasting session last night, without any exaggeration.

He was tempted just by the aroma from the kitchen the night before, and when he finally tasted the dishes, he realized the unique flavors of these three dishes. Though each has its nuances, they are undeniably delicious!

The customer who came for the restaurant’s gourmet food, upon hearing the waiter’s description, found his stomach growling, despite not being that hungry initially.

But looking at the prices...

Oh my, it’s somewhat discouraging...

"Wow, this Boiled Cabbage is 158 yuan, Longjing Shrimp 98 yuan, and Braised Turtle 158 yuan! That’s really pricey!" Lin Jinyuan exclaimed upon seeing the prices clearly.

A companion chuckled and said, "See what kinds of dishes these are. They’re all renowned dishes... The higher price is expected. If they taste good, they’re definitely worth it. You should know, at other restaurants, the Boiled Cabbage alone costs over 300 yuan!"

"Don’t just look at the prices!"

Another companion chimed in: "It’s a holiday, after all. We should treat ourselves to something nice. Since we’re splitting the bill four ways, it won’t cost too much. Why don’t we order the Braised Turtle? The portion looks substantial and satisfying."

"I think that’s a good idea. Let’s see what else is on the menu."

The last companion joined in selecting dishes: "How about we add some moderately priced dishes, like a 28-yuan nourishing fish soup, 68-yuan oil-braised prawns, stewed meat with dried vegetables, and some marinated dishes?"

Other than a few tables like Lin Jinyuan’s, where price concerns slowed down the ordering pace, most diners ordered their meals relatively quickly.

In the guest area, there wasn’t an issue with ordering.

So...

After the cold dishes were served, the hot dishes started coming one after another. Although there was a time interval between each dish, the service was quite fast.

Everything was well-organized, one dish following another.

The number of dishes wasn’t large, with a total of ten hot dishes, including three new dishes as the highlight.

Quality over quantity. Each guest table had only ten patrons, so too many dishes would be excessive.

As the dishes were served, the guests eagerly picked up their chopsticks to taste them quickly.

Then they were all conquered by the deliciousness, savoring the food with their eyes closed in delight.

Ma Deqiang couldn’t help but praise, "These dishes are really good, especially the Wensi Tofu. Cutting tofu into silky threads as thin as hair is truly meticulous knife work! The texture is excellent, tender and smooth, melting in the mouth. Comparable to the finest gourmet standards!"

Lin Duzhu agreed, "Indeed, they’re all excellent. The Wensi Tofu is smooth with every bite. It dissolves on the tongue and slips down the throat, spreading a warm sensation from the tongue to the throat to the stomach, then throughout the body, making you feel completely refreshed."

Wei Mingguo expressed admiration, "Boss Huang’s Wensi Tofu not only has a fresh and fragrant taste but also presents beautifully. When you gaze upon a bowl of Wensi Tofu, the thin strands of tofu flow in the soup, resembling white clouds. Along with the shredded ham, dark mushrooms, and green cabbage leaves dotted throughout, it’s akin to an ink painting."

"The ’high aesthetic’ of Wensi Tofu demands extremely precise knife skills. The skill involves various forms, including block, strip, slice, thread, dice, grain, powder, and paste. Specifically, the threads are classified from thick to thin, such as bean sprout thread, matchstick thread, hemp thread, embroidery needle thread, and cowhair thread."

"To make Wensi Tofu, you must cut tender tofu into fine threads. The first step is slicing thinly. For Yangzhou chefs, knife skills are fundamental, which isn’t much of a challenge. But, tender tofu is more fragile than a fairy and won’t stand any rough handling after being sliced thin. It’s also particularly prone to sticking together. If you slide the tofu slice too forcefully, it gets shattered easily."

"If the slices can’t maintain their integrity in shape, how can one achieve fine threads? Thus, for over two hundred seventy years since Wensi Tofu became famous, the tofu threads have remained at the ’matchstick thread’ level. Cutting it to the ’cowhair thread’ level only became possible after 1997."

"In 1997, the China Cuisine Association held the Fourth National Cooking Competition in Peiping, which was the ’Olympics’ for Chinese chefs. At that time, Cheng Fayin was in his prime at just over forty. After repeatedly deliberating with his master, Xue Quansheng, he finally presented the Wensi Tofu, where the tofu is cut as fine as hair, for the first time in front of the judges."

"The secret to cutting a piece of tender tofu into countless ’cow hair’ strands lies in sprinkling water on the knife beforehand, allowing the thin slices of tofu to naturally slide off. Although this action seems obvious today, it was groundbreaking for the ’craftsmen’ of that time!"

"Thus, Wensi Tofu bustlingly became the first spokesperson for Huaiyang knife skills. However, from then on, Wensi Tofu became a ’performance item.’ With the help of top gourmet shows like ’A Bite of China,’ the fame of Wensi Tofu grew, and the tofu strands were cut increasingly finer. But unfortunately, diners who came due to its reputation found that this dish was really just for show and nothing more..."

"Fortunately, Boss Huang’s knife skills not only rival Xue Quansheng’s mastery but he also mastered the most challenging part for chefs—making clear broth—thereby creating a top-notch soup dish for us."

This evaluation could be said to be exceptionally high!

Upon hearing this, the guests not only gained knowledge but also held Huang Tao in high esteem.

Old Qin gently shook his folding fan, nodding and said, "Indeed, when making soup, the proportion of various ingredients, the types of ingredients added when clearing the soup, and the precise control of heat required in stewing all determine the soup’s final quality. These are truly the areas that test a chef’s inner skills. An impatient person cannot handle these meticulous tasks well."

Wei Mingguo agreed, "Yes, a clear broth seeks a kind of ’thunder in silence’ culinary artistic effect. It requires the chef to have the kind of dedication where they ’would lose weight tirelessly, yet not regret it,’ cultivating a ’brilliance that reaches its peak returns to blandness’ composure. And Boss Huang is exactly that kind of chef."

"Ah, here comes another dish."

Old Qin’s eyes lit up immediately, smiling, "It should be Nine-Turned Large Intestine now; I’m telling you, Boss Huang’s Nine-Turned Large Intestine is as flavorful as its appearance is top-notch."

Speak of the devil, Cao Cao arrives!

As soon as Old Qin finished speaking, the Nine-Turned Large Intestine was indeed brought to the table.

The plate featured a section of a withered branch drawn with caramel, with each of the five small segments of the Nine-Turned Large Intestine placed atop the branches, resembling plum blossoms.

"Wow, the plating of this Nine-Turned Large Intestine is so exquisite! It’s practically a work of art! Old Qin, you are not allowed to start before I take a photo," Ma Deqiang said excitedly.

Lin Duzhu echoed, "That’s right. With such an artistic piece like Nine-Turned Large Intestine, it would be a shame not to snap a picture and share it on social media. So, Old Qin, wait until we finish taking photos before you dig in~"

"Hehe~"

In Old Qin’s heart at that moment, only those two words could express his feelings.

Originally, Old Qin didn’t intend to humor them, but then he thought, by posting on social media, aren’t they indirectly advertising and promoting Boss Huang’s restaurant?!

So then...

Old Qin also took out his phone, chose a good angle, snapped a picture, and then posted it on social media.

Ma Deqiang: "..."

Lin Duzhu: "..."

What’s going on?

The Old Qin, who just disapproved of their photo-taking antics, suddenly had a change of heart and was also taking a picture and posting it online?

Worried that Old Qin would ruin the overall aesthetic of the Nine-Turned Large Intestine’s plating by eating it after posting, the two didn’t think much further. They quickly picked up their phones, found a suitable angle, and snapped a photo. Seeing that Old Qin had already started eating by the time they finished taking pictures, they too immediately picked up their chopsticks and grabbed a piece of the intestine. The texture was soft yet firm, the outside oily and fragrant, and when chewed, the plump texture and slightly chewy outer layer seemed to make their brains instantly freeze.

Beyond the feeling of deliciousness, they couldn’t think of anything else.

Ma Deqiang remarked while eating, "This Nine-Turned Large Intestine is really nice, the control of the heat is quite good. Elder Qin, you don’t measure up. The Nine-Turned Large Intestine you specially made for me last year wasn’t as good as this one."

"What I made last time was braised large intestine," Old Qin said, correcting without expression.

Ma Deqiang: "..."

"Pretty much the same; they’re both intestines, but your control of the heat isn’t as good as Boss Huang’s!"

Old Qin: "..."

Life is already so tough; some things don’t need to be exposed face-to-face, alright?

Moreover.

Old Qin is self-aware, knowing his cooking skills can’t match Boss Huang’s, but there’s no need for you to bluntly point that out in front of so many people...

Doesn’t he want face?

In conclusion.

Old Qin chose to ignore Ma Deqiang and threw Ma Deqiang a look of disdain.

Ma Deqiang: "..."