Chapter 48 Red Bean and Kudzu Root Fish Soup, Beef with Dried Tangerine Peel...
Wang Bai and his family took the bus to Suli Street.
There weren't many passengers on the 10:30 bus. Wang Bai and his three companions sat in two rows, chatting quietly.
Wang Bai spoke enthusiastically about Gu's Private Kitchen: "Mom, Dad, and little sister, let me tell you, the restaurant we're going to eat at later is exceptionally delicious. I've run errands there a few times to pick up meat and vegetables, and every time I smelled the aroma wafting out, I almost couldn't resist. I always thought that I would definitely bring you here to eat when I had a break."
"Nowadays, many restaurants offer online delivery, but Gu's Private Kitchen hasn't. Every day during business hours, the restaurant is packed with people, and there are still many people queuing. Many people who really want to eat there but don't have time to come are willing to pay us to deliver the food for them, just so they can have their food delivered."
"I looked at their menu when I went to wait before. They only have about five or six dishes a day. Meat dishes and soup are 58 yuan a serving, and vegetables are 28 yuan a serving. The price is a bit expensive, but after tasting it, you know it's definitely worth the price. If we order everything, it will only cost a maximum of 300 yuan, and we can have a good meal."
"By the way, this restaurant also has accounts on Xiaohongshu and Weibo. They post the menu every morning so everyone can decide whether or not to go. We're going early today, so we shouldn't have to wait in line. We can just sit down and look at the menu when we get there."
Mr. and Mrs. Wang listened with smiles as their son, who was sitting in the front row, turned around to talk to them, his eyes filled with satisfaction and pride.
The mother had no idea how delicious Gu's Private Kitchen was that her son would bring them here for a meal even though he finally had a day off.
She was happy that her son cared about his family and supported him in taking a break from work and traveling around for so long so he could enjoy a good meal.
After listening attentively to what he said, Wang's mother nodded repeatedly: "Okay, I'm getting hungry after listening to you for so long. I'll have to try this restaurant later to see how delicious it is."
Mr. Wang chimed in, "Yes, so many people order meat dishes that even deliverymen would eat. I want to see how they taste."
Wang Ziqi is a sophomore at an ordinary second-tier university in Jiang City. She usually goes home on weekends.
After hearing her brother praise Gu's Private Kitchen a lot, she caught the key information, took out her phone, opened Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), and searched for Gu's Private Kitchen.
A screen full of related notes popped up instantly, with the first one being a note posted by the official account of Gu's Private Kitchen, which had 56,000 likes.
She clicked on it and saw that it was Gu's Private Kitchen's first post on Xiaohongshu. The pictures of braised pig's feet and braised platter looked incredibly tempting, and the comments section was full of people saying they wanted to eat it, were craving it, and were so excited that they had finally waited for Gu's Private Kitchen.
Wang Ziqi clicked into Gu's Private Kitchen homepage, opened the latest note to see today's menu, and found two or three dishes that she quite liked.
Hearing her brother and parents say they would look at the menu at the store, Wang Ziqi decided not to reveal anything in advance, wanting to give them more surprises later.
After exiting this note, she looked at some of Gu's Private Kitchen's previous notes and found that they basically didn't have any pictures, and simply and clearly published the daily menu.
On the contrary, the comments section is filled with photos of meat and dishes shared by customers who have dined there every day. Regardless of the shooting angle or lighting, the meat and dishes in each photo look incredibly tempting. Because they receive high likes, they are displayed at the top of the comments section, and the comments within the comments are full of people who want to eat them and are craving them.
Sure enough, the more Wang Ziqi looked at it, the more tempted she became, and she looked forward to the Gu family's private dishes for lunch even more.
When Wang Bai got off at the bus stop near Surrey Street, he checked his phone and it was exactly 11 o'clock. He figured he would probably be able to walk in without having to queue.
As he walked, Mr. Wang looked around at the environment of Suli Street, the low-rise buildings, the shops along the street, and the people walking by. He said in a low voice, "This old street is quite clean, and it looks lively."
The mother said, "Looking at these buildings, there are still quite a few people living here. The fact that so many shops can be opened means that the foot traffic is pretty good. Some old streets are getting more and more popular as they get older. Not only do tourists from other places love to visit them, but locals also love to come and stroll around."
Walking behind her parents, Wang Ziqi thought to herself, "Gu's Private Kitchen is so popular. Maybe tourists from other places will come here to eat and check it out, and this old street, Suli Street, will become popular too."
She had just been scrolling through notes about Gu's Private Kitchen on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform) and discovered that the restaurant had been gaining popularity online since late April.
A food blogger from Jiangnan University shared a very good review of the restaurant, with many Jiangnan University students commenting that it was delicious and that many people had come to check it out.
Wang Bai walked at the front, answering his parents' questions while staring intently ahead.
Finally seeing the familiar peach tree, he went in first and took a small table for four. There was already a table of customers eating in the restaurant.
Wang's parents and Wang Ziqi followed closely behind and sat down.
Mr. Wang looked around and said, "This shop is nicely decorated, and there are glass windows that allow you to see into the kitchen."
"It's quite clean. You have to eat at a clean and hygienic restaurant like this." Wang's mother reached out and wiped the table. There wasn't a speck of dust or grease on it.
Wang Ziqi was also roughly observing the restaurant, and it was similar to the sharing she had just seen on Xiaohongshu. There was no situation where the online celebrity store looked good but was dilapidated offline.
Seeing her parents and older brother looking at the menu on the wall and discussing what to order, Wang Ziqi, even though she already knew the menu, still looked at the wall. At first glance, she thought the characters on the menu were strangely beautiful.
Today's menu:
Twice-cooked pork, 58 yuan;
Tangerine peel beef patty, 58 yuan;
Mint leaf omelet, 28 yuan;
Stir-fried spinach with fresh cordyceps flowers: 28 yuan;
Coconut baked rice: 38 yuan;
Kudzu root, red bean, and dace soup: 58 yuan.
Wang Bai said directly, "Let's order everything. The dishes look good today, let's try them all."
The Queen Mother hesitated, "Isn't this too much? It would be a waste if we couldn't finish it."
Wang's father, who was usually very frugal, said, "If Xiao Bai says to order everything, then let's order everything. There are only four dishes, one rice, and one soup in total, and only two of them are actually meat dishes."
Wang Ziqi nodded in agreement: "That's right, Mom. Besides, if we can't finish it, we can pack it up and take it home to eat tonight. How can you say it's a waste?"
She was most looking forward to the coconut baked rice, curious about what it would taste like, and whether it would be made by hollowing out a whole coconut, filling it with rice, and cooking it.
"That's true, then let's order everything." Mother Wang realized what she meant and agreed. Her son was treating her to dinner, and she couldn't do anything to spoil the fun; she quite liked the dishes today anyway.
Wang Bai waved to the staff: "Hello, give us a serving of both the meat and vegetable soup on the menu."
Sister Zhou remembered this customer; he had come to the store to pick up takeout orders a few times. She smiled and nodded in agreement. After asking what kind of tea they wanted, she first served them a pot of Pu'er tea, then four sets of bowls, chopsticks, and washing utensils. She then went to the cashier to print out the order menu for them and handed another copy to the glass window.
In the kitchen, Gu Qingqiu was busy cooking.
Pots of red bean, kudzu root, and dace soup have been cooked and kept warm. Now, I take a sterilized soup bowl and start ladling the soup with a ladle, adding the red bean, kudzu root, and dace ingredients evenly.
A bowl of hot soup was served and placed by the glass window. Gu Qingqiu took a small piece of paper, wrote down the table number, rang the bell, and then went back to the stove to continue cooking.
Previously, all the beef had been minced and marinated. The high-quality dried tangerine peel was scraped off and chopped. Water chestnuts were diced, as were celery and ginger. The pork was cut into small pieces. All of these were mixed into the bowl containing the marinated beef, cornstarch was added and stirred evenly. The mixture was then kneaded into a dough and repeatedly slapped and pounded.
Once the minced meat becomes sticky and gelatinous, add cilantro, mix well, and then knead it several times. After that, add some peanut oil to allow the minced meat to slowly absorb the aroma, and set it aside for later use.
Just then, a customer ordered tangerine peel beef patties. Gu Qingqiu took out a plate, used chopsticks to pick up two or three patties from the meat filling bowl and put them on the plate, then flattened them out.
To make it easier for the meat to cook through during steaming, she gently poked several indentations into the meat patty with chopsticks before heating the pot and steaming it.
The pork belly was boiled in water with scallions, ginger, and garlic for half an hour beforehand, then sliced and set aside. Now, a new pot is heated, a little oil is added, and a portion of pork belly slices is directly poured into the pot to stir-fry and render the fat.
Once the pork belly slices were slightly browned, she pushed them to one side with a spatula, poured in the fermented bean paste, and quickly stir-fried it without a spatula until the red oil and aroma of the sauce were released. Then she stir-fried the sauce and pork belly together to coat them with the sauce.
Next, add fermented black bean sauce and sweet bean sauce and stir-fry continuously. The rich, salty aroma bursts forth, and the pork belly slices turn into a bright reddish-brown color.
Next, add the chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Then, add the green garlic stalks and stir-fry together. Add some soy sauce to enhance the flavor, and then add some sugar to melt and neutralize the spiciness.
During this time, the countdown timer on her phone went off. She reached out with her left hand to turn off the heat on another pot of steaming tangerine peel beef patties, while her right hand continued to stir-fry.
Once the green garlic stalks have softened from stirring in the pan, add the chopped green garlic leaves and red peppers and stir-fry until fragrant. This time, the flavor is savory and spicy, making it even more delicious.
Gu Qingqiu picked up a bottle of vinegar, unscrewed the cap, and poured it around the edge of the pot to cut through the grease and enhance the aroma.
She stirred it a few more times, then took the richly browned twice-cooked pork out of the pan and plated it.
Instead of rushing to take the twice-cooked pork to the glass window, Gu Qingqiu set it aside for the time being and opened the lid of another pot first.
The moment the pot was opened, the aroma of dried tangerine peel and cilantro wafted out. The meat patties on the plate on the steamer looked tender and delicious, with celery and cilantro as green garnishes. You could also see some white, moist bits, some water chestnut pieces and some pieces of fatty meat.
She sprinkled some chopped green onions on the meat patty and used tongs to hold it by the edge of the plate before taking it out of the pan.
Because the plate was too hot, Gu Qingqiu simply put the tangerine peel beef patty and twice-cooked pork on the tray, carried them to the glass window, put them down, wrote down the numbers on small slips of paper, pressed them down, rang a bell, and then returned to the stove to prepare to make mint omelets.
This dish has a very refreshing taste. Gu Qingqiu got the inspiration for cooking this morning when she was watering the two pots of mint she was growing.
Mint is very easy to grow. After I bought it and picked a lot of leaves to make mint fried pork ribs, she would water it from time to time and put it by the window so that it could get sunshine every day. It has been growing very well.
After breakfast, she grabbed a lot of mint leaves from two pots of mint, soaked them in water to clean them, and cut them into smaller pieces to set aside.
Gu Qingqiu took an iron basin, put some mint leaves in it, cracked four eggs into it, and stirred them with chopsticks to prepare to fry the eggs.
While she was busy in the kitchen, the dining area was full of customers. The first couple of tables were already drinking soup and eating vegetables, while the rest had just ordered and were chatting while waiting for their food.
Earlier, Wang Bai's table had been served a red bean and kudzu root dace soup. The white porcelain bowl contained a light yellow and clear soup, with small portions of the tender, slightly browned dace pieces showing. Some red beans and kudzu root pieces were on top, while others sank to the bottom, and red dates floated on the surface of the soup.
"Mom and Dad, let me get you a bowl of soup first."
"Okay."
Wang Bai first made a bowl of soup for his parents, along with some various soup ingredients. Then he made a bowl of soup for his younger sister and a bowl for himself.
Looking at the pale yellow, clear soup in the bowl, and already smelling its fresh, sweet, and mellow aroma, Wang's father nodded and said, "This soup looks good, everyone drink it quickly."
He lowered his head, picked up the bowl, and took a sip. He found the soup to be fresh, flavorful, and very sweet.
This sweetness is quite rich, a combination of the refreshing sweetness of kudzu root, the fresh sweetness of mud carp, and the fruity sweetness of jujubes. After swallowing, it feels refreshing and soothing in the throat, with a hint of sweetness that doesn't feel cloying.
He took several sips in a row, and couldn't help but smack his lips to savor the sweet taste.
As the Queen Mother sipped the soup, she savored its rich and sweet flavor, finding it to be made with a variety of ingredients, with a clear broth and a robust taste.
After enjoying several sips of soup, she put the bowl on the table, picked up her chopsticks, and ate a piece of dace.
The mud carp meat is white and tender with a golden-brown hue. It's quite tender to bite into and has a sweet, fresh taste from the broth.
If you accidentally bite into a fish bone, you just spit it out and that's it.
After eating the only two pieces of dace meat in her bowl, the Queen Mother picked up a piece of kudzu root and ate it.
The kudzu root has a very tender texture, and it's soft, chewy, and creamy. After a few bites, you can slowly taste its sweetness.
The red beans are cooked until soft and tender; you can scoop out two or three beans from the soup with a chopstick. They are chewy when you bite into them, but then they turn into a smooth paste with a bean aroma.
Eating a candied date instantly brings a sweet sensation to the heart. The date flesh is also soft and glutinous, and it also oozes out the same sweet broth.
Just by drinking the soup, Wang's mother was already convinced of the restaurant's quality. It was just as delicious as her son had said. No wonder so many people order from this restaurant when placing errand orders.
As Wang Ziqi drank the soup, she felt a sweet and refreshing sensation in her mouth, and her whole body felt incredibly comfortable.
Wang Bai silently drank the soup, savoring its sweetness, as if life itself had become sweeter.
As expected of Gu's Private Kitchen, which he had been longing for, the various tempting aromas he had smelled while sitting in the store or standing at the door waiting to pick up his orders for meat and vegetables had now transformed into this red bean, kudzu root, and dace soup, satisfying his stomach.
After they had almost finished their soup, the waiter brought over a plate of tangerine peel beef patties.
It looks like a light meat dish. A large, slightly thick beef patty is placed on a white porcelain plate, topped with chopped green onions. You can also see cilantro and water chestnuts mixed in with the patty, and some clear, meaty broth seeps out from under the patty.
Wang Bai picked up a piece of beef patty with his chopsticks and took a bite. He found the beef to be very tender, firm and chewy. It wasn't as bland as he had imagined. It had a strong salty and savory flavor, as well as a rich aroma of dried tangerine peel, which was refreshing and appetizing.
After chewing and savoring the fresh, tender, and salty flavor, he swallowed and then picked up a piece of beef patty with his chopsticks.
Before eating this time, he carefully examined the beef patty he was holding with his chopsticks. The beef was finely chopped, and the one he had just tasted had a cilantro flavor. This time, he saw that the bright green mixed in was probably celery, and the white, firm-looking pieces were probably water chestnut pieces. There were also two soft, white pieces mixed in with the beef that he didn't know what they were.
Wang Bai took a bite of the small meat patty directly. This time, in addition to the tender and salty flavor of the beef and the rich aroma of the tangerine peel, he also tasted the crisp sweetness of the water chestnuts and the fragrance of the celery.
Moreover, the beef patties are moist and juicy, not dry or tough. He suddenly realized what the soft, white stuff mixed in with the beef filling was. The fat that seeped out of the meat made the beef patties more tender and smooth, without making them feel greasy.
As Wang Bai took a bite, he savored the aroma of the beef patty. After swallowing, he couldn't help but recommend, "You guys should try this meat patty, it's really delicious."
"Yes, Mom and Dad, you should try it! This beef patty looks quite bland, but it tastes really good!" Wang Ziqi had just eaten a beef patty and immediately agreed when she heard her brother say that.
After finishing their soup, Mr. and Mrs. Wang felt that it was so rich and sweet, a truly delicious soup. So, before the waiter brought out the tangerine peel beef patties, they each took a small half bowl to eat.
They thought they'd finish the soup in their bowls before eating the beef patties. They smiled and nodded in agreement, each taking a small piece of beef patty, and were immediately awestruck by how delicious it was.
Mr. Wang savored the tender, savory beef and the rich aroma of dried tangerine peel, and couldn't help but nod: "It's really delicious. This dish is really good. I didn't expect that steamed beef would taste so good."
At home, it's usually the mother who cooks. When she goes out to eat at restaurants, she likes to taste the meat and dishes and then learn how the chefs cook them. Later, she'll figure out how to cook them for her two children.
After finishing her tangerine peel beef patty, she said, "This beef patty is indeed very fragrant, light yet flavorful. It looks like it was made with beef and tangerine peel, but it also contains cilantro, celery, water chestnuts, and fatty pork."
"Cilantro and celery add aroma, water chestnut pieces add a refreshing texture, and the fatty meat is cut into such a granular shape that you can bite into the oil, which makes it not greasy but makes the whole beef patty taste even better."
Wang Ziqi listened attentively like a good student, nodding and praising, "Mom, you're amazing! Your comments are spot on. I'm planning to share Gu's Private Kitchen on Xiaohongshu later, and use your words as the caption. It's sure to make a lot of people drool."
After saying that, she suddenly realized what she was doing, took out her phone and took pictures of the half-finished red bean and kudzu root and dace soup and the half-finished, semi-circular tangerine peel beef patty.
She didn't use any beauty filters, blurring effects, or automatic photo editing functions, and just like the photos on Xiaohongshu, she looks good no matter how she takes them.
Wang Bai also smiled and praised, "Mom, your reviews are good enough to be a judge on those food programs."
The Queen Mother smiled smugly: "I'll try making this tangerine peel beef patty myself for you later and see how much the taste differs."
Wang Bai and Wang Ziqi smiled and agreed.
The Queen Mother nodded in satisfaction, and was about to pick up another beef patty to taste it carefully so that she could try to replicate the dish later, when she looked over and found that there were quite a few tangerine peel beef patties left on the plate.
Feeling the intimidating gaze his wife was giving him, Wang's father looked over and smiled sheepishly: "Eat quickly, eat more."
He thought the beef patties with the aroma of dried tangerine peel tasted salty and savory without being greasy, and he had been eating them non-stop.
The Queen Mother shook her head helplessly: "Eat, eat it all."
Wang Bai and Wang Ziqi exchanged a glance, used to their parents' way of interacting, smiled, and continued eating the tangerine peel beef patty.
If the staff hadn't promptly served a plate of richly colored twice-cooked pork, this plate of tangerine peel beef patties would have been completely devoured.
The twice-cooked pork sauce was a bright red color with a glossy sheen. Diamond-shaped red peppers and green garlic leaves added a lot of vibrant color. Scallions, ginger, and garlic were mixed in, and the aroma that wafted over was a rich, salty fragrance. The aroma of meat instantly whetted the appetite of everyone at the table.
Wang Bai immediately picked up a slice of twice-cooked pork and tasted it.
The salty and savory flavor is even stronger when you put it in your mouth, with a hint of spiciness—the kind of spiciness that's easy to accept, almost like it's there to enhance the overall flavor.
Twice-cooked pork has a good balance of lean and fatty meat, making it fragrant but not greasy. It's easy to bite into and you can taste the garlic flavor in addition to the salty and savory taste.
This is a very ordinary home-style dish, but it's also a very fragrant and delicious dish that goes well with rice. Wang Bai really wants a bowl of rice to mix with it right now.
He asked, "Mom, Dad, and little sister, are you going to eat? I want a bowl of rice to go with this twice-cooked pork, it smells so good."
Having just tasted the twice-cooked pork, the father and mother of the king readily agreed to ask for rice.
Wang Ziqi was still chewing on a piece of twice-cooked pork, the salty, spicy flavor spreading in her mouth. She could only shake her head frantically, quickly chew the piece of meat, swallow it, and said, "Brother, have you forgotten? We ordered coconut baked rice!"
Wang Bai was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then slapped his forehead and laughed awkwardly: "What's wrong with my brain? I really forgot. I was just thinking that twice-cooked pork is so delicious that it must be eaten with rice."
Mr. and Mrs. Wang shook their heads with a smile, saying that they were getting senile. When Xiao Bai asked, they nodded in agreement, completely forgetting about the coconut baked rice.
Wang Ziqi smiled and said, "Luckily, I'm the only one who's sober here."
The Queen Mother couldn't help but look towards the glass window, where she saw the figure of a young, slender woman busy at the stove: "I wonder when we'll be able to serve the coconut baked rice."
Wang Ziqi looked at the shop assistant who brought over a tray through the glass window and said, "This time, we should have coconut baked rice, right?"
Just as she had guessed, the coconut baked rice was served in a pot made from the entire coconut shell, and there were two coconuts on the waiter's tray.
The Wang family all watched the shop assistant, who first served a coconut baked rice to the table near the wall that had come through the glass window, and then walked over here.
Perhaps their gazes were too intense, or perhaps they were hoping for a positive outcome, but since they were the second table of customers to order, the staff brought over another dish, coconut baked rice, to serve.
"This is coconut baked rice. You can use the knife and fork to scoop out the coconut meat later. Please enjoy."
A whole coconut is placed on a white porcelain plate, with a large opening at the top that reveals the soft, sticky white rice inside, along with shredded red dates as a garnish.
Wang Bai took his parents' bowls, used the spoons that came with them to scoop rice from the openings, then scooped rice for his younger sister, and finally scooped a bowl of rice for himself. He could already smell the fresh coconut fragrance in the air.
Looking through the opening of the coconut, most of the rice had already disappeared, and you could see the thick coconut meat hanging on the inner wall of the coconut shell.
No one mentioned the twice-cooked pork with rice; the Wang family members all scooped up a spoonful of rice and ate it first.
The rice is round and plump, with distinct grains, and looks soft, sticky, and moist. You can tell without even thinking that it was cooked with good rice.
Wang Bai put a spoonful of rice into his mouth and smelled an even stronger coconut aroma than before. The rice was moist and had a sweet coconut flavor.
Compared to the ordinary white rice, fried rice, sausage rice, and clay pot rice I've eaten before, this coconut baked rice is superior in its novel preparation method and refreshing taste.
The aroma of rice is infused with the sweetness of coconut juice, and every bite is bursting with coconut flavor. For a moment, it evokes the feeling of being on a relaxing vacation by the sea, enjoying the sea breeze, holding a coconut, and sipping coconut juice.
Wang Bai felt like he had discovered a new world after eating this rice; he realized that this refreshing and sweet rice was actually quite delicious.
He didn't forget his original intention to pair the twice-cooked pork with rice, so he immediately picked up three slices of twice-cooked pork and put them on top of the rice in the bowl. The oily sauce on the pork slices instantly dyed each grain of rice a dark brown color, making them glisten with oil.
Wang Bai picked up a slice of twice-cooked pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat and ate it. The salty and savory flavor, along with a slight spiciness, burst in his mouth, along with a subtle sweetness. The meat was tender and charred, not tough at all, and very flavorful to chew.
After chewing for a while, he used his chopsticks to mix a bite of coconut baked rice. Instantly, his mouth was filled with the sweet taste of coconut juice. The salty aroma of the meat and the fragrance of the rice blended together, making it much richer in flavor than eating it with ordinary white rice.
The King's parents ate like this too, taking a bite of twice-cooked pork and a bite of coconut baked rice, the salty, fragrant and sweet flavor spreading between their teeth; taking a bite of tangerine peel beef patty and a bite of coconut baked rice, the tender beef, the rich aroma of tangerine peel and the sweet coconut fragrance mixed together to create a magical flavor that was unexpectedly delicious.
The meat and vegetable rice served at this restaurant is absolutely amazing.
Wang Ziqi really enjoyed the coconut baked rice; it was no wonder it was the dish she was most looking forward to after seeing today's menu.
The aroma of coconut is fully infused into the white rice, which is probably steamed with coconut juice. The rice grains are soft and moist, but not mushy, and taste great.
Twice-cooked pork paired with coconut baked rice creates a savory and rich meat flavor that fills your mouth. The pork is fragrant but not greasy, and the coconut baked rice adds a refreshing touch to the overall taste, making it a particularly enjoyable meal.
After she had her fill of the dish, she quickly took out her phone to take a picture of the coconut baked rice.
Looking at the photos, the pale white coconut shell is unremarkable, but from the angled shot, you can see the rice, red date threads, and coconut meat hanging on the shell inside. It looks delicate and tempting, and you can almost smell its sweetness through the screen.
Wang Ziqi was very satisfied with this photo, feeling that it had more flavor than the one taken when the coconut baked rice was first served. The exposed coconut meat made people think that the rice must have a rich coconut aroma.
She put down her phone, picked up the knife and fork that came with the dish, and reached into the coconut to scoop out the coconut meat.
It was easier to dig than I had imagined. A long strip of coconut meat was hanging from the knife and fork. Wang Ziqi used chopsticks to scrape the coconut meat from the knife and fork into the bowl.
After putting the knife and fork back, she picked up a piece of coconut meat and took a bite.
Perhaps because it had been steamed or boiled, the coconut meat wasn't tough at all, and it had a rich coconut aroma. When you bite into it, you can also feel a little bit of sweet coconut water oozing out. The coconut meat has a rather crisp texture and a mellow flavor.
Wang Ziqi thought that this was still much better than going to a fruit shop to buy a coconut, open it, and drink the coconut water. Although she couldn't see the coconut water, the rice tasted sweet and refreshing.
She doesn't usually bother to open coconuts to eat, finding it too troublesome and chewing them can give her a headache. She usually just drinks the coconut water and that's it.
The coconut baked rice I had earlier smelled so good, and the coconut meat looked really appealing in the photos I took, so I couldn't resist trying it. To my surprise, it tasted really good, even better than I expected.
"Mom, Dad, and Brother, you should also dig some of this coconut meat to eat later. It has a strong coconut flavor, and when you bite into it, some coconut water will ooze out. It's especially refreshing."
Mr. and Mrs. Wang smiled and nodded in agreement. They had been so focused on the twice-cooked pork and beef patty with rice that they hadn't even thought about the coconut meat.
Wang Bai hadn't originally intended to eat coconut meat; he usually only drank coconut water, and coconut meat didn't look very appetizing.
He listened to his younger sister and trusted Gu's Private Kitchen. He picked up his knife and fork, scooped some coconut meat into his bowl, and ate it with his chopsticks.
After just one taste, I completely fell in love with the flavor of coconut meat. It was incredibly crisp and refreshing, with a strong coconut aroma and a rich, mellow taste. No wonder it's a product of Gu's Private Kitchen.
The Wang family also ate the coconut meat. They said it tasted quite fragrant, but it was a bit hard for them because their teeth weren't good.
Seeing the waiter bring over mint omelets and stir-fried spinach with fresh cordyceps flowers, they laughed and said, "You two siblings can have the coconut meat. We'll try the new dish first."
At this time, the first table of customers in the store had finished eating and got up to pay at the cashier. After seeing the customers off, Sister Zhou called number one to come in and dine.
As she noticed movement in the queue outside, she noticed two young male customers holding number one slips of paper. One of them was in a wheelchair, and there were two long scars on his right knee and mid-calf, indicating that he had just had surgery.
There was a low step at the entrance of the restaurant. Sister Zhou walked over and asked with a smile, "Welcome! May we help you lift the wheelchair up the steps?"
Xu Feng brought his friends to Gu's Private Kitchen for a meal. When it was finally their turn, they were just thinking of asking someone to help lift the wheelchair when a waiter came over to ask for help. Xu Feng immediately nodded happily and said, "Okay, okay, thank you."
He pointed to the fixed crossbars under the armrests on both sides of his friend's wheelchair: "We can lift this position later. The armrests are movable and not stable enough."
Sister Zhou smiled and agreed. The two of them, one on each side, helped lift the wheelchair and the person in it. At first it was a bit heavy, but then it became much lighter. It turned out that two customers who were queuing around had lent a hand from behind the wheelchair.
After ensuring the wheelchair was smoothly placed on the restaurant floor and at least two steps away from the steps, Ms. Zhou smiled and thanked the other two customers.
Xu Feng and Chen Yusong, who was in a wheelchair, smiled and nodded their thanks.
The two customers waved and said, "It's nothing, it's a small matter. Come in and eat."
Chen Yusong propelled the wheelchair with his hands, while Xu Feng walked beside him, following Sister Zhou to the empty dining table.
Sister Zhou moved one of the chairs aside: "Is it alright if I sit here?"
“Yes, that’s fine.” Chen Yusong nodded. He had just undergone tibial internal fixation surgery a little over two weeks ago, and using a wheelchair would actually be more convenient for him.
Xu Feng sat down across the table: "Thank you."
"Don't be shy, just tell me what you'd like to order later," Sister Zhou said. She first cleared the remaining bowls, chopsticks, cups, and plates from the table into the kitchen, then took out a damp cloth to wipe the table clean, and then went to get two sets of bowls and chopsticks and washing utensils.
"What kind of tea would you like? We have Pu'er tea, Tieguanyin tea, lemonade, monk fruit tea, chrysanthemum tea, and barley tea," Sister Zhou said.
Xu Feng and Chen Yusong were discussing what dishes to order, and now they're discussing it again after hearing what Sister Zhou said.
Xu Feng then said, "We'd like lemonade, with ice. Also, please bring one serving of everything on the menu."
"OK."
Sister Zhou went to the cashier to print the order, delivered one order form to the customer's table and another to the glass window to hold it down. Then she went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, took out a pitcher of iced lemonade, poured it into a clean, transparent frosted tall pitcher, and brought it over to the customer.
When another customer finished eating and got up to go to the cashier, she quickly ran over to pay the bill and then served the next table of customers.
Smelling the delicious aroma wafting from the surrounding tables, Xu Feng laughed and said, "I bet that strong, savory aroma must be from twice-cooked pork. It'll definitely be a great dish to eat with rice."
Chen Yusong nodded: "It smells really good. Business is good here, and there are quite a few people queuing outside."
He now positions his wheelchair slightly to the side, adjusting the footrest of his right leg from a vertical 90-degree angle to a height parallel to the seat, with a small cotton pad supporting his knee.
It wasn't convenient outside, but here in the store, I can elevate my right leg and keep it flat to allow blood to flow back and prevent it from drooping for too long and becoming congested and swollen.
Fortunately, their table was in a corner against the wall in the restaurant, so it wouldn't bother other customers.
Xu Feng raised his chin slightly and asked, "How was it? It was nice to go out for a walk, wasn't it? My sister found this restaurant on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book). She's been talking about how delicious the meat dishes are and how famous it is online, so I thought I'd come and try it with you."
"Don't they say that good food can heal the soul? You can't stay cooped up in the hospital all the time. You need to come out and get some fresh air and change your mood once in a while."
"Okay, okay, I'm coming out with you now, aren't I?" Chen Yusong said with a helpless smile.
Xu Feng muttered, "I had to beg and drag you out of there."
Chen Yusong fell while playing basketball at the end of April and fractured the middle and lower part of his right tibia. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance. While the hospital was conducting a consultation, his family also took the X-rays to consult with orthopedic experts at other top-tier hospitals.
Some recommend direct intramedullary nailing for faster recovery and immediate weight-bearing, while others suggest conservative treatment, saying that his bone alignment is fine, but conservative treatment takes longer, though it's still better than surgery to fix the fixation and remove it every time.
Chen Yusong's parents also inquired a lot and learned that many hospitals' orthopedic departments would advise patients to have surgery to generate revenue. Admittedly, surgery can get them out of bed sooner, but it is a major procedure that involves cutting and disrupting blood circulation, so they always said to be cautious.
Chen Yusong himself also prefers conservative treatment, which avoids surgery. Conservative treatment requires a longer period of bed rest in the early stages, but at least he doesn't have to wait two years to have surgery to remove the internal fixation, which would take a very long time.
He then insisted that the hospital apply a cast to immobilize the bone, allowing him to rest in bed at home and take sick leave from work. In the early stages of conservative treatment, X-rays are needed at regular intervals to monitor for bone displacement; if the displacement is severe, surgery will be necessary.
The first and second checkups were fine, but on May 12th, he slipped and fell while using crutches to go to the toilet, re-injuring his fractured leg. He was taken by ambulance to another top-tier hospital, where X-rays revealed significant bone displacement. This time, he had no choice but to undergo internal fixation surgery.
It took Chen Yusong three days after the surgery for him to recover slightly. The doctor suggested that he could start some rehabilitation exercises after the stitches were removed to prevent muscle atrophy. Exercise can also improve blood circulation in the legs, which is beneficial for recovery.
After being discharged from the hospital, he researched rehabilitation information extensively and found that the rehabilitation department of the hospital where he had the surgery was very good. He also learned that rehabilitation under the guidance of a rehabilitation therapist is more conducive to recovery, and that inpatient rehabilitation can be reimbursed by medical insurance.
After discussing it with his parents, Chen Yusong called the hospital's rehabilitation department to make an appointment. He was quickly assigned a bed and went to be hospitalized for rehabilitation. He diligently carried out the rehabilitation treatment prescribed by his attending physician every day.
Even though he can now move his wheelchair quite skillfully, he doesn't like to leave the hospital. He stays in the rehabilitation ward or the rehabilitation treatment hall and eats meat and vegetables in the hospital cafeteria.
Xu Feng took a day off to visit his friend at the hospital. Seeing that his friend looked quite dejected and lacked energy, and had been in the hospital for so long without going out, Xu Feng remembered that his younger sister had often mentioned how delicious Gu's Private Kitchen was, so he invited him to lunch.
Chen Yusong shook his head and declined: "It's inconvenient and troublesome for me to go out right now, so I'd better not go. Thank you. I'll treat you to a meal when I've recovered."
Xu Feng insisted, "No, let's go eat today. It's a bit of a hassle, but I'm here. You seem to have lost all your energy staying in the hospital all day. You need to get out and about more."
“Don’t you usually love exploring different restaurants and trying all sorts of delicious food? My younger sister said that the meat dishes at this restaurant are so good that they make you feel like there’s still hope in life, so let’s give it a try.”
Chen Yusong still refused, but Xu Feng persisted, pestering him relentlessly until he agreed to come to Gu's Private Kitchen for lunch.
Chen Yusong finished his last project of the morning at 10:45, and the two left the hospital and took a taxi.
He positioned the wheelchair at a 45-degree angle near the car door, then used his hands to support his body and forcefully moved to the back seat, sliding in sideways.
Xu Feng helped lift his injured leg until the other person sat sideways on the other side of the back seat, with his right leg flat on the back seat. Then, following the method Chen Yusong had just taught him, he folded up the wheelchair and put it into the trunk.
He walked to the passenger side, opened the car door, and got in: "Driver, let's go to Suli Street."
"Okay," the driver replied, starting the car.
When they arrived at Suli Street, Xu Feng got out of the car first, opened the trunk, took out the wheelchair, unfolded it, pushed it to the back seat, opened the car door, and positioned it at the angle Chen Yusong had set up earlier: "It's ready, get out."
Chen Yusong shuffled out, landing on his right foot first, then using his hands to push himself up and sit on the wheelchair. He then moved the wheelchair back a little.
Xu Feng closed the back door, signaling to the driver that it was ready.
They walked together toward Surrey Street.
Breathing in the fresh air, Chen Yusong looked at the old-fashioned low-rise buildings and the bustling shops on both sides of the road. It was as if he had returned to the time when he went shopping before, and a fresh atmosphere rushed towards him.
Even though he was in a wheelchair, Chen Yusong couldn't help but smile contentedly.
Xu Feng noticed this and said, "See? Going out for a walk makes you feel good."
This time, Chen Yusong didn't refute, but nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it's all thanks to you for pulling me out, otherwise I would have been stuck in the hospital for who knows when I would have come out."
Traveling in a wheelchair is not as difficult as you might imagine. When you walk on the street in a wheelchair, you don't get as many strange looks from others. The occasional glances you receive are just curiosity and encouragement.
The person I met today was exceptionally well-mannered.
When the two arrived at Gu's Private Kitchen, they found the restaurant was full of customers, so they had to take a number and wait at the door.
The two of them sat at the table chatting while waiting for the food to be served.
Xu Feng complained about some workplace issues at her company, while Chen Yusong talked about his boss's sarcastic remarks after he took sick leave. In the process, he brought up a college classmate who posted on his WeChat Moments the day before yesterday that he was getting married. He wondered why his classmate was entering the "grave of marriage" so early.
Since his fracture, Chen Yusong had been immersed in the pain and confinement of his room for a long time. But as he chatted, he felt like he was back to when he was normal, and his smile became brighter.
Sister Zhou came over one after another and served red bean and kudzu root and dace soup, twice-cooked pork, tangerine peel beef patties, and coconut baked rice.
When the soup was served, Xu Feng and Chen Yusong each took a bowl and drank it.
The soup has a rich, savory, and sweet flavor, and it tastes refreshing and pleasant, instantly uplifting your mood.
The kudzu root is soft, sweet, and sticky; the red beans are delicate and smooth; and the mud carp is fresh, tender, and sweet. Each ingredient in the soup has its own unique flavor.
The twice-cooked pork looks rich and dark in color, and when you eat it, you can feel the complex and layered flavors spreading between your teeth, making you feel completely intoxicated by the aroma.
The sliced meat is marbled with fat and lean meat, and it's fragrant but not greasy. The salty and savory flavors combined with the aroma of the meat are unforgettable. A slight spiciness and a barely perceptible sweetness spread as you chew, and when you swallow the last bite, you feel incredibly satisfied.
After eating two slices, Xu Feng couldn't help but say, "If I could have a bowl of rice to eat with right now, I don't know how happy I would be."
Chen Yusong was extremely grateful that his friend had dragged him out so that he could taste such delicious twice-cooked pork.
He said, "Didn't we order the coconut baked rice? We can eat this twice-cooked pork with rice when the dishes are served."
“That’s true.” Xu Feng picked up another piece of twice-cooked pork and ate it. “It’s quite delicious to eat it like this.”
After the tangerine peel beef patties were served, the two of them unanimously abandoned the twice-cooked pork that they had praised to each other several times and started to try the new dish.
Chen Yusong ate a small piece of beef patty, savored its tender and mellow flavor, chewed and swallowed, and nodded in praise: "This tangerine peel beef patty is also very fragrant. The aroma of tangerine peel is infused into the beef patty. You can feel the tenderness of the beef when you eat it, as well as the fragrance of celery and the crispness of water chestnuts. It's light and delicious."
Xu Feng ate more carefully: "It is indeed delicious. In addition to what you mentioned, there should be some bits of fatty meat in this beef patty, which is why it tastes oily and moist. It's not dry or tough, nor is it greasy. Overall, it tastes even better."
Chen Yusong picked up another piece of tangerine peel beef patty and examined it closely, looking for white particles on the patty. The hard ones were water chestnut pieces, while the soft ones actually looked like fatty meat.
"Your sense of taste is still so good. Back in college, when we went out to eat, we relied entirely on your palate to judge which restaurants had fresh food and whether they used high technology."
Xu Feng couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Now that you mention it, I remember...back in the day..."
Recalling the past didn't affect their ability to eat meat. After the waiter brought out the coconut baked rice, the two of them were very much looking forward to the dish and each took a spoon to scoop out some rice to taste.
Chen Yusong savored the aroma and sweetness of the rice in his mouth: "This dish is really novel, and it tastes quite good. I've thought about using coconut milk to steam rice before, but I've never actually made it."
Xu Feng nodded repeatedly: "Indeed, the rice tastes sweet with coconut milk, and the aroma of rice and coconut blend together. It turns out that sweet rice can be quite delicious."
He picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork, chewed it until it was almost done, then mixed it with a mouthful of rice. The salty, spicy, and sweet flavors blended together, creating a unique taste that was surprisingly palatable and even delicious.
So Xu Feng and Chen Yusong began their happy food time with a bite of twice-cooked pork or a bite of tangerine peel beef patty mixed with rice.
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