Chapter 5 Sour Plum Duck 2.
Gu Qingqiu greeted customers with a smile as they came out of the kitchen: "Welcome! Today's menu is on the wall. You can take a look and see what you'd like to eat, then just call me to place your order."
Zhang Hua and Zhu Shuangyi smiled and agreed, glancing at the menu on the wall, somewhat surprised that the prices here were almost comparable to those of the restaurants in Shenghui Plaza.
You should know that the restaurants in Shenghui Plaza are all high-end, while the prices in Suli Street are lower, with meat and vegetables generally costing around 30 yuan.
Lele looked at the menu, her eyes fixed on the first dish: "Mom and Dad, I want to eat garlic ribs."
Zhu Shuangyi knew her son loved fried food, and since it was a rare occasion to eat out, she let him have his way: "Okay, I'll have garlic ribs. And how about some plum duck too?"
She was tempted when she saw that there were only two servings left on the chicken and potato side, but she couldn't resist her love for the sweet and sour flavor. She also thought that the plum duck would be appetizing in the summer, so she chose that one.
Lele immediately beamed with joy.
Zhang Hua added, "Then let's have some soup too. As for vegetables, would you like bok choy or water spinach?"
Zhu Shuangyi looked at her son; she was fine with anything.
Lele chose her favorite: "Choy sum."
Zhang Hua nodded: "Three more bowls of rice, that'll do, thank you."
Gu Qingqiu smiled and replied, "Okay, please wait a moment, you three."
She first went to the cashier to place an order on the computer and printed out the menu for the customer, then went to get the bowls, chopsticks, and washing tools.
Zhang Hua asked, "By the way, do you have any drinks like coconut juice or orange juice?"
Lele looked at the pretty older sister with anticipation.
Gu Qingqiu said apologetically, "I'm sorry, we don't have those drinks at the moment. Would you like some freshly squeezed orange juice?"
She hadn't prepared any drinks, and there wasn't any beer or other drinks that adults like, which reminded her that she should stock up on some later.
Fearing the children would be disappointed, Gu Qingqiu bought a few oranges from the fruit store yesterday, and since the oranges she had picked out were sweet and juicy, and the store also had a juicer, she suggested that they serve freshly squeezed orange juice.
Lele nodded frantically, "Thank you, sister."
Zhang Hua nodded: "Then let's get him a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice."
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed, then went into the kitchen to get busy.
The soybean, fig, and chicken feet soup has been cooked and is warming up; it will be ready to be served in the soup pot soon. The plum-braised duck is almost done simmering in the pot; as soon as the lid is opened, a strong sweet and sour aroma wafts out. Because she has been basting it with sauce from time to time, the duck skin is a bright red.
Gu Qingqiu took half a duck out and placed it on the cutting board. She then cut it into evenly sized pieces with a cleaver and arranged them neatly and beautifully on a white porcelain plate. She then placed a duck leg and a duck wing on either side and decorated the center of the plate with a sprig of bright green lemongrass.
He carried the two dishes out one after the other, served three bowls of rice, then went upstairs to get oranges and a juicer before going down to the kitchen to make orange juice.
Zhang Hua and Zhu Shuangyi were surprised by the generous portions of meat and vegetables at this restaurant. The whole plate of plum duck was made of meat, and the presentation and the irresistible aroma made it incredibly cheap at only 58 yuan.
Lele couldn't resist any longer: "Mom and Dad, let's eat this duck meat!"
He couldn't help but swallow, finding it strange that even before he had tasted it, the aroma alone made his tongue feel sour, though mostly sweet.
Zhang Hua nodded: "Okay, let's eat."
Everyone ignored the unremarkable soybean, fig, and chicken feet soup next to them, at most remarking on the good color and generous amount of ingredients. At this moment, they all reached out their chopsticks to pick up duck meat to eat.
Zhu Shuangyi picked up a piece of duck meat. Upon closer inspection, she could see the dark brown and purplish-brown duck skin, which was translucent, smooth, and glistening with oil. The already enticing sweet and sour flavor became even more intense in her mouth, with a sweetness that slowly spread and masked the sourness, followed by a subtle, original plum aroma.
When you take a bite of duck meat, you first experience the slightly crispy and fragrant skin, while the tender and juicy meat inside is soft and smooth with a good elasticity. The two flavors intertwine to create a rich and layered taste.
Add to that the sweet and sour aroma of the jam, and the plum duck is refreshing and not greasy at all. One bite of duck meat will really whet your appetite.
Lele chewed on the duck meat, swallowed it, and nodded repeatedly: "This plum duck is so delicious, it's better than any duck I've ever eaten before."
He has a sensitive palate and used to think duck meat had a fishy smell, so he wouldn't eat it unless it was roast duck bought from the market near his grandmother's house. He was only drawn in by the sweet and sour taste and couldn't resist trying a piece of duck meat. He didn't expect it to be so delicious.
Zhang Hua tasted a piece of duck meat and felt that coming to this restaurant for dinner was worthwhile: "This plum duck is really good, even better than the one we had on our last company team building trip."
The last time their company had a reunion, they went to a four-star hotel.
Zhu Shuangyi didn't care about any of that. She picked up another piece of duck meat and put it on top of the white rice in the bowl. The sauce flowing from the surface of the duck meat spread to the distinct grains of rice. She ate the duck meat and rice in this way.
The white rice, coated in a sweet and sour sauce, was also very fragrant, and it went especially well with the savory and sweet duck meat. She exclaimed, "This restaurant even cooks white rice better than other places. I wonder what kind of rice they buy."
After hearing his wife's suggestion, Zhang Hua also tried pouring the plum duck sauce over his rice.
Lele picked up the only duck leg on the plate and started gnawing on it. Underneath the sweet and sour jam was a slightly crispy and caramelized skin. The duck meat was tender and juicy, with only the most original flavor and not at all fishy.
He would occasionally scoop up a few mouthfuls of white rice to eat.
After Lele finished gnawing on the duck leg and reluctantly put the bone down, Gu Qingqiu brought up fried garlic ribs and freshly squeezed orange juice.
The freshly squeezed orange juice is served in a full glass. The clear, orange-red juice reveals oval-shaped pieces of orange pulp floating in it, clearly indicating that it was made from high-quality, freshly squeezed oranges.
Gu Qingqiu said, "Garlic ribs and freshly squeezed orange juice, please enjoy."
This was the first time she had made fresh orange juice for a customer. She quickly learned how to mix oranges and water using her phone in the kitchen, which would make the juice taste better.
Even though she only processed the oranges, the orange juice extracted by the juicer still contained a tiny bit of spiritual power.
"Thank you, sister!"
Lele happily accepted the glass of orange juice. He had been a little thirsty after eating the plum duck and rice, but after taking a sip of orange juice, his tongue was instantly filled with a fresh, sweet and slightly sour taste.
The slight sourness is negligible compared to the 90% sweetness, which makes the orange juice taste richer and more authentic. The remaining pulp, when gently chewed, has a satisfying grainy texture and releases some juice, which can then be swallowed along with the juice.
"This orange juice is delicious, Mom and Dad, you should try it!" Lele took several sips and generously shared it with her parents who were looking at her.
Zhu Shuangyi took a sip, her mouth filled with the sweet taste of oranges, and handed the orange juice to her husband: "It tastes really good."
Zhang Hua took a sip, then couldn't help but take two more. After his son clearly showed a possessive look, as if afraid he would finish the juice, he handed it back to him: "Freshly squeezed orange juice tastes better than canned orange juice sold outside."
Ignoring the interaction between father and son, Zhu Shuangyi took the lead and picked up a piece of garlic pork rib to eat.
The garlic ribs caught her attention as soon as they were served. The golden-yellow ribs, garnished with caramelized garlic, were truly eye-catching, and they were just as crispy as she had imagined.
Beneath the crispy outer shell lies tender pork rib meat. With a gentle bite, the meat easily falls off the bone. After spitting out the bone, you can chew it to your heart's content. The more you eat, the stronger the garlicky and salty flavor becomes. It's incredibly delicious.
She picked up another piece and continued eating.
Seeing his wife's expression, Zhang Hua knew that the garlic ribs must taste good, so he picked up a piece and tried it.
Lele took two sips of orange juice and put it aside, then picked up the garlic ribs she had spotted and started biting into them.
The crispy and fragrant texture caught his eye. The salty and garlicky flavors melted on his taste buds. Not only was it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, but the pork ribs were also tender and didn't stick to his teeth. He swallowed them after a few chews. He quickly picked up another piece of pork rib to eat.
Seeing his gluttonous look, Zhu Shuangyi laughed and said, "How about it? Garlic ribs are just as good as your favorite fried skewers, right?"
The seasoning for marinating the ribs and the frying temperature of the ribs are much better than those of barbecue and fried skewers shops.
Moreover, she discovered that the duck and ribs used in this restaurant were very fresh, and the tender meat, combined with the owner's excellent cooking skills, made such delicious meat dishes.
"From today onwards, my favorite food is garlic ribs." Lele announced after swallowing another piece of rib meat, and fearing that his father would eat all the garlic ribs, he quickly picked up another piece and continued eating.
Zhu Shuangyi shook her head with amusement. Even though the boss had just served garlic and oyster sauce bok choy, which looked pretty good, she still decided to have a bowl of soup first since she had eaten a bowl of rice and quite a bit of duck and pork ribs.
Only after tasting it did she realize how delicious the soybean, fig, and chicken feet soup she had always overlooked was.
The rich color of the soup means that the flavor of the broth is very strong. The aroma of beans, the sweetness of red dates, goji berries and figs are mixed together, along with the meaty aroma of chicken feet. After a few sips of the soup, you will feel refreshed.
"This soup is delicious. I can't usually make it taste this good. You two should drink more later."
Zhang Hua and Lele nodded in agreement. As typical meat lovers, the father and son decided to save the soup for last.
Zhu Shuangyi then started gnawing on chicken feet. She discovered that the owner's cooking skills were so good that even the soup base was delicious. The chicken feet were soft and chewy with a bit of collagen, no worse than plum duck or garlic ribs.
While they enjoyed their dinner at home, several other customers arrived at the restaurant. Even though they were surprised by the slightly expensive prices, they still ordered their favorite dishes after muttering a few words.
After tasting the dishes, the customers were so engrossed in enjoying the food that they found the plum duck sweet and sour, the garlic ribs crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the chicken and potato stew with a rich, savory sauce.
Gu Qingqiu was busy in the kitchen in an orderly manner. Because the dishes were prepared in advance, some meat dishes that take a long time to cook were also cooked in advance. The dishes were served quickly and she even received praise from the customers.
After the peak customer season had passed, she took a break from her busy schedule to eat dinner in the kitchen.
Biting into the slightly charred duck skin and savoring the tender, savory plum duck, along with potatoes soaked in sauce, and topped with garlic and oyster sauce bok choy, all mixed with white rice, is incredibly satisfying.
Gu Qingqiu looked up at the dining area. During peak hours, the shop was almost full of customers, except for a large wooden table. Everyone was chatting and laughing, clearly very satisfied with their meat and dishes.
She felt at ease running her restaurant.
On the dining side, Zhu Shuangyi and her family of three ate until their bellies were round, finishing all the large portions of three dishes and a soup, which is rare for them.
She smelled the aroma of chicken and potatoes wafting from the next table and couldn't help but look forward to the next time: "The chicken and potatoes smell so good! Let's order this dish next time we come over."
Zhang Hua nodded: "I think it's a good idea. Our family can come to this restaurant often from now on."
This was the most delicious meat dish he had eaten in a long time, bar none. Looking at the menu on the wall, he no longer felt the prices were expensive; in fact, he thought the owner had set them too cheaply.
I overheard the customers around me talking and learned that this store just opened today, and business is pretty good right now. At this rate, I might have to queue again next time.
Lele patted her round belly, which wasn't quite full, and started to plan what to order next time: "Then I want to eat garlic ribs and drink orange juice!"
Zhu Shuangyi chuckled and shook her head: "You'll get your share. Let's go after we finish eating, you have school tomorrow."
The family stood up, waved to the owner who happened to be looking over from the back kitchen, and went to the cashier.
Gu Qingqiu hurried over to the cashier, used the computer to bring up the customer's menu, and gave the amount: "Hello, freshly squeezed orange juice is eight yuan a glass, so the total is two hundred and ten yuan."
Charging eight yuan for orange juice was a well-considered decision. Just that one glass of orange juice used two whole oranges. Although she wasn't sure if she would run a fresh juice business in the future, Gu Qingqiu still charged the same price as fresh juice sold outside.
Zhang Hua had no objection and promptly scanned the code to pay, even finding the dinner to be quite a good deal.
Before leaving, Zhu Shuangyi smiled and praised, "Boss, your cooking skills are really good. Your business will definitely get better and better."
With a bright smile, Lele thanked her, "Sister, thank you for making the orange juice."
Even though he wasn't very old, he knew that the delicious orange juice was freshly squeezed by the female owner.
Gu Qingqiu smiled, her eyes crinkling: "You're welcome, thank you, and welcome back next time."
After seeing the customers off, she went to the corresponding table to clear away the dishes and utensils, and then got a rag to wipe them clean.
Next, she would rest while taking cash registers, collecting bowls, chopsticks, plates, and wiping tables. Occasionally, customers would come into the store, and Gu Qingqiu could only apologize and say that the ingredients were all used up and that she was sorry to ask them to come again next time.
Around 8:30 p.m., while some restaurants on Suli Street were bustling with activity, Gu's Private Kitchen finally saw off its last table of customers. Gu Qingqiu closed the wooden door to avoid the curious stares from outside.
She went into the kitchen to wash the dishes and pots, then put them in the sterilizer to disinfect them. After that, she wiped the stove clean, and only then was the work in the kitchen finished.
All the ingredients have been used up, so there's no need to worry about waste. After all, leftover meat and vegetables aren't fresh and would affect the taste of the stir-fried dishes, so she would never use them.
Gu Qingqiu walked to the cashier to sort out today's accounts, which totaled 2,072 yuan.
I spent a total of 635 yuan on groceries today. If we don't consider the costs of water, electricity, kerosene, etc., my profit today will be 1437 yuan.
She was quite satisfied with the profit; the profit margin in the catering industry is usually over 50%, and it would be normal for her to earn more than a thousand yuan a day after working hard.
A turnover of just over two thousand yuan is only considered average in the catering industry. However, the restaurant had just opened today, and there were relatively few customers who knew about it due to the lack of marketing. Gu Qingqiu was satisfied with the turnover of just over two thousand yuan after using up all the ingredients she bought.
The meat and dishes I make taste pretty good, so I imagine I have a lot of repeat customers. Once my reputation spreads, I think the restaurant's business will get better and better, and the daily revenue will increase accordingly.
She took the kitchen waste she had collected from the back kitchen to a nearby garbage collection point to throw it away, then came back and locked the wooden door. After closing the doors and windows, and making sure there were no mistakes, she hummed a little tune as she went upstairs to take a shower.
After showering, drying her hair, and doing her skincare routine, Gu Qingqiu lay down on the bed, took out her phone, and started scrolling through her phone. Her nightlife had begun.
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