Chapter 16 Stuffed Shrimp with Green Peppers, Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves, Dried...
Wang Chong and Liu Feng were immediately struck by its brilliance.
In their preconceived notions, people in the catering industry are often well-off, like Wang Chong's father, and many other bosses they've met during their past dining and entertainment experiences.
Wang Chong had heard his father say that the owner of Gu's Private Kitchen was the former owner's daughter, who was probably not very old, but he didn't expect her to be so beautiful.
Her delicate features, accentuated by the white chef's hat and apron, made her look more like someone writing articles in an office than someone wielding a spatula in the kitchen.
Her beautiful hair was tied up, with bangs that curved gracefully on both sides. She had almond-shaped eyes and arched eyebrows. When she smiled and said "Welcome," there were obvious dimples on both sides of her cheeks. She was very gentle and kind.
Wang Chong even softened his tone, remembering his purpose for coming: "Give me one of each of these dishes on the menu."
Gu Qingqiu was naturally pleased to have such a big customer, but she still stuck to her principles and advised, "If you only have two customers, you probably won't be able to finish all these dishes. Our meat and vegetable portions are quite large."
Wang Chong waved his hand dismissively and said, "It's alright, we can pack up any leftovers and take them home for my father."
He had just done a quick calculation and found that Gu's Private Kitchen was more expensive than his own restaurant. Ordering everything on the menu would cost around 330 yuan, and he would have to pay 30 yuan out of his own pocket.
No, I need to get the old man to reimburse me when I get back!
Liu Feng, who was the one being treated, sat quietly to the side without saying a word.
Seeing his insistence, Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed.
Wang impulsively put the ticket aside and started scalding his own bowl and chopsticks.
While rinsing the dishes, Liu Feng said, "Brother Chong is so generous, ordering so many dishes."
"That's right, it's rare to have lunch, so of course we have to eat well." Wang Chong was pleased to hear this and smiled, trying to appear dignified.
Liu Feng smiled and exclaimed, "That restaurant owner was really beautiful. I never would have guessed that she was also a chef. You'd never guess."
He was quite surprised to see the owner go into the kitchen and see her busy cooking through the glass.
Wang Chong was also surprised, but he didn't say anything. He calmly said, "What's so strange about this? Can't pretty women be chefs? That's sexism, that's occupational discrimination!"
He casually pulled off two hats to cover himself up, feeling as if he were under the protection of justice and brilliance.
"Whoever feeds me is my mother," Liu Feng thought, realizing he was being treated to a meal by Wang Chong later. He quickly changed his tune, saying, "Yes, yes, I was too narrow-minded."
After exchanging a few words, the topic shifted to the games they usually played, and then they talked about where the brothers had run into other thugs and been provoked, and how they would find a chance to get revenge someday.
In the kitchen, Gu Qingqiu was busy, glancing over to the main dining area from time to time.
Besides checking if any new customers came in and needed to be served, he was also keeping an eye on the two young men at that table.
She had seen all sorts of people in the cultivation world, and perhaps it was just her intuition, but those two young men had an undeniable air of roguishness about them. However, their tone and expression during the conversation when they were ordering food seemed perfectly normal.
If trouble breaks out later, I should be fine with my hands and feet, which have become more agile and stronger recently due to the tiny bit of spiritual energy in my dantian.
Moreover, there are other customers in the shop. If all else fails, call 110.
Gu Qingqiu opened the casserole and ladled out another portion of braised pork. She counted the abalone and placed them in a small casserole before taking it out to serve. When she returned to the kitchen, she continued working, occasionally keeping an eye on the situation in the dining area.
Smelling the aroma of braised abalone and pork belly, and seeing the brownish-red, glistening pork belly and the large, beautifully cut abalone in the small casserole, Wang Chong and Liu Feng immediately picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
The braised pork belly is incredibly tender and juicy, with the fat and lean meat juicy yet not greasy. The lean meat retains its original texture, falling apart with a single bite, and is savory and flavorful. The slight spiciness is practically nonexistent for them.
The abalone has a slightly chewy yet tender texture with a touch of elasticity. The unique freshness of the seafood is hidden in the salty flavor of the broth, making it surprisingly delicious.
Even though the abalone has shrunk slightly after being braised, it's still quite large and very satisfying to eat.
I couldn't resist taking another piece of braised pork. The layers of fat and lean meat were distinct, and if I had to say, there was slightly more lean meat than fat. However, it wasn't dry at all. Upon closer tasting, the savory flavor was complemented by the fresh aroma of abalone.
Liu Feng exclaimed excitedly, "The food here is pretty good! The braised abalone and pork belly is incredibly fragrant!"
"Delicious!" Wang Chong said hastily, his mouth full of braised pork and abalone, savoring the flavor.
He came to his senses and thought, "This braised abalone and pork belly dish is already far superior to all my family's signature dishes. It seems that the old man has really met his match this time."
He waved to the owner and asked for a bowl of rice, and Liu Feng followed suit and asked for a bowl as well.
Without even discussing it, the two of them acted in unison, each scooping a spoonful of the dark brown sauce onto the white rice. Instantly, the distinct grains of rice were coated with a glossy, dark brown sauce, and the ordinary white rice became incredibly tempting.
Take a big bite of braised pork, and as the savory aroma fills your mouth, add a mouthful of white rice and chew it together—it's so delicious!
The two young men had an amazing appetite; in no time, they had eaten most of the braised pork and abalone in the small casserole, and finished a bowl of rice as well.
At this point, the owner served another dish: stuffed shrimp with green peppers and steamed four treasures in lotus leaves.
On a white porcelain plate, six medium-sized green peppers are half-cut to reveal their beautiful cross-sections, inside which are wrapped orange-red shrimp paste, and topped with a thick sauce, looking quite flavorful.
Another dish, Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves, is served on a large round plate. The bottom is covered with a large sheet of dark green lotus leaves to cover the original color of the porcelain plate. The lotus leaves are divided into four sections, on which are placed pumpkin, meatballs, spare ribs, and loofah.
It was arranged roughly in the order of alternating meat and vegetables, with yellow, green, and meat colors, and a little garlic sauce drizzled on top. It looked pretty good.
When Wang Chong first looked at the menu, he had no expectations for these two dishes.
He usually eats large amounts of meat and fish, and even when he eats shrimp, it's always large shrimp. What is shrimp paste? I tried it once and it was like flour, with only the shadow of shrimp meat but no shrimp flavor.
Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves sounds rather bland, and the Four Treasures might just be four vegetarian dishes.
Now, looking at the beautiful scenery and smelling the delicious aroma, with the thought of eating every dish to give his father an explanation, Wang Chong took the lead, picked up a piece of green pepper stuffed shrimp paste, brought it to his mouth, and took a bite.
The green peppers are a bit spicy, but not too spicy; it's a level that locals can tolerate. They taste quite refreshing. The shrimp paste wrapped around them is fresh and fragrant with a slightly grainy texture, which tells you it's made from fresh, chopped shrimp meat. It's made with high-quality ingredients, and what's rare is that there's no trace of added flour.
The shrimp paste is topped with a thick sauce, which makes it silky smooth and adds a touch of saltiness.
After Wang Chong finished eating a whole green pepper stuffed with shrimp paste, his opinion on the dish completely changed. He realized that shrimp paste could be made so delicious. The texture of the shrimp meat when chewing it felt like biting into shrimp meat. He could taste the firmness of the shrimp meat, and there was a faint sweetness, which was probably the taste of shredded carrots.
Liu Feng savored the delicious food; the green peppers were refreshing with a hint of spiciness, and the shrimp paste was savory, firm, and slightly sweet.
After finishing a stuffed shrimp with green peppers, he exclaimed, "Brother Chong, you really know how to eat! You actually found such a delicious restaurant. This dish is just as good as braised abalone with pork belly."
"Eat more if you like it," Wang Chong said.
Seeing Liu Feng pick up another piece of stuffed shrimp with green peppers and eat it, he shifted his chopsticks and decided to try the steamed four treasures in lotus leaves. After tasting the stuffed shrimp with green peppers, he also had a better expectation for this dish.
Wang Chong also picked up some to eat. The first ribs he tasted were full of garlic flavor, and the meat was salty, fragrant, tender, and smooth without being tough. They fell off the bone with just one bite.
The meatballs are slightly bouncy, and you can taste the savory flavor of the meat filling. They also have a slightly grainy texture, but they are much smoother than shrimp paste.
He knew that adding some flour to meatballs would help them hold their shape, but these meatballs tasted almost entirely without any flour. All you could taste after eating a whole meatball was the pure, fresh meat flavor.
Next, eat the pumpkin, cut into pieces about two fingers wide, so you can eat it in one bite. It's soft and chewy, with the unique sweetness of pumpkin. The loofah is a vibrant green, like jade, and it's crisp yet tender in your mouth, with a very refreshing sweetness.
These four treasures undoubtedly all carry a very faint lotus leaf fragrance. Wang Chong, in a rare moment of artistic inspiration, used his limited cultural knowledge to come up with an evaluation.
It's like standing by a pond on a summer's day, with the wind gently blowing through the green water and the lotus leaves swaying, as if carrying a faint fragrance of lotus leaves that washes over you—the scent of summer, so refreshing.
He thought to himself, "I'm doomed. This restaurant owner makes even the ordinary lotus leaf steamed four treasures so delicious. I don't know what I'm going to use to compete with them."
Looking up, Wang Chong saw Liu Feng across from him engrossed in eating stuffed shrimp with green peppers and braised pork with abalone, seemingly oblivious to the lotus leaf steamed four treasures. Wang Chong felt a bit disappointed, thinking that Liu Feng was ignorant and didn't know what he was missing.
"Don't just focus on eating the meat. This lotus leaf steamed four treasures dish is delicious, not only are the ribs and meatballs tasty, but the pumpkin and loofah are also very good. And I dare say that these meatballs are definitely handmade, and they taste so much better than what you can buy outside."
"Brother Chong, if you say so, it must be delicious. I'll try it too." Liu Feng listened to the advice, or rather, he gave face to the person who treated him to dinner, and picked up a meatball with his chopsticks.
The meatballs were bursting with meaty flavor, slightly bouncy, and very satisfying to eat in big bites. He then tried a piece of spare rib; the garlic sauce was rich and the meat was tender and easy to chew, not easily getting stuck in his teeth. Liu Feng didn't even have time to praise Brother Chong and the boss before instinctively picking up another piece of spare rib to eat.
Wang Chong couldn't help but say, "Don't just eat meat, pumpkin and loofah are delicious too."
He picked up a lot more pumpkin and loofah to eat, and for the first time thought that these melons could taste pretty good if cooked properly.
Liu Feng then tried the pumpkin, which was soft, sweet, and fragrant. The loofah was crisp and sweet, with particularly tender flesh inside. The loofah seeds were noticeable, slippery, and hard to bite into if you weren't careful.
He nodded sincerely: "This lotus leaf steamed four treasures is really good, it even tastes like lotus leaves."
Wang Chong curled his lips, feeling that Liu Feng was less cultured than him. He then spoke out the words that had been on his mind, which immediately earned him a lot of praise from Liu Feng.
Next, instead of stir-fried rice noodles and lettuce with oyster sauce, the owner served a large bowl of coconut chicken soup.
The soup bowl is deep and wide at the bottom, so it can hold a lot of soup.
What stunned Wang Chong was that there was too much broth in the coconut chicken soup. In the clear soup with a few specks of oil, you could see pieces of firm chicken, which was the yellowish-white color that is common in soups. The coconut meat was white and delicate, and you could already smell the rich, sweet aroma of coconut juice. A few red dates and goji berries were sprinkled on top, and you could vaguely see water chestnuts hidden in the pieces of chicken.
Furthermore, when the owner served the coconut chicken soup, he also provided two small dishes of sauce, which were clearly distinguishable as minced garlic and chopped chili peppers, for them to dip the chicken in the soup.
Just looking at how much chicken is in the coconut chicken soup, almost enough for a whole chicken dish, I never imagined it could be enjoyed in two ways. Usually when I eat out, coconut chicken soup is just soup with only a few pieces of chicken and lots of bones.
Fortunately, the rice in the bowl had already been finished, so Wang Chong used a soup spoon to scoop up a bowl of coconut chicken soup, along with a few pieces of chicken, coconut meat, small pieces of water chestnuts, a red date, and two goji berries.
He picked up the bowl and took a sip. The warm liquid had an irresistible sweetness, a sweetness that combined the flavors of coconut milk and chicken, and was also very fresh. Looking at the bright red dates and goji berries, he wondered if they were part of the sweetness too.
Then, I drank the soup and was able to taste the rich coconut aroma. Even with the oil droplets from the chicken floating on top, it was refreshing and not greasy. Perhaps it was because coconut meat was added when cooking, but the coconut juice tasted even richer, and the umami flavor of the chicken was also blended together.
After finishing the soup in his bowl, Wang Chong picked up a piece of coconut meat and ate it. It was crunchy and absorbed a lot of soup, making the coconut flavor even stronger.
Since there were two plates of sauce, it was natural for each person to have one. He pulled the plate in front of him, picked up a piece of chicken, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth. His mouth was full of the salty, fragrant, and spicy sauce flavor. When he bit into it, he could taste the tender and juicy chicken, as well as the sweetness of the coconut milk.
Upon closer inspection, Wang Chong discovered that it even had a slightly refreshing sour taste.
He realized that the sauce probably had a little lemon juice in it. The sourness, the sweetness of the coconut milk, and the savory aroma of the chicken blended together with the rich saltiness of the sauce, making it taste even better.
He became interested and ate two more pieces of chicken, followed by crisp water chestnuts and sweet red dates and goji berries.
Then I made myself a bowl of coconut chicken soup, added a piece of green pepper stuffed shrimp paste, and ate a piece of braised pork and abalone. Now, when I drink the soup, it instantly relieves the previous saltiness and greasiness, leaving my mouth feeling sweet and refreshing.
Liu Feng was good at giving compliments. He figured since Brother Chong had contributed money to the meal, he should contribute some nice words in return.
Of course, he was speaking from the heart. After finishing a bowl of coconut chicken soup, he said honestly, "Brother Chong, this coconut chicken soup is simply the essence of the dish! The coconut aroma is so rich, I don't know how much coconut juice they used, it's so sweet and fragrant. The chicken dipped in this sauce is absolutely amazing, even more delicious than just stir-frying it!"
Wang Chong nodded: "It is indeed very good."
He looked up and saw that all seven tables in the restaurant were full, and there were even a couple of groups of customers queuing outside.
Gu Qingqiu carried out two plates of stir-fried beef noodles and oyster sauce lettuce to the table of customers she was focusing on, and then, upon receiving a signal from the first table of customers, went to the cashier to pay the bill.
Almost all six girls got up from the table at once, and a group of customers waiting outside hurriedly came in.
Seeing this, Gu Qingqiu quickly said, "Welcome! Please wait a moment, everyone. I'll come and clean the table after I settle the bill."
She recognized that some of the customers were the restaurant's biggest takeout customers.
Zhang Yonghao smiled and nodded in agreement: "It's alright, boss, take your time."
They went into the restaurant first and found a seat at an empty table. Luckily, it was a large table, otherwise there wouldn't have been enough room for them.
Gu Qingqiu stood behind the cashier, operated the computer to bring up the bill for the customers who needed to pay, and said, "The total is three hundred and twenty-eight yuan, thank you."
Xu Yue scanned the code to pay as the representative, while the others stood beside her.
They had enjoyed and were very full from that meal. In the end, they finished all the dishes, including the coconut chicken soup, leaving not a single crumb. There was no possibility of them packing it up to take home for dinner.
"Boss, did you take a break yesterday?" Xu Yue asked after putting away her phone after paying.
Gu Qingqiu nodded: "Yes, I should be off every Tuesday from now on, and the restaurant will be closed then. Did you come yesterday? I'm sorry to have made you a wasted trip."
Xu Yue quickly waved her hand and explained, "No, we thought about coming yesterday, but we saw on Xiaohongshu that some netizens said the store was closed, so we didn't come. We only came today."
Gu Qingqiu asked in confusion, "On Xiaohongshu?"
How did your store become so popular on Xiaohongshu so quickly?
Xu Yue simply said, "The boss said that last time we came to eat your food, we thought it was very delicious and photogenic, so we made a post about it on Xiaohongshu and the data was very good. Many netizens said they wanted to come and eat here."
She suggested, "Several people came yesterday saying the restaurant was closed. I was thinking, boss, maybe you could register a 'Gu's Private Kitchen' account on Dianping (a Chinese review platform). That way, you can post and update the account status when you're open or closed. If someone wants to come and eat, they can check the account status on Dianping to avoid making a wasted trip."
Gu Qingqiu hadn't used these apps since she traveled back in time, and had completely forgotten that Dianping (a Chinese review platform) had this feature.
The big-time customer who just went in asked her about it last time. She said he could register his restaurant on a food delivery app, which would be convenient for people like him who don't want to come in for lunch, and it would also help him expand into the online market. She was sure it would be popular.
Gu Qingqiu politely declined, as business was good at the store and this number of customers was already her limit.
She didn't plan to go online on food delivery apps before increasing her customer volume. The commission rates on these apps were quite high, and if she could make the restaurant successful, the profits alone would be enough to satisfy her.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed to the girl's suggestion: "Okay, thank you for reminding me. I'll look into Dianping and register an account to update the restaurant's opening status so future customers won't make a wasted trip. Also, thank you for the recommendation on Xiaohongshu. I'll give you a 20% discount next time you come."
Xu Yue was pleased to see the owner being so kind and even thanking them: "You're welcome, boss. Your food is absolutely delicious!"
Zheng Jiajia couldn't help but say, "Yeah, boss, you're absolutely amazing! Those meat dishes smelled so good I'm dreaming about them all night. This meal was so satisfying!"
Wen Qingqing also smiled and said, "Boss, we'll definitely come next time!"
Huang Yuezhu added, "They might come again tomorrow!"
Zhou Huilin and Lu Xiangyin covered their mouths and giggled, appreciating the boss's gentleness and kindness, and also happy that they would get a 20% discount next time they came.
That's a 20% discount! You can save 50 or 60 yuan by ordering everything on the menu, making the meal even more enjoyable!
Gu Qingqiu smiled and said, "You are welcome to come anytime."
After seeing off this group of customers, she hurried to the table with the big spenders to clear the dishes and utensils off the table, then got a rag to wipe the table clean, then packed the dishes and utensils for each person, and served a pot of Pu'er tea.
Zhang Yonghao and the others were busy looking at the dishes on the menu, but since there were so many of them, they didn't need to choose much; they just ordered everything.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed, went to the cashier's computer to place an order and print a receipt for them, then went into the kitchen to get busy.
Zhao Dejun and the others had heard Zhang Yonghao say before that the owner of Gu's Private Kitchen, who was also the chef who made so many delicious meat dishes, was a beautiful girl. So when they met her in person, although they were a little amazed, they didn't pay much attention to her.
After ordering, they discussed how delicious the meat dishes looked. The aromas wafting from nearby tables and the crisp sound of chopsticks picking up food from porcelain plates created a difficult test and temptation. Sun Ping's stomach couldn't resist the temptation and started rumbling.
Zhao Dejun laughed and said, "The dishes at the restaurant look pretty good today. It's a real pity that Brother Li had to go to a meeting."
"Yeah, we'll take pictures and post them in the group chat when we eat it, making him drool," Qian Jin said with ill intent.
The others laughed and said, "You've gone astray, kid."
They've already eaten at the Gu family's private kitchen three times, all of which Zhang Yonghao brought back to his office to eat, using the team's funds.
They ate Gu's private kitchen three times in a week and didn't get tired of it at all; on the contrary, they often craved it.
If their budget allowed, they probably would have turned Gu's Private Kitchen into the group's outsourced canteen.
And you know what? The leap in their food quality has also boosted their work efficiency. Just like the donkeys in the production team, they are well-fed and watered and work like crazy, managing to complete the key project that the group was responsible for yesterday.
Of course, this also meant the loss of the opportunity to use team funds to order lunch.
I wasn't feeling very energetic at work this morning, and the team leader went to a meeting. So the five of us discussed it and decided that we didn't have to work this morning and could leave at the normal time. We decided to come over to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal.
There were many of them, so they could eat a lot of meat and vegetables. When the cost was split among them, it would only be a few dozen yuan per person, which was perfectly affordable, and they didn't feel bad about it at all.
Who knew that Gu's Private Kitchen would be so popular? They drove over, parked nearby, and walked in to find that all seven tables were full of people, and they were eating with great relish.
They had no choice but to stand at the door and wait. When a passerby told them that the noodle shop across the street was also quite good and they could go there to eat on such a hot day, they didn't move.
Nonsense, they came all the way to Suli Street to eat Gu's private cuisine, why would they go there to eat noodles?
As they chatted, braised abalone with pork belly and stuffed shrimp with green peppers were served. Without a word, everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
Zhao Dejun swallowed the abalone and braised pork, the freshness of the abalone and the salty aroma of the braised pork still lingering in his mouth, the tender texture seemingly still present. He said, "This braised pork with abalone is truly authentic; it's like the soul of the dish has been brought out."
Sun Ping nodded vigorously: "I think it tastes even better than the ones in Hangzhou, and the abalone are big enough, and there's just the right amount for us to share."
God knows, once when their group of six went out for a team-building dinner, there was a dish of abalone, and they only gave four of them, with absolutely no idea how to divide it.
Unlike now, where each person uses chopsticks to pick up an abalone, and you can vaguely see two or three more abalone hidden under the braised pork in the small casserole.
Zhang Yonghao ate the braised pork, ordered a bowl of white rice to eat with it, and poured a spoonful of braised pork sauce on top. It was incredibly delicious.
The others barely managed to resist, finding the braised pork with abalone quite delicious, knowing that there would be stir-fried beef noodles later, so they had to save room for that.
They also raved about the stuffed shrimp with green peppers.
Jin Shicheng simply said, "This dish is delicious!"
Qian Jin was much more meticulous: "This green pepper is well-prepared, with a bit of spiciness but not too spicy, and it tastes very refreshing. The shrimp paste it's wrapped in is very fresh and sweet, and it has a bit of a grainy texture, just like eating shrimp meat. The sauce is thick and mixed together, making it quite salty and fragrant."
Zhang Yonghao tasted it and said, "I think the shrimp paste must have been chopped by the owner himself. Machine-made shrimp paste can't have such a good texture. What's rare is that it doesn't contain any flour or anything."
Handmade shrimp paste and regular shrimp paste are completely different concepts, and their prices differ significantly. This stuffed shrimp paste with green peppers is definitely worth 58 yuan.
Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves and Stir-fried Beef Rice Noodles were also served one after another.
The men weren't really interested in the dish, but they ordered it anyway, trusting Gu's Private Kitchen. At first glance, it just looked quite green.
They each took a bite and found the ribs to be tender and savory, the meatballs fresh and bouncy, the pumpkin sweet and glutinous, and the loofah crisp and sweet, with a subtle lotus leaf aroma.
It's like a breeze blowing in the summer; you can imagine that this breeze must have passed over a green pond, where emerald green lotus leaves float.
Zhang Yonghao was the first to comment: "I didn't expect the lotus leaf steamed four treasures to taste so good. It has all the meat and vegetables at once. You can pick whatever you want to eat. If you just pick one dish and increase the portion size, it can become a dish that costs 58 yuan."
"Yes, it's genius to think of using lotus leaves to steam these meat and vegetables. It's so summery," Zhao Dejun said, a rare moment of artistic expression from this middle-aged man.
Qian Jin suddenly remembered something important: "Oh no, I forgot to take a picture and send it to the team leader."
He took out his phone, opened the camera, snapped a few photos, sent them to the group chat with the group leader, and then, without waiting for the group leader's reaction, put his phone aside and continued eating.
Qian Jin scooped up a bowl of stir-fried beef noodles with a spoon and ate it. This dish had the best appearance of all, and it looked very wok-fried.
The rice noodles are long and smooth with a dark brown sauce, mixed with dark beef slices, tender white bean sprouts, orange-red carrot shreds, and bright green scallion segments, creating a vibrant color combination.
He picked up a piece of rice noodle with his chopsticks and slurped it into his mouth, chewing it. The rice noodle was salty and flavorful, with the original aroma of rice. He could imagine how it was transformed from rice milk into long rice noodles and then into this tempting dish on the table.
The beef slices are tender and smooth, with a slight chewiness and some juice. They are not tough at all and have the same savory flavor as rice noodles.
The bean sprouts are crisp and juicy, the shredded carrots are sweet, and even the seasoned scallions are very fragrant. With one bite, you can taste all kinds of flavors.
This dish is called dry-fried beef rice noodles, but it's not dry at all. The rice noodles are the kind that are dry-fried and fragrant, but because of the sauce, they are also a bit moist and have a good wok hei (wok aroma).
The addition of beef, bean sprouts, and shredded carrots undoubtedly enhances the aroma and texture, making it oily yet not greasy. It's much more fragrant than those stir-fried rice noodles from late-night roadside stalls.
Qian Jin ate one bite after another, his mouth bulging, too busy eating to speak.
Seeing how much he was eating, everyone realized that the stir-fried beef noodles were also quite delicious, so they quickly picked some up and started eating as well. They hadn't eaten rice, and even though they had eaten a lot of meat earlier, their appetites were now whetted, and they ate one bite after another.
Zhang Yonghao had eaten a bowl of rice earlier, and now, as he ate the stir-fried beef noodles, he regretted that he hadn't been able to control himself. The stir-fried beef noodles seemed to taste better than the white rice with braised pork broth.
While they were engrossed in eating their stir-fried beef noodles, Gu Qingqiu served them oyster sauce bok choy and a pot of coconut chicken soup: "All the dishes are served, please enjoy."
Seeing the customers enjoying their food so much gave her a great sense of accomplishment.
At this moment, she suddenly felt grateful for her experience of transmigrating to the cultivation world. Although she suffered a lot in that bizarre world, it also forced her to recall the memories of watching her parents cook in the restaurant kitchen and the various stir-fried meat dishes she had seen before. She managed to develop excellent cooking skills in that restaurant.
After returning to the modern world, relying on the cooking skills he had honed and the tiny bit of spiritual energy he brought back from his dantian, he managed to revive the Gu Family Private Kitchen.
If Mom and Dad knew how well their restaurant was doing, they would probably be very happy.
Gu Qingqiu smiled as she thought about it, then turned and went back to the kitchen.
By now, all the meat and vegetables ordered by customers have been served, and braised abalone and pork belly are still cooking in the pot. Stuffed shrimp balls with green peppers are also ready, so they can be cooked immediately when a new customer places an order.
She started eating lunch.
I kept three pieces of braised pork, two abalones, and a green pepper stuffed shrimp paste for myself. I also kept some spare ribs and meatballs, as well as pumpkin and loofah. My main point was that I couldn't eat worse than the customers.
Gu Qingqiu ate the meat and vegetables as if they were her main meal, and she ate with great enjoyment.
Then have a bowl of coconut chicken soup. The sweetness of the coconut and the savory flavor of the chicken blend perfectly together, making it a true delight to drink.
Zhang Yonghao and the others in the dining hall also thought so after drinking a bowl of coconut chicken soup.
Zhao Dejun, who is usually quite stingy, said sincerely, "No wonder this soup costs 88 yuan. Just for this pot of soup, with chicken taking up more than half of it, it's already a great deal. I guess they also added a lot of fresh coconut water. It tastes so sweet and refreshing."
Jin Shicheng sipped his soup and sighed, "No, I have to find time to bring my wife and kids here to eat here once."
Bringing the whole family over for a meal was his highest praise for Gu's private kitchen.
Zhang Yonghao finished a bowl of coconut chicken soup and his stomach was already full: "Ah, this soup is so delicious, ah, why is my stomach so full?"
He stared speechlessly at his bulging belly, which was visible even through his polo shirt. Why was his belly so uncooperative?
Qian Jin laughed so hard: "Who told you to eat that bowl of rice? This soup is absolutely amazing. Not only is it drinkable, but it also comes with a sauce for us to dip the chicken in, and it's actually quite delicious."
He just picked up a piece of chicken and dipped it in the sauce. The chicken itself was fresh and tender, and after soaking up the broth, it tasted like coconut. Dipped in the sauce, it was salty and sweet.
Sun Ping was glad he hadn't overeaten earlier, so now he could enjoy the chicken to his heart's content and drink the soup without worrying about getting too full.
Of course, they didn't just eat meat; they also ate lettuce with oyster sauce.
Each lettuce leaf is quite large, coated with garlic sauce, and when you bite into it, you get the same garlic flavor as in Steamed Four Treasures with Lotus Leaves, with a hint of saltiness.
It's very crisp and refreshing, with the unique sweetness of green vegetables.
Zhao Dejun exclaimed, "These vegetables are as delicious as ever!"
The taste of pea shoots in broth that I had for the first time still feels like yesterday; I think about it from time to time. The brilliance of Gu's Private Kitchen lies in the fact that even the green vegetables are cooked to perfection, no less delicious than the meat dishes.
The group buried themselves in their food and ate heartily. Even if they were stuffed, it didn't matter; they would rest for a while and then continue eating as soon as their stomachs had room.
For this meal, one can appropriately sacrifice afternoon rest time.
At another small table, Wang Chong and Liu Feng sampled all the meat dishes and were completely captivated by the deliciousness of Gu's private kitchen.
No matter how much they could eat, the two young men couldn't possibly finish six dishes, especially since the portions at Gu's private kitchen were quite generous.
Wang Chong simply waved to the owner to bring over takeout containers, and packed up the leftovers of each dish to take back for his old man to try.
Aside from the three hundred yuan his father gave him, every extra penny was his own money. He didn't know if it could be reimbursed, so he decided to save it if possible.
When packing the food, Wang Chong put the braised abalone and pork belly with the stuffed shrimp balls in green peppers together, then stuffed some lotus leaves with the steamed four treasures, and also packed half a box of stir-fried beef noodles. He didn't want the oyster sauce lettuce, and he also took a soup bowl and packed the remaining coconut chicken soup in a takeout container.
He did consider packing up the small plate of chicken sauce, as it was the essence of the dish. But then he thought that he had used it countless times himself, so he shouldn't take it back to his father and make him feel embarrassed.
When it came time to pay, Wang Chong readily took out his money, feeling that Gu's Private Kitchen was absolutely worth the price.
After leaving the restaurant and walking towards his home, Liu Feng kept muttering beside him, "I haven't had such a delicious meal in ages. Every meat dish was amazing. Eating a meal like this is more worthwhile than winning dozens of games. Brother Chong, I really have to thank you today. I feel so happy."
Wang Chong glanced at him, though he himself felt roughly the same way—that getting up today wasn't a waste, and that having such a delicious lunch was worth it. But this guy was being so clingy; what did he mean by thanking him for making him happy?
He said impatiently, "Alright, alright, I'll take these packed meat and vegetables back to my dad. You can go find somewhere to have fun by yourself."
Liu Feng chuckled: "Okay, let's make a date sometime. I'll call the brothers and we'll go eat at Gu's Private Kitchen together."
Wang Chong had already walked far away, and upon hearing this, he merely waved his hand in agreement.
Old Wang's Home-Style Restaurant has accumulated a lot of regular customers over the years, and its prime street location makes it quite popular at lunchtime.
Wang Zhiguo was busy in the kitchen and would occasionally come to the dining area to serve customers. Even though the air conditioning and fans were on in the shop, he was still covered in sweat.
He had a gray towel slung over his shoulder, and he would occasionally lift it to wipe the sweat from his forehead, looking somewhat tired.
He hadn't eaten yet at this hour, and so did the restaurant staff and the cooks in the kitchen; they all waited until after 1 p.m. to finish serving the customers before having lunch.
Seeing his good-for-nothing son return sluggishly, he couldn't stand the sight of him. Still thinking about that incident, he went over and asked, "How was it? How was the food over there?"
After asking the question, he was too slow to react, so he quickly pulled his son over to the dining area, afraid that customers would hear that he had sent his son to investigate the truth of Gu's Private Kitchen, making his family seem as if they lacked confidence.
Wang Chong let him lead him to a corner of the restaurant and placed the takeout meat and vegetables he was carrying on the table: "Here, I also packed some back for you to try."
Wang Zhiguo looked disapproving: "Why did you bring this back? I don't eat their food." Then, as if remembering something, he smiled. "Is it because their meat and dishes are bad and don't suit your taste, so you couldn't finish them and brought them back?"
He praised, "You've finally become sensible for once. You did the right thing. Frugality is a virtue in the Wang family. We can't waste food. Okay, I'll keep these for lunch."
Wang Chong rolled his eyes silently: "I ordered all six dishes on their menu. How could two people possibly finish them? I wouldn't have packed them up if I wasn't really stuffed. You can eat them or not, I'll heat them up and eat them tonight. By the way, it cost 332 yuan in total. Remember to reimburse me for the extra 32 yuan."
He threw down the long guns and cannons that were enough to seriously injure his father, "Besides, with my high level of skill from years of freeloading, it's only a matter of time before Gu's Private Kitchen becomes popular. Their food is even better than that of a five-star restaurant. If you want to catch up with their level, you'll have to practice for a few more decades, maybe then."
His son's casual words struck Wang Zhiguo's heart like a blow, leaving him almost breathless: "You! You're trying to drive me crazy!"
"It's just being realistic. You have to face reality so our restaurant can keep its business going." Wang Chong shrugged, looking like he was thinking of the restaurant's best interests.
Enraged, Wang Zhiguo immediately sat down and opened the package of meat and vegetables his son had brought back: "I want to try it and see just how delicious it is!"
Fortunately, there were disposable chopsticks and spoons in the bag, so there was no need to get other cutlery.
He opened the takeout box with lots of meat and found that it contained only home-style dishes such as braised pork with abalone, stuffed shrimp balls with green peppers, and pork rib meatballs. He thought it was nothing special.
Wang Chong stood to the side with his arms crossed in front of his chest, patiently waiting for the old man to finally appreciate the aroma.
Wang Zhiguo picked up a piece of braised pork and ate it. After chewing a few times, his smile froze a little. This braised pork seemed to be quite good.
The braised pork belly is cooked until tender and melts in your mouth. It's neither greasy nor dry, and the savory aroma from the spices is rich but not overpowering, with a hint of umami.
You can tell abalone is good just by looking at its size. It has a bit of elasticity and chewiness when you eat it, and more importantly, the seafood flavor is very authentic.
You can tell from the first bite of the green pepper stuffed shrimp paste that it's handmade. The shrimp are quite fresh and chopped with great skill, retaining a bit of texture. The thick sauce perfectly enhances the flavor of the green pepper shrimp paste.
He then ate ribs, meatballs, pumpkin, and loofah. Although they were all delicious, Wang Zhiguo seemed to be enjoying them, but his expression grew increasingly serious.
She can even make ordinary ingredients like pumpkin and loofah taste so good; her cooking skills are impressive. She's clearly a young girl, but her cooking seems much better than her father's!
Could it be that she inherited Uncle Gu's culinary talent from a generation ago? Then why didn't they let this daughter learn cooking skills and inherit the restaurant before?
As a skilled chef, Wang Zhiguo tasted the food carefully and asked, "Why do the pumpkin, loofah, pork ribs, and meatballs all have a lotus leaf flavor?"
Even if it was very bland, he could taste it.
Wang Chong admires Lao Tzu on this point: "This dish is called Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves. It's made by lining the bottom with lotus leaves and steaming pork ribs, meatballs, pumpkin, and loofah. I also think it's quite delicious."
Wang Zhiguo glared at his son, thinking to himself that this girl was quite clever, able to come up with the idea of steaming meat and vegetables with lotus leaves, allowing the fragrance of the lotus leaves to infuse into the meat and vegetables during the steaming process.
After finishing the meat and vegetable dish, he opened a half-eaten box of stir-fried beef noodles and started eating it.
My first impression was that everything was very fresh, from the rice noodles to the beef and the side dishes.
The rice noodles were authentic, with a fragrant rice aroma, a smooth texture, and a savory sauce flavor. The beef was stir-fried to perfection—not too dry or tough, with a slight chewiness, and a savory and delicious taste. The bean sprouts and shredded carrots were also quite good.
Wang Zhiguo ate the stir-fried beef noodles one bite at a time, his expression no longer composed, nodding occasionally in approval.
Wang Chong, standing to the side, smiled enigmatically upon seeing this. Why did he feel inexplicably pleased?
After finishing his stir-fried beef noodles, Wang Zhiguo had to admit that his own version couldn't compare. Not only was it delicious, but it also had a great wok hei (wok aroma). He opened the soup bowl, thinking to himself, "How good can the soup really be?"
I took a spoonful and drank it, and it was so delicious!
The sweetness of coconut milk and the savory flavor of chicken blend together, making the soup taste sweet and mellow. The addition of red dates and goji berries is the icing on the cake, making the whole soup look much brighter.
He took a bite of coconut meat, which was crisp and fragrant with coconut flavor. The chicken, after being simmered, was not dry or bland. Instead, it absorbed the broth and became even sweeter on top of its original firmness and tenderness.
Wang Chong spoke up at the right moment: "This pot of soup is about half full of chicken, and it also comes with a prepared sauce for dipping the chicken, so it's like having two dishes in one soup. The sauce is quite fragrant, and it has a bit of lemon sourness, but it makes the chicken taste even better."
"This soup costs 88 yuan, other meat and vegetable dishes cost 58 yuan each, stir-fried beef noodles cost 38 yuan, and vegetables cost 28 yuan, which is more expensive than our restaurant. However, when I ate there, I saw that other customers were enjoying their meals, which means that people can totally accept the price for the taste of Gu's Private Kitchen."
He said seriously, "Dad, I don't think our restaurant can compete."
As for price advantages, our own restaurant certainly has them.
But many people go there specifically for the delicious meat dishes, and are willing to spend more money.
Putting everything else aside, that's just the kind of person he is.
After finishing his lunch, he was already thinking about the next meal.
Moreover, compared to the meat dishes in four- or five-star restaurants, Gu's Private Kitchen is incredibly affordable.
Wang Zhiguo fell completely silent.
He needed to carefully consider what to do with his restaurant next. With the trend of Gu's Private Kitchen's development, his restaurant's revenue would continue to decline, and the thought of losing money was unbearable—it was simply suicidal!
Meanwhile, at Gu's Private Kitchen, Gu Qingqiu had just seen off the last table of customers and was about to close the wooden door when a middle-aged woman approached hesitantly. She smiled and said, "I'm sorry, our restaurant is closed for lunch."
The middle-aged woman seemed flustered upon hearing this and quickly waved her hands to explain, "No, I didn't come here to eat. I saw a job posting outside your restaurant and thought I'd give it a try."
Gu Qingqiu was delighted to hear this. He looked down and carefully examined the middle-aged woman. Her clothes were neat and clean, and her fingernails were also neatly trimmed.
She quickly opened the door and said with a smile, "Come in, let's talk things over."
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