Chapter 144: Barbecue and Cold Noodles
Manager Guo was also sweating profusely from eating. At this point, he had no idea about Jin Yu Lou or anything like that; all he could think about was how delicious the beef was.
passion fruit?
His only impression of this fruit was that his wife seemed to buy it frequently for a while and soak it in water with lemons, saying it could whiten the skin.
Who would have thought that the aroma of passion fruit combined with beef would create such a unique flavor?
He had originally prepared tea and placed two bottles of wine under the table, but now that the meal was being enjoyed so enthusiastically, he didn't want to bring out the wine. What if the aroma of the fruit was overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol? After thinking it over, he decided to just focus on eating the food.
Although Xiao Lu had queued up for his girlfriend many times before, this was his first time eating at a private kitchen. He ate with great relish, whether it was stir-fried chicken or beef, and even secretly sent photos to his girlfriend while eating.
His girlfriend replied quickly.
[I feel like I missed out on a fortune.]
Wenji is truly always innovating. Last year's tofu and pork stew were already amazing, and now they've created this fruit dish.
My girlfriend couldn't resist sending the photos to her best friend.
The two women drooled over the photo, and the best friend complained that she hadn't been invited.
【I didn't get to eat either, okay?】
Xiao Lu had originally planned to get a reservation number for his girlfriend as well, but when he called, Wen's mother regretfully said that one call could reserve one table. Xiao Lu hung up and called again, and all three tables were already booked.
"...Next time, let's be faster!"
As Wenji Restaurant becomes increasingly popular, it's becoming harder and harder to book private kitchen meals.
But she won't give up!
Meanwhile, Xiao Lu was a little full after finishing her beef, but when Wen's mother brought out a large iron plate that sizzled, Xiao Lu sat up straight and couldn't help but curiously look inside.
Mother Wen placed the iron plate in the middle, reminding everyone to make way.
"Be careful, it's hot."
Lifting the lid to prevent oil splattering, I found roasted meat inside.
There are thin slices of pork belly, as well as thicker slices, short ribs, hanging tenderloin, chicken cutlets...
Wen Fan grilled the meat slices on a heat-insulating iron pan. After they were cooked, they were arranged neatly, and along with the pan came several kinds of dipping sauces and seasonings. There were spicy, sour and spicy, and dry sauces.
Xiao Lu felt he had been spoiled a bit, and when the barbecue was served, he was actually a little disappointed.
Is it really that simple?
At the crucial moment, Wen's mother came over again with a tray.
"Use this with the grilled meat."
Then they brought out two plates. One plate was full of fresh lettuce leaves, and the other plate was... a fruit platter?
Not only Xiao Lu, but also the guests at the next table asked Wen's mother if she had delivered the wrong item.
"We didn't order a fruit platter."
Wen's mother said that she hadn't made a mistake; this time, the barbecue was meant to be eaten with these fruits.
Xiao Lu picked up a slice of apple from the plate with some skepticism. She had to admit that Wen Ji's knife skills were superb; the apple slice was as thin as a cicada's wing, and you could see the light behind it through the apple slice.
How to eat it?
At the crucial moment, it was the gourmet Chen Jiahe who took the lead, placing a slice of grilled pork belly on an apple slice, then dipping another apple slice in the dry powder sauce. The two apple slices were then combined, creating an apple sandwich with the crisp, juicy grilled pork belly. Although the apple slices were thin, their refreshing flavor balanced the greasiness of the grilled meat, and the slight spiciness of the sauce further enhanced the flavor of the meat slices.
Chen Jiahe was speechless. How could a simple barbecue dish taste so different from other restaurants?
After hurriedly swallowing what was in his mouth, Chen Jiahe urged the others to eat quickly.
I picked up another slice of pineapple. Pineapple with brisket, dip the brisket in the sauce, the tender beef, the meat juice and pineapple juice come together, the sweet and salty flavors do not cancel each other out, but rather combine to create a salty, fragrant, sweet and sour taste with a hint of spiciness.
The main fruits in Wenfan tablets are apples and pineapples, with a little bit of bitter melon.
The bitter melon was sliced very thinly, and I thought it would be too bitter to eat, but the combination of grilled meat and bitter melon actually had a slightly sweet aftertaste. A thin lettuce leaf, topped with slices of bitter melon, and two pieces of beef dipped in the sauce. The beef was rich in fat, but half of that fat disappeared the moment it touched the bitter melon. The slightly bitter bitter melon slices and beef went down together, the sauce was sour and spicy and refreshing, and the bitter melon flavor was not strong, like eating a slightly bitter cucumber.
A plate of grilled meat was enough to make everyone stuffed.
As always, Wenji served generous portions, and ended up with a large bowl of cold noodles.
In a bowl as big as a human face, amber soup is topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg, a few slices of apple and tomato, cucumber strips, and kimchi. Buckwheat noodles are cooked until translucent, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and topped with large slices of beef.
Manager Guo inwardly cheered. He had just eaten grilled meat, piping hot with spicy sauce, which had made him sweat. He really needed something cold.
The cold noodle soup was sweet, sour, and icy cold, and the buckwheat noodles were thin, chewy, and smooth. Although there was only one big bowl on the table, everyone shared it, ate a couple of bites of noodles and drank some soup, and let out a satisfied burp. Only then did they realize that the meal was exceptionally satisfying from beginning to end.
Chen Jiahe had already loosened his sleeves while eating. He came here last December, and now the project is almost over. Although he hasn't gained much weight, he's gotten noticeably paler, perhaps because he's always holed up in the hotel.
Assistant Zeng, whose face had also paled slightly, was still cleaning up the remaining food, eating so much that you could see your reflection in each plate.
Manager Guo was so full he could barely sit still, but he managed to keep up the urge to vomit while exchanging pleasantries.
"I know Manager Chen is busy with work, so consider this meal today a farewell dinner for you. If you ever come here again, just give me a call and I'll pick you up from the airport."
Chen Jiahe laughed heartily: "You're too kind. With such delicious food here, I'll definitely come often."
It's only a few thousand kilometers.
Manager Guo saw Chen Jiahe and his companion off, and then let Xiao Lu drive his car away.
He was so exhausted that he just wanted to walk home.
The meal today was better than he had imagined. For a moment, Manager Guo even thought that if there were customers next time, it would be better to bring them to Wenji for a meal first.
Touching his chin, Manager Guo felt he should change his mindset. Chen Jiahe was a perfect example. Everyone was tired of the same old business meals. Maybe these outstanding little shops on the streets would be more likely to win customers' favor?
****
The winter winds blew for more than half a month, and just two days before the heating was about to be turned off, they finally mustered all their strength to deliver a sleet.
Looking at his newly bought shoes, now stained and black, Wen Fan decided he would hate this kind of weather from now on.
After the sleet, the streets were covered in black snow debris. After a night of frost, it began to show its power early the next morning.
Mr. Wen entered the store, covered in sweat, and said with lingering fear, "I almost couldn't stop the car just now... There was a child in front of me!"
He drove very, very slowly today, even putting snow chains on the car, but he still almost crashed while going downhill. When he got home, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Mrs. Wen frowned as well: "What should we do? Should we close for a day or two?"
In the past two weeks, real estate agents have shown her several suitable apartments, and the prices are much lower than Ms. Wen had expected. Although she hasn't made a decision yet, Ms. Wen now feels much more relaxed, both physically and mentally. In that case, closing down due to bad weather isn't such a terrible thing.
Mr. Wen waved his hand: "It's not that serious. When I came back, I saw that the city had already arranged snowplows. It will definitely be cleaned up by tomorrow at the latest."
Even in that half-day period, the slippery roads still caused many people to fall victim to accidents.
Among the neighbors on the street alone, three or four slipped and fell. None of them were seriously injured, but a few with mild symptoms limped to the pharmacy to have Grandpa Duan examine them.
Grandpa Duan simply handed all these people over to Mr. Qu, who examined each one's bones. As long as there were no fractures or cracks, he would fix any misaligned bones and disinfect and bandage any abrasions.
The neighbors who saw it were stunned.
"I never expected Old Qu to have this trick up his sleeve!"
Mr. Qu wiped his sweat and told the person who had been bandaged to get out of bed and walk around.
"Try to rest as much as possible after you get back. The roads have been very slippery these past few days, so be careful when you go out."
Fearing they wouldn't take it seriously, Mr. Qu deliberately exaggerated, saying, "As people get older, they are more prone to calcium loss. When you're young, a fall isn't a big deal, but now, a fall can easily result in a fracture."
After seeing off the neighbors, Mr. Qu saw Mrs. Wen talking to Yao Qingqin. When he saw her from afar, he immediately asked her loudly if she had seen Song Hui.
Mr. Qu thought for a moment and said, "I haven't seen her. Didn't she come to open the shop today?"
Wen's mother was a little anxious: "Some people said they saw her come in the morning, but then she closed the shop in the middle of the morning, saying that the weather was bad and she would come back at noon. But it's almost noon now, and she still hasn't come."
Mr. Qu had just finished watching a few wrestling matches when he heard this, and he frowned: "Then let's call and ask. In this weather, the worst thing is that someone falls and can't get up."
"Can't get through!"
If the phone call hadn't gone unanswered, Wen's mother wouldn't have been so anxious.
Seeing that she couldn't get anything out of Qu's father, Wen's mother simply abandoned her business at the shop, took off her apron, and hurriedly went to Song Hui's house to check on her.
Wen Fan had just finished school and saw her mother leave in a hurry. After finding out that she was going to see Aunt Song Hui, she nodded and volunteered to help in the kitchen.
Over this period of time, Xiao Ge has adapted to Wenji's rhythm.
Mr. and Mrs. Wen treated their employees very well, often letting him take a break and providing them with the same food as everyone else. This made Xiao Ge a little reluctant to leave. He originally thought that all restaurants would be like Jin Yu Lou before, full of backstabbing and infighting, and that the restaurant would often be divided into different classes.
Even during meals, the master chefs' apprentices didn't share the same pot as the other kitchen helpers.
He didn't even dare to tell his master what was really on his mind. To be honest, he had absolutely no attachment to Jin Yu Lou. He simply couldn't bring himself to like a restaurant that was dressed up as a modern enterprise but still operated like a place catering to all sorts of people.
Xiao Ge skillfully fried rice in the kitchen. Wen Fan couldn't find fault with his movements, so he went to the side to prepare the afternoon's medicinal cuisine.
Since Grandpa Duan resumed his practice, the shop's medicinal cuisine has started again.
The last recipe Wen Fan left behind last year has finally been discovered. It contains three medicinal diet recipes that Wen Fan could make with his eyes closed.
After finishing the soup, Wen Fan checked his watch.
It's been almost half an hour, why hasn't Mom come back yet?
Despite the bad weather, there were still many guests. Wen Fan helped tidy up, and ten minutes later, Wen's father received a call from Wen's mother.
The background sound of an ambulance siren could be heard from the mother on the other end of the phone.
"Sister Hui fell, I'll take her to the hospital first!"
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Author's Note: Only one update today. I'm feeling lazy and need to take a short break. [whispering...]
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