Xu Milu had watched Cui Shengguo make the cut, but when she picked up her chopsticks, she still couldn't bear to ruin this "peony".
She picked up a slice of fish and examined it closely. The fish meat, as thin as a cicada's wing, was translucent, and the delicate oil gave it a rich, jelly-like appearance.
When the fish slices enter your mouth, the first thing to react is not your tongue, but your teeth. The crisp and smooth fish meat brings a chewy feeling. Cui Shengguo's processing method restores the freshness of the fish meat and eliminates the fishy smell. It is so delicious that Xu Milu can't help but be intoxicated.
Choi Seung-guk doesn't use the common combination of wasabi and soy sauce to accompany his sashimi; instead, he uses radish vinegar. He takes green radishes, chops them into a sticky consistency, and adds aged vinegar, which maximizes the crispness of the sashimi.
Once the fish is swallowed, a subtle sweetness can be detected upon careful tasting, making one want to eat more.
"It's so delicious! This is really different from the sashimi I've had before. No, that sashimi can't compare to this at all!"
Zhao Jin's astonishment was undisguised, and even Cui Mingyue couldn't help but show her amazement:
"Grandpa, is this the silver belt? No wonder you've been longing for it for so long."
Cui Shengguo picked up a slice of fish, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly. The man, who was over sixty years old, couldn't help but tear up.
"This is the taste, this is the taste... If only your great-grandfather were still here."
He recalled that when he was a child, he saw a plate of silver-ribboned peony fish sashimi from afar. At that time, there were many guests at the table, and not one of them failed to give his master a thumbs up.
He rarely sees that satisfied smile on the faces of his diners anymore.
He had longed for that bite of sashimi for so many years, thinking he would never be able to eat it again, but unexpectedly, he encountered it here in Ningcheng today.
Cui Shengguo coldly invited the group to try the steamed silver-winged flying fish again, and the group praised it repeatedly after eating it.
Old Liu pondered the matter several times, his face showing genuine regret and heartfelt admiration for Cui Shengguo.
"Brother, your cooking is absolutely amazing! It's so crisp, refreshing, and smooth! I've been wasting such good food by only knowing how to steam it! Come on, try this braised pork with Shaoxing wine. It's one of my specialties. Please give me some pointers!"
Cui Shengguo waved his hands repeatedly: "Oh, it's not about giving pointers, it's about learning from each other."
There's no time to make fresh golden abalone. This jar of braised pork in Shaoxing wine was something Old Liu had snatched from another customer, and it's just the right amount of cooking time to serve it now.
As soon as the jar was opened, the familiar, overpowering aroma burst forth once more, and the sounds of people drooling and urging for their food to be served rose and fell throughout the restaurant.
"Here, brother, have a taste."
Having witnessed the Cui family's fish sashimi, Old Man Liu was not intimidated. He was confident that the roasted pork tasted no worse than the fish sashimi.
Cui Shengguo picked up a piece of roast pork and put it in his bowl. Before even taking a bite, he was already cheering.
"Great! This meat is beautiful! The aroma of wine has permeated the meat, balancing out its greasiness. This dish is excellent, brother."
As soon as the piece of meat entered his mouth, Cui Shengguo's eyebrows twitched noticeably, and his throat bobbed slightly. The half-piece of roasted pork seemed to melt in his mouth, without any dryness or toughness. The richness of the meat and the aroma of the yellow wine spread between his lips and tongue.
This meat is of extremely high quality!
Cui Shengguo made a judgment in an instant.
...
...
Zhao Jin was no longer able to speak; all he could do was hold his rice bowl and eat with his head down, wishing his parents could give him a few more hands.
It smells so good!
The roasted pork was rich and juicy, and the oil soaked into the rice, bringing out a satisfying meaty flavor; the cold purple seaweed salad was crisp and refreshing, with a unique fragrance; the steamed fish pieces, served only with scallions and soy sauce, were so tender and melted in your mouth without any fishy taste; the steamed millet with egg, milk, pumpkin and millet was delicious and unforgettable.
Of course, what amazed him the most was this jar of braised pork with Shaoxing wine.
"Hey Rice, let's become sworn brothers today."
Holding his rice bowl, Zhao Jin pondered for a moment, his expression profound:
"From now on, your grandpa will be my grandpa. After this meal, I won't taste meat for three months."
Xu Milu couldn't help but laugh: "Okay then, you can come often in the future, and there will be plenty of roasted meat."
Cui Shengguo, who was standing to the side, put down his bowl at some point, pondered for a moment, and then solemnly said:
"Dami, I taught you a little something today, so I guess I'm half your mentor. I'll be frank with you."
Cui Shengguo paused:
"Do you know what the price of these high-quality ingredients you have would be in Beijing, or even abroad? Ningcheng is not big, and the diners who come here can't tell the quality of these ingredients. Why don't you consider going to Beijing? I still have some influence in Beijing. Your restaurant deserves a better and bigger stage."
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly froze, and Old Liu seemed to be somewhat tempted as well.
Xu Milu chuckled softly and slowly shook her head:
"Grandpa Cui, look at the customers in my shop."
Cui Shengguo followed Xu Milu's gaze and saw only guests enjoying their food, which left him somewhat puzzled.
"The two girls at that table always come to the store after working overtime and order a basic set meal. They eat while cursing the boss, and they are full of energy again the next day."
They were two stylish urban women sharing a plate of egg and cream pumpkin.
“That table is a family of three. This is their second time eating at my restaurant. The little boy’s parents made an agreement with him that as long as he studies hard, they will come to eat once a month.”
The family of three chatted quietly, their smiles radiating happiness.
"And then there was that elderly couple. They've been married for forty years and have never eaten out before. Today is the wife's birthday, so they ordered a basic set meal, and I gave them a bowl of longevity noodles as a gift."
An elderly couple with gray hair are enjoying a delicious meal, each bite filled with satisfaction.
Xu Milu withdrew her gaze and said seriously:
“Look at them, they don’t know any skills or how to distinguish the quality of ingredients, but they know that the food in my shop is delicious, and their faces are full of genuine smiles, which is enough.”
She smiled.
"My idea for opening this store is very simple: I want to share more delicious food with others. So whether it's Beijing or Ningcheng, I won't pick and choose my customers, because everyone has the right to enjoy delicious food."
Choi Seung-guk remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh:
"I was wrong. What I just said was all nonsense. This silver belt is a good thing. I was too materialistic in my judgment of people and things and lost my true self."
Yes, he's been praised for too long and has long forgotten his initial impulse to learn to cook—it was simply to see the genuine smiles on the faces of his customers.
Choi Seung-guk slowly adjusted his glasses, his expression turning somewhat serious as he looked at Seo Mi-lu:
"Girl, I'll ask you something I shouldn't: would you like to learn to cook with me?"
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