Chapter 71: Exploring Restaurants: A Very Different Experience
Looking around, he noticed that other customers in the private rooms had similar expressions—some were complaining quietly, while others simply put down their chopsticks and refused to eat anymore. Although the waiters were busy, their attitude was still polite, clearly accustomed to customer dissatisfaction.
"The environment is indeed nice, but the food and service are disappointing." Ren Jie quickly jotted down his impressions on his phone. "The ingredients weren't fresh, the seasoning was excessive, and the overall experience lacked basic sustenance."
Just as he was about to leave, a rich aroma suddenly wafted over. It was the familiar scent of authentic spicy crab—a blend of spiciness and the sweetness of seafood that whetted his appetite.
Ren Jie instinctively turned his head and, through the glass window of "Trendy K," saw a long queue outside a shabby KTV across the street. The large sign read "Golden Splendor 99 Yuan Spicy Crab," the lettering of which, while not as flashy as the one across the street, was clear and eye-catching.
Out of professional instinct, Ren Jie decided to go and take a look across the street.
"Golden Splendor?" He read out the name of the KTV, and the moment he pushed open the door, it felt as if he had traveled back to the 1990s.
The entrance is decorated with traditional golden dragon and phoenix patterns. Although somewhat faded, it has clearly been recently maintained and exudes a sense of timeless charm. A young woman in a neat uniform stands at the front desk, smiling as she greets the customers waiting in line.
"Hello, welcome to Golden Brilliance." Meng Xiaohui, the receptionist, spoke in a gentle yet professional voice. "Our spicy crab set meal is very popular today. Would you like to wait in line? It should take about twenty minutes."
Ren Jie's eyes lit up. In this fast-paced era, it's truly rare to find someone who can maintain such a polite and patient service attitude.
“I’m not in a hurry, I can wait in line,” he replied with a smile, while observing his surroundings.
Among the people queuing were many elderly people, which is quite rare in today's consumer market dominated by young people. What surprised Ren Jie even more was that these people in line all looked very relaxed, and some were even chatting happily.
"Young man, why don't you try some?" An elderly gentleman with white hair noticed Ren Jie and greeted him warmly, "This place has been serving spicy crab for years, much better than that new one across the street!"
Ren Jie nodded politely: "Yes, I heard that both companies are having promotions, so I came to take a look."
"That newly opened one," the old man shook his head, "It was alright at first, but now, I don't know if it's to save money, they're using frozen crabs, and the taste is nowhere near as good. We old neighbors still stick with Golden Brilliance."
When it was Ren Jie's turn to complete the formalities, Meng Xiaohui smiled and handed him a menu: "Sir, our 99 yuan set meal includes a spicy crab and unlimited tea. If you are the twentieth customer today, we will also give you a complimentary glass of freshly squeezed lemonade."
"Twentieth place?" Ren Jie looked at the queue in surprise. "Am I the twentieth?"
Meng Xiaohui checked the record: "Yes, congratulations! Someone will guide you to the private room shortly and bring you a complimentary gift."
Ren Jie followed the waiter through the corridor. Unlike the modern decor of "Trendy K", the corridor here was lined with old-fashioned celebrity posters and photos of the KTV's history. Although they were a bit yellowed, they were neatly arranged and exuded a nostalgic atmosphere.
“These are photos from when we opened,” the waiter explained, noticing Ren Jie’s gaze. “The boss said they represent our golden history.”
The private room was cleaner and tidier than Ren Jie had expected. Although the sofas were a bit old, they were clearly cleaned regularly and had no odor. The karaoke system looked outdated, but it was fully functional, with both new and old songs available.
"Sir, your spicy crab will be ready soon." Before leaving, the waiter thoughtfully left a dish of wet wipes and disposable gloves. "We'll bring it to you as soon as possible."
In less than fifteen minutes, a steaming pot of spicy crab was served. The moment the lid was lifted, Ren Jie's gourmet instincts were fully activated—the crab shells were a natural orange-red, and the aroma of the crab meat was mixed with the spiciness of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, but without overpowering the flavors; the natural sweetness of the seafood was still clearly discernible.
"Please enjoy your meal. Here is your spicy crab and complimentary lemonade." The waiter smiled and placed the drink down. "The lemonade is a special treat for our first twenty customers today. We hope you enjoy it."
Ren Jie first picked up the lemon juice and took a sip—the aroma was fresh and natural, the sweet and sour flavor perfectly balanced, without any of the astringency of cheap juice. He looked at the waiter in surprise: "Is this really complimentary? The quality is excellent."
“Yes, sir,” the waiter nodded with a smile, “our boss says customer satisfaction is the most important thing.”
Finally, Ren Jie picked up his gloves and wet wipes and began to enjoy this unexpected culinary journey. The first bite of crab meat made him realize that this restaurant had won—the crab meat was fresh and tender, and the spicy seasoning perfectly enhanced the freshness of the seafood, unlike the other restaurant which used heavy flavors to mask its lack of freshness.
He carefully peeled open a crab claw, revealing whole crab meat. The accompanying wet wipes and gloves were thoughtfully designed; his hands were almost completely grease-free after eating. The tissues beside him were not only clean but also had a faint, pleasant fragrance.
"These details..." Ren Jie couldn't help but admire in his heart. He looked around the private room and found that even the trash cans were cleaned regularly and the ashtrays were replaced in a timely manner, which was in stark contrast to "Trendy K".
Halfway through the meal, Ren Jie noticed an old photograph on the wall—it seemed to be a group photo taken when the KTV opened. The people in the photo were dressed in 1990s clothing and smiling broadly. Below the photo was written "Opening Commemoration in 1995".
"I didn't expect this shop to have so much history." Ren Jie took out his phone and snapped a photo. He suddenly understood why these old neighbors were so fond of "Golden Glory"—it wasn't just because of the food, but also because of a sentiment and perseverance.
As Ren Jie finished the last bite of crab meat and the last sip of lemon juice, he had already decided on the content of tonight's shoot. He turned on his action camera and began recording his true feelings:
"Dear viewers, today I visited two KTVs on a street in Fucheng that were both offering a 99 yuan spicy crab set meal—one was the modernly decorated 'Trendy K,' and the other was the seemingly old-fashioned 'Golden Glory.' The result surprised me greatly..."
He switched the camera to the empty plates on the table: "Let me tell you the difference—'Trend K' uses frozen crab, the seasoning is too heavy, the crab meat is loose and not fresh, and your hands are greasy after eating there, with no cleaning supplies; while 'Golden Splendor,' although the decor is old, every crab is fresh, the spicy seasoning is just right, and they not only provide gloves and wet wipes, but also free premium lemon juice... More importantly, the staff here have genuine smiles, making you feel like you're in a warm spring breeze."
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