Chapter 74 Business is booming
Deng Yu never imagined that there would be such delicious braised meat in Lingde Town.
Born and raised in Yongyan City, she never lacked food or clothing from a young age. As she grew older and the economy developed, there were more and more delicious foods in the city, and Deng Yu never skimped on food.
She worked in Yongyan City for a few years before taking the exam for rural poverty alleviation under the guidance of a relative. Deng Yu didn't like studying much, but her relative said that this exam was easy and guaranteed admission.
Deng Yu took the exam casually and got the job; it was in a township under Yongyan City.
When Deng Yu arrived, she was prepared for extremely poor conditions. She didn't have high standards for clothing, housing, or transportation; all she needed was a place to shelter from the wind and rain and sleep. As for clothes, she could buy them in the city, as Lingde Town was only a two-hour drive from Yongyan City.
But Deng Yu never expected that there would be so few good things to eat in Lingde Town.
The town's food shops are mostly rice noodle shops, stir-fry restaurants, etc. There are almost no snack shops. It's a bit more lively on market days, but the food sold is mostly sweets like rice candy and biscuits.
The food tasted bland except for being sweet. Deng Yu was desperate about this "food desert." Actually, it's not quite right to say that, as the stir-fry restaurants were quite good. But she couldn't exactly eat a plate of food as a snack. To be precise, this place was a "snack desert."
The only thing Deng Yu could do was to buy a lot of snacks every time she went home and bring them to town, eating a little whenever she felt like it.
Her parents knew their daughter's personality and that she loved to eat. They felt sorry for her when she came home and ate a lot, complaining that there was nothing good in town. So whenever they had something good to eat, they would save it for her or ask the bus driver to take it down to Deng Yu.
Yes, in order to ensure their daughter could eat better, Deng Yu's parents cultivated relationships with the bus drivers who traveled from Lingde Town to Yongyan City, making it easier for them to deliver things.
However, even the most delicious food will change in taste after two or three hours, but Deng Yu was already satisfied.
During these days, Deng Yu's most frequent thought was how she could not buy anything in this place even though she had money. She had saved a lot of money over the years, and her parents had also provided some support, but in the end, that money became just cold, hard numbers in her bank account.
This is what made Deng Yu most desperate.
After getting off work yesterday, Deng Yu took a stroll around the neighborhood as usual. She knew the surrounding restaurants like the back of her hand, having eaten at them at least twice. In the end, Deng Yu decided to grab a bite at the guesthouse.
The guesthouse is not open to the public, but Deng Yu is not an outsider. The first floor of the guesthouse is a restaurant where you can order food directly. The prices are subsidized and not expensive.
When Deng Yu pushed open the door of the guesthouse, she was taken aback. Wow, what a special day it is today, why are there so many people?
Her impression of the guesthouse was basically that it was a canteen. Although the food was not bad, it was always the same few dishes, which made her tired of eating it.
Deng Yu looked around but couldn't find an empty seat. Finally, she saw a table with a few familiar faces, her colleagues from the same company, so she went over.
Her colleagues, with their backs to her, were saying something:
"I arrived rather late today, I wonder if they still have braised beef left."
"The waiter said he went to ask the chef, so please wait a bit."
"Chef Fang's cooking skills have improved a lot lately! His braised beef is so delicious!"
Deng Yu keenly picked up on the key phrase from her colleagues: braised beef. She glanced around at the tables and was surprised to find that there was a bowl of braised beef on every table, and everyone's chopsticks were reaching for the dish.
She immediately perked up; a flavor that everyone likes can't be bad!
Sitting in an empty seat, Deng Yu casually interjected, "Have you ever had braised beef before?"
Suddenly hearing a new voice, everyone looked towards Deng Yu, and one of them joked, "Why is Little Deng in the cafeteria today?"
Deng Yu had only been at the company for a short time. When she first arrived, her colleagues invited her to eat at the guesthouse. After eating there once, Deng Yu stopped going, saying she didn't like the cafeteria food. At that time, the guesthouse menu didn't have braised beef as a dish.
Deng Yu smiled and said, "I didn't know what to eat, so I just came to take a look."
She then brought the topic back to the main point: "Is the braised beef you're talking about a new dish?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter came over and apologized, "Chef Fang said that there's only about half a portion of braised beef left today. If you'd like..."
Before the waiter could finish speaking, a colleague said, "We want it, bring it directly to us."
The waiter said okay and turned to leave. He thought that if the last half portion of braised beef wasn't sold today, the staff of the guesthouse could take it home.
Sometimes, if the food prepared by the guesthouse wasn't sold out, they would dispose of it this way. At first, the staff really liked the braised beef after trying it. Beef was very expensive these days, and ordinary families couldn't afford to buy it, let alone eat it. The staff hoped that if they couldn't sell it all, they could take it home. As a result, after the braised beef dish was served, not a single bit was left.
There's no way around it, it's just selling too well!
Deng Yu was slightly taken aback by these words, and looked at her colleague with some curiosity and doubt. This colleague was known in the office for being frugal.
You should know that the food in the guesthouse doesn't have a half-portion price, since it's not easy to pay for half a portion; even if it is, it will be charged as a full portion.
This incredibly frugal colleague, who even occasionally takes office tissues home, was willingly wasting money today.
Deng Yu joked, "Is this beef made of gold?"
"It's not made of gold, but it's better than gold," my colleague said.
"You'll see when you try it, Xiao Deng. It's incredibly delicious. This dish has only been on the menu for a few days, but the guesthouse's business has already improved a lot. Every table orders braised beef."
Hearing this, Deng Yu couldn't help but feel excited. However, she still had some stereotypes about braised beef, such as it being hard and cold, and no matter how much she imagined how delicious it would be, she didn't have a concrete idea of what it meant.
A short while later, half a portion of braised beef was served. It looked unremarkable and there wasn't much of it on the plate. Deng Yu picked up her chopsticks to take a piece, but she was too slow. Several of her colleagues had already grabbed a piece each.
Zhang Laoda used his chopsticks to pick up three pieces of beef with one chopstick.
Deng Yu: ...
She was momentarily at a loss for words to describe the absurdity of the moment; everyone there was usually a respectable person at work.
This taste was like a grand fireworks display in her mind. The delicious flavor washed away her recently barren taste buds, like a sudden rain in a drought-stricken area, nourishing every dried-up riverbed.
How could there be such delicious braised beef? It's tender, savory, and has a rich, fragrant braising sauce. It's slightly warm and has an excellent aftertaste, completely washing away Deng Yu's preconceived notions about braised beef.
She reached out with her chopsticks again, picked up four slices of beef, quickly put them into her bowl, and slowly savored one piece. Suddenly, she felt her blood boiling and her spirits lifted. She had really suffered recently. Was all those previous culinary deserts just a prelude to encountering today's braised beef?
Deng Yu was immersed in her own culinary world, savoring the food carefully, and felt that it was hundreds of times better than the braised beef she had eaten in Yongyan City.
She couldn't help but imagine how wonderful it would be to buy a few portions of braised beef and keep them in the office, so she could grab a piece whenever she wanted to eat it. That would perfectly fill the gap in Lingde Town where there were no good snacks.
She completely ignored the complicated looks from her colleagues. "She can eat so much!" Deng Yu ate at least a third of the last half portion of braised beef by herself. There were four of them in total!
Everyone kept busy, and while the other dishes were still untouched, the braised beef was completely devoured.
After everyone finished eating, the unanimous sentiment was: "Half a portion is really not enough."
Deng Yu asked, "When did the guesthouse serve such delicious food?"
"A few days ago, it was really popular, and now we only have a limited supply each day. If you come late, it's all gone."
A colleague joked, "Did Chef Fang go somewhere for further training? His culinary skills have improved by leaps and bounds!"
Because of that sentence, Deng Yu had high expectations for the other dishes, but after tasting them, she knew that her expectations were unnecessary, as the taste had not changed at all.
A colleague chuckled and said, "Maybe Chef Fang has been focusing on training his braised meat skills lately."
Deng Yu thought for two seconds and said seriously, "Maybe not. I don't think Chef Fang made this dish."
This statement caused quite a stir:
"That can't be right, the guesthouse only has one head chef, Chef Fang."
"If it was made by Chef Xiao, then Chef Fang would definitely step down and give way to a more capable person."
After carefully tasting the other dishes, Deng Yu finally determined that they were made by Chef Fang, but this braised beef was not.
The braised beef is different from other dishes. Chef Fang's cooking style is quite bold and unrestrained, which can be described as typical Jianghu cuisine. However, this braised beef is very delicate. Deng Yu could taste that the flavors were well-matched and had a slightly sweet aftertaste. The person who made it must be very meticulous and have excellent culinary skills.
"We'll ask Chef Fang later," Deng Yu said.
After finishing their meal, the group went to find Chef Fang. When Chef Fang heard why they had come, he laughed and said, "You guys have really sharp tongues. You're the first people to ask me this in all these days."
Upon hearing this, the others' eyes widened immediately, but Deng Yu smiled slightly, remaining calm and composed. Over the years, she had tasted countless delicacies, and her palate had long been honed; she could tell the difference with just a taste.
"Chef Fang, this braised beef really wasn't made by you?"
When did the guesthouse get a new chef?
Chef Fang said, "I made it."
The next second, she changed the subject: "But the braising liquid was made by someone else."
That makes it clear to everyone: when making braised meat, the braising liquid is naturally the most important element. Some chefs who are good at making braised meat even treat their braising liquid recipe as a family heirloom. If the braising liquid is delicious, you can add any ingredients and cook them together and the taste won't be too bad.
Having worked outside for several years, Deng Yu was quite worldly-wise and praised, "Although the braising liquid was made by someone else, the braising itself was done by Chef Fang. This braised beef is so tender; Chef Fang's control of the heat is truly superb!"
It has to be said that this compliment really touched Chef Fang's heart. He was quite satisfied with his ability in this area and laughed, "With such a sharp tongue, only you, Xiao Deng, could tell that the braised beef wasn't made by me."
Deng Yu modestly replied, "I just like to eat."
Chef Fang chatted with them for a few minutes and then stopped being mysterious: "The person who sold me the braising sauce was the owner of the braised meat stall in town. I'm not exaggerating, but hers tastes much better than mine!"
Chef Fang also had a great liking for Song Xinran. Firstly, Song Xinran was a good cook, which was a sign of mutual respect among colleagues. Secondly, Song Xinran was generous and did not show off. She did not hide her braising sauce and even brought it to the guesthouse so that more people could taste the flavor of braised meat.
Most people wouldn't do this, fearing their flavor would be imitated. Chef Fang can understand this.
But Chef Fang had even greater respect for someone as confident and generous as Song Xinran.
Hearing this, Deng Yu was inevitably surprised: "Are there any other owners in town who can make such delicious braised meat?"
Chef Fang thought to himself that his first impression of braised beef was similar to Deng Yu's: he assumed it must have been made by a seasoned and experienced chef. But when he met Song Xinran, he realized she was a young woman who wasn't even half his age...
That almost shattered Chef Fang's resolve, but he managed to calm himself down. Their profession values talent, and Song Xinran is talented and cherishes it. This young girl actually does several jobs, which is quite remarkable.
Now that people are specifically asking him, Chef Fang doesn't hide anything: "This braised meat stall only opens on market mornings. It's located in front of a wonton shop opposite the entrance to the market. Tomorrow is market day, so you can buy some if you go early. They mainly sell snacks like chicken feet and duck feet."
Deng Yu's eyes lit up; this was the delicious snack she had been searching for!
but……
"Chef Fang, I've been to the market before, but I haven't seen any stalls selling braised meat."
Chef Fang smiled knowingly: "Didn't you go there after ten o'clock?"
Deng Yu hummed in agreement, but that wasn't actually the case; she usually went at eleven o'clock!
She has to work on weekdays, so she can only go shopping at noon. On weekends, she wants to sleep in, so she usually doesn't go shopping until almost 11 or 10 pm. Besides, she doesn't spend much time in town on weekends; she usually goes back to the city.
Chef Fang said, "Their business is so good that they usually sell out before 10 o'clock. If you want to buy some, you should go early."
After hearing Chef Fang's words, the four left. On the way, they praised Deng Yu for his skill, saying that they had eaten there several times but never thought of this level of understanding, while Deng Yu knew it as soon as he tasted it.
Deng Yu said, "I'll go to the entrance of the vegetable market tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, the other three immediately said, "We'll go too."
The group agreed to meet at the guesthouse at 8:00 AM the next morning, Saturday, to have breakfast first and then look for a braised meat stall.
Everyone arrived on time the next day, but the breakfast at the guesthouse was mediocre. After having a bowl of porridge and an egg, everyone put down their chopsticks, leaving room for braised meat.
Deng Yu was very excited. She had prepared some change to go on a shopping spree and bring some home for her parents to try.
To be honest, ever since Deng Yu came to Lingde Town, her parents have been feeding her all by themselves. Deng Yu really doesn't know what kind of delicious food she can bring back for her parents. She can't exactly bring back a bag of takeout stir-fries, can she? There are countless stir-fries restaurants in Yongyan City.
I finally found the wonton shop across from the market, only to discover that the braised meat stall had moved.
Deng Yu thought to himself that getting a delicious braised meat was like going through a series of trials and tribulations. But perseverance pays off, and they finally found the new location of the braised meat stall. After confirming that they hadn't gone to the wrong place, Deng Yu bought fifty pieces of braised meat and vowed to eat his fill to satisfy his stomach.
Hearing that the same owner had opened a mala tang (spicy hot pot) shop, Deng Yu was also a little curious. Mala tang and braised food are completely opposite aspects; one is savory and subtle, while the other is spicy and bold. However, trusting the owner, Deng Yu decided to go in and take a look.
As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a hot, spicy, and savory aroma that was incredibly enticing. Deng Yu's eyes lit up, and upon glancing at the signboard, she was surprised to find that it was surprisingly cheap.
However, since it was their first time eating there, Deng Yu was quite restrained. The four of them only ordered two jin of meat and one and a half jin of vegetables. They handed the dishes to the waiter, had them weighed and paid for, and then found a seat.
"The environment here is quite nice," a colleague said.
Deng Yu glanced around and found it to be quite nice. The main features were its spaciousness and cleanliness, evident in the white walls, terrazzo floor, and gleaming display case.
Deng Yu had eaten at many shops in town, and no matter how the food tasted, they all lacked hygiene. Some floors were slippery, some chopsticks were dirty, and some tables were covered with a thick layer of oil on the condiments, which made people lose their appetite just by looking at them.
This mala tang restaurant is clean not only in its interior design, but also in the brand-new condiment bottles on the table, containing salt and vinegar; the bamboo chopsticks are in their original color and smell of bamboo; even the bowls are spotless.
"It's probably because it's newly opened," a colleague said.
Deng Yu thought to herself, regardless of whether it was a newly opened business or not, the fact that the boss handled these details so well proved that he was thoughtful.
As soon as they sat down, they heard the sounds of a group of guests at the next table eating, who were wolfing down their food.
The customer added some small red chilies to his bowl and ate with gusto, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but he couldn't stop. His chopsticks kept picking up food from the bowl, turning the rice in his bowl a bright red. He picked up the bowl and took a big bite: "This stuff is so delicious!"
"It looks similar to the cold boiled vegetables I make at home, but the taste is so different!"
"Hey, eat less. Don't eat so much so early in the morning and make your stomach uncomfortable!" The person who said this didn't restrain themselves at all, happily picking up food with their chopsticks.
Before long, the hot pot in the bowl was gone. The man stood up, strode to the refrigerator, picked up a stainless steel bowl, and quickly added fresh ingredients: "Weigh it, cook it quickly and bring it up to us."
The waiter said, "Okay."
Deng Yu, who witnessed the entire scene, raised an eyebrow slightly. Her colleague spoke first, exclaiming, "Is it really that exaggerated?"
"There are so many hot pot restaurants, and they're not expensive. People are even fighting over them."
Deng Yu didn't say anything, but thought to herself, "Have you forgotten the scene yesterday afternoon when we ate the only half plate of braised beef? We're not much better off than them!"
However, since we were all colleagues, we valued appearances, so everyone ate quietly without saying a word, seemingly competing to see who could pick up the most food the fastest.
They didn't have to wait long before the waiter brought over the mala tang. The full bowl of mala tang looked like a vibrant painting. The red oil broth was glistening and pleasing to the eye, with finely chopped red chilies, white sesame seeds, and bright green scallions and cilantro floating on the surface. The ingredients were even more appealing: tender white tofu, translucent glass noodles coated in oil, dark green leafy vegetables with slightly curled edges, and slices of meat unfolding...
The various ingredients are layered on top of each other, making it hard to look away.
The aroma is irresistible; it wafts to the diners' noses without needing to sniff closely. The numbing and spicy flavors intertwine intensely and vibrantly, followed by the rich and savory aroma of the bone broth, slowly wafting out and leaving a lingering aftertaste. The fresh fragrance of various vegetables blends with the savory aroma of meat, creating a subtle yet highly penetrating scent.
Deng Yu's eyes widened involuntarily. They had smelled the aroma of the spicy hot pot as soon as they entered the door. They had already experienced what it meant to be fresh and fragrant back then. They did not expect that the freshly cooked hot pot, especially the one placed in front of them, would taste even more delicious.
She couldn't wait a second longer. She picked up her chopsticks and first took a wide rice noodle. The wide rice noodle was cooked until it was translucent and very chewy. It was coated with chili oil and sesame seeds. With a slurp, she sucked it all into her mouth. Her dormant taste buds were instantly activated. From the tip of her tongue to the back of her tongue, it was tingling and numb, making her unable to resist tasting it. With a "slurp", she quickly swallowed it into her stomach, and her mouth and tongue were already clamoring for something new.
Following the dictates of my brain, my hand quickly picked up a mouthful of ingredients without even carefully selecting them. Bean curd sheets, lettuce, and gizzards were all in one chopstick. I lifted the bowl to my mouth and casually scooped them up. All the ingredients had their own flavors, cooked together in the same pot. The original flavors of all the ingredients were perfectly blended with the spicy hot pot broth. It felt like the numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors were layered upon layer, each flavor so distinct yet harmonious, making it more and more delicious and impossible to stop eating.
The waiter brought over the rice. Deng Yu snorted softly. The first bite didn't taste spicy, just fresh and fragrant. But when she ate too fast and too much, the spiciness came on. However, this spiciness was different from the kind that makes your stomach burn. It was more subtle and had a mellow aroma.
Now that she needed something to counteract the spiciness, Deng Yu decisively scooped out half a bowl of rice. The rice was cooked until each grain was white and even, and the spiciness was reduced when she ate it.
I picked up a slice of cucumber, put it in my bowl, and swallowed it with my rice. I felt that there was no dish that could be more appetizing than this.
Deng Yu always prefers mild and nourishing breakfasts, but she couldn't resist eating spicy hot pot. Her mouth and stomach, which had been suffering recently, finally got to enjoy a good meal today.
After eating a bowl of rice, Deng Yu felt she was about 80% full. She hesitated whether to eat a couple more bites of vegetables, but when she looked at her colleague, she saw that he was eating silently and completely absorbed in his food.
Since things are already like this, why should she restrain herself? She finally found a delicious restaurant, so she should eat as much as she can.
Finally, Deng Yu and his group of four finished all the dishes they had chosen, even picking up the smallest bits of vegetable leaves. Everyone had a satisfied look on their faces.
A colleague suggested, "How about we order some more dishes?"
After some hesitation, one person finally said, "Forget it, let's not eat too much for breakfast. The shop is right here anyway, let's come back another day."
Deng Yu stood up, walked to the refrigerated display case, and selected a large quantity of vegetables. Her colleagues were astonished: "Deng Yu, can you really eat so much?"
Wow, this is a real glutton!
Deng Yu turned her head and said, "No, I think it tastes good, so I'm taking some back for my mom and the others to eat."
She didn't bring any food back before because she hadn't found any good ones. Now that she has, she'll have to let her parents enjoy some good food too.
The colleague remained silent: ...Is it really that delicious?
Okay, as someone who has personally tasted it, this mala tang (spicy hot pot) is indeed very delicious.
But Deng Yu's home is in Yongyan, such a big city, surely there's nothing better to eat here?
If you ask Deng Yu, she will answer that there are definitely places that serve hot pot and spicy stew, but based on the hot pot and spicy stew she has eaten, she feels that there is no better place than this.
Carrying the takeout box, Deng Yu was so excited she almost cried. She had searched high and low in Lingde Town and finally found a restaurant that suited her taste!
When we checked the bill, we were surprised to find that the four of us had eaten so well and it only cost us less than thirty yuan!
"It's so cheap!" a colleague exclaimed repeatedly.
"I'll bring my mom here next time, and she definitely won't say I'm wasting money."
"I'm really worried about whether the owner can make money," another colleague said. It's not that she sympathizes with the owner, but she's very worried that the owner will do the math and find it's not worth it, so he'll close the shop. Then where will she go to eat such delicious mala tang?
Deng Yu said, "We can come and eat here more often in the future."
The other three nodded in agreement.
When Deng Yu was about to go home, she received a call from her parents. Her mother's voice was as usual: "Yu Yu, your dad and I went shopping today and saw some braised geese for sale. We were going to buy one for you and have the driver take it over. Jingfu Mung Bean Pastry has a new variety, chestnut pastry. Your dad and I tried it and it tastes very good. We'll bring it over for you too."
Deng Yu smiled and quickly said, "No need, no need, Mom, don't buy it, I'll be back today!"
Deng's mother smiled and said, "Okay, then we'll go out and buy some seafood and cook it for you when we get back."
Deng Yu likes to eat seafood, but it's not sold at all in Lingde Town.
Deng Yu said, "No need, no need, Mom, I brought you some food. Don't be busy at noon today, just wait for me to come back."
Deng's mother asked curiously, "What did you buy?"
But what I was really thinking was that my daughter had said there wasn't much good food in Lingde Town, except for stir-fries, which were pretty good. Could it be that I packed some stir-fries for them to bring back?
Deng Yu said, "It's a big box of spicy hot pot!"
Deng's mother fell silent.
Hearing the conversation, Deng's father was speechless for a moment. He coughed and said, "Okay, Yuyu is very thoughtful. But don't bring these things back in the future. The soup will spill out if you're not careful on the road, and it will be cold when you bring it back. If you want to eat, we can go to a restaurant, or your mother can make it."
Deng Yu immediately realized her parents had misunderstood: "No, Dad, this mala tang restaurant is newly opened. Today is its first day of business. My colleagues and I ate here, and the taste was really good, so I wanted to bring some home for you to try. You definitely won't regret it after just one bite!"
Deng's mother smiled, knowing her daughter's love of food: "Alright, then we'll wait for you to come back."
Deng Yu hung up the phone happily, thinking that her parents would know how delicious it was once they tasted it.
Glancing to the side, Deng Yu suddenly saw the packaged braised food. She looked annoyed; she had been so excited about eating spicy hot pot that she had forgotten to tell her parents that she had also bought braised food.
Since she had already bought it, she decided to try it while it was still hot.
He casually picked up a chicken wing and put it in his mouth, and was immediately so engrossed in the aroma that he stood up.
My goodness, what a delicacy this is! It completely surpasses the average person's imagination of ordinary braised meat!
She thought the braised beef she ate yesterday was already very good, and Chef Fang's control of the heat was also excellent, but this braised chicken wing was a step above, it could be described as tender and falling off the bone, with an irresistible salty and savory aroma.
After eating two braised chicken wings in a row, Deng Yu wondered, "What kind of magician is this hot pot/braised meat owner?! How can he make two completely different categories of food so delicious?!"
She had to hurry back so her parents could experience this too!
*
Although Deng Yu and her colleagues left, as time went by, more and more people appeared on the street, and more and more people entered the mala tang restaurant.
The firecrackers at the opening ceremony attracted many people, some of whom came to try the food because the prices were reasonable. Once they tasted it, they couldn't leave, and the six tables in the shop were full of people.
Later customers even asked the owner to simply add a stool to their table; they weren't picky at all, as long as they could eat.
Zhu Wei had noticed this mala tang restaurant when it opened with firecrackers. He glanced inside and saw the novel way of selecting ingredients, and wanted to try it. However, many other people were also attracted by the crackling sound and entered the store with the same idea.
Seeing that there were quite a few people, Zhu Wei thought it might take a long time to wait, so he decided to go to the market to buy some food first and then come back to try it.
In his experience, newly opened stores typically experience only intermittent customer traffic.
But after Zhu Wei spent more than half an hour buying everything at the market, he went straight to the mala tang shop to try it out, only to find that there were even more people in the shop than before!
Zhu Wei even suspected that he was hallucinating. What was going on?
A long table can usually seat four people, but this shop's table had six or seven people sitting on it!
The diners sitting on the aisle with a plastic stool were clearly there because they had an extra stool; Zhu Wei would definitely not sit there.
The spicy aroma of the hot pot kept wafting out, attracting passersby to stop and watch. Zhu Wei hadn't eaten breakfast, and now his stomach was rumbling.
This mala tang (spicy hot pot) shop really caught his attention. Zhu Wei walked in and saw that the customers on both sides were eating with great enthusiasm. He directly asked the waiter, "Are there any seats left?"
The waiter glanced at it and said, "We can add one more here, would you like?"
Zhu Wei turned his head and saw another empty seat in the corridor. He held back and said, "Add it."
But in his heart, he had a slight complaint: "Your business is so good right after you opened, you're too busy to keep up with the demand."
The waiter smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the support of our customers."
Zhu Wei glanced at the prices and asked, "Is there a minimum order amount?"
The waiter said, "No."
Zhu Wei was still a little surprised. The vegetables cost three yuan per pound, and one yuan was enough for someone with a smaller appetite. A serving of rice would cost one yuan and fifty cents.
A simple bowl of fried rice outside costs four yuan.
Zhu Wei thought to himself that he should teach this restaurant owner a lesson. Not setting a minimum price would attract so many people that even someone like him who wanted to eat in peace would have nowhere to sit.
He picked up a stainless steel bowl and tongs, carefully selected a small amount of vegetables, and weighed them.
The waiter said, "One dollar."
Zhu Wei thought to himself, "I miscalculated. It's a penny more than I expected." He nodded and said, "Okay."
They then sat down in the designated area.
After Zhu Wei sat down, the customers at another table left, and the waiter quickly went to clear the table. At the same time, two more people walked into the store, and business was booming.
Zhu Wei had assumed that the restaurant would be slow to serve food due to its popularity, and he regretted coming to squeeze in. However, the food arrived shortly after he sat down, including half a bowl of vegetarian dishes that cost 1.1 yuan each.
The dish was glossy and reddish-brown, with an enticing color. Zhu Wei picked up a piece of potato and rice and ate it. His hand froze for a second, and then he started frantically picking up food and shoveling rice into his mouth.
Unfortunately, the vegetarian dishes were too few, and he had a big appetite; they were gone in just a couple of bites.
Without hesitation, Zhu Wei put down her chopsticks and said to the waiter, "Don't clear the table, I want to eat more!"
Rushing to the refrigerated display case, this time he no longer had any intention of teaching the owner a lesson. Instead, the owner taught him a lesson with the taste. Could anyone really resist such delicious hot pot and only eat a one-yuan vegetable dish?
Marinated fresh meat slices, chicken gizzards, cured pork slices, chicken thigh meat, pork intestines... I put all my favorite meat dishes into the bowl.
Lettuce slices, pea shoots, potato slices, sweet potato vermicelli... vegetarian dishes shouldn't be forgotten either.
The final weighing showed that the meat dish weighed 1.2 jin and the vegetable dish weighed 1 jin.
Seeing the waiter bring his chosen dishes to the kitchen, Zhu Wei sat down and waited with peace of mind. The diner next to him was slurping noodles, which were thin sweet potato noodles that were cooked until they were translucent and coated with oil. Just by looking at the color, you could tell that they must taste delicious.
The diners were smacking their lips and eating with great relish. Zhu Wei swallowed hard, but he had already finished all the food in front of him. He could only pick up his bowl and scoop out a couple of mouthfuls of rice soaked in the soup, which was a small consolation.
He thought to himself, "Why are the dishes taking so long to arrive this time? I should have taken more the first time I got them!"
After much anticipation, the waiter finally brought out a large plate of food, and Zhu Wei immediately recognized it as his!
Sure enough, the dish was placed in front of him as he had hoped. But just as Zhu Wei picked up his chopsticks, the waiter glanced at the table card, picked it up again, and said, "I'm sorry, this is for table 6."
Zhu Wei: ? ? ? ?
Zhu Wei watched helplessly as her dish was served to someone else. The diners at the next table unceremoniously picked up a large mouthful of food, their mouths glistening with oil, and exclaimed, "This tastes pretty good!"
"This is the boss's skill!" (Thumbs up)
Zhu Wei swallowed hard, struggling to look away. He thought to himself that if he had been a little faster, he might have gotten the food. So what if he took the wrong one? He could still pay for it.
Zhu Wei waited and waited, feeling like he had been waiting for ages. Finally, his long-awaited hot pot arrived. The waiter apologized, "I'm sorry, we brought the wrong one. This is yours."
Zhu Wei couldn't be bothered to listen to her. Regardless of whether it was hers or not, only what she ate was hers.
The meat dishes tasted better than the vegetarian ones. The meat slices were marinated until tender and slightly bouncy, the chicken thigh meat was incredibly tender, the chicken gizzard was extremely fresh and crisp, and the fat of the cured pork slices was cooked until translucent. When you bite into it, you can only feel a little salty, a little spicy, and a little numbing. All kinds of flavors come together, creating a very rich and complex flavor profile.
The vegetables were cooked to perfection, releasing their fresh aroma and feeling incredibly refreshing.
Zhu Wei was satisfied with his meal, but he still didn't finish all the food. He had ordered too much and couldn't bear to throw it away, so he asked the waiter to pack it up.
After finishing the meal, Zhu Wei calculated the bill and found that it only cost eighteen yuan. Looking at the leftovers in his hand, Zhu Wei realized that he could easily have another meal at home, which was equivalent to nine yuan per meal, making it more cost-effective than eating stir-fries!
There's not this much meat in stir-fries, and the flavor isn't as rich.
As Zhu Wei left the shop, he looked up and said, "Delicious Mala Tang... it truly lives up to its name."
He remembered the restaurant's name and said he would come back to eat there again next time.
*
On the first day of business, the popularity of the mala tang exceeded Song Xinran's expectations. Firecrackers were set off at eight o'clock to attract customers, and the store did not gradually quiet down until two o'clock in the afternoon.
Song Xinwen wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Goodness gracious, there are so many people in town, I'm so busy I can't keep up! My hands are practically smoking from carrying all those bowls."
Chen Jingfang laughed and said, "I thought that since our store is newly opened, people would be hesitant to come, but I didn't expect them to come in droves."
Ge Xia didn't have time to be shy today. Customers came one after another, and she was busy processing bills and calculating. She was worried about encountering some unreasonable customers, but surprisingly, there wasn't a single one.
Strictly speaking, there were two reasons. They wanted her to take a zero and round down the four cents. After being trained by Chen Jingfang and Song Xinran, Ge Xia said, "We're just running a small business, we only make a few cents, we can't round it down."
Before the man could say anything more, someone behind him urged, "Are you going to buy it or not? If not, give it to me."
The customer who wanted the amount rounded down immediately fell silent, found a seat, and paid promptly.
Ge Xia thought to herself, there are still more good people out there.
She used an idiom to describe today's guests: "Everyone is so enthusiastic."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinwen laughed: "Xiaoxia is indeed a cultured person!"
Ge Xia blushed: "Sister Xinwen, no."
Song Xinran stood beside her, gently putting her arm around her: "Xiaoxia is not only educated, but also a great cook. Everyone should try Xiaoxia's cooking these next few days."
"Xiaoxia, you'll have to work a little harder these next few days. Make some spicy hot pot for the ladies at the shop."
Ge Xia's eyelashes fluttered as she understood the deeper meaning of those words: Sister Xinran wanted to mentor her.
Ge Xia nodded vigorously and said earnestly, "Please tell me what I did wrong, sisters, so I can correct it."
It was late afternoon, and there was no one in the store. There were still some vegetables left in the refrigerated display case. Of course, these vegetables had been updated many times, and someone would replenish them whenever they were out of stock, so that all the vegetables were always available.
Ge Xia said, "I'm going to cook the vegetables now! What do you guys want to eat, sisters?"
"Anything is fine."
They were completely exhausted after a morning of work. They didn't feel tired when they were busy, but now that they've rested, their muscles are sore. Looking at Ge Xia, however, she still looks very energetic. It's amazing how youth really makes a difference.
Ge Xia took the cooking very seriously this time. She paid attention to Song Xinran's cooking time each time she had free time, and she made even more progress than the first time.
After the meal, Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang exclaimed, "My goodness, this is almost identical to what Xinran made!"
Ge Xia said, "The soup base was all made by Sister Xinran; I'm just passing on her knowledge."
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Xiaoxia, be more confident. You did better today than yesterday. You've made great progress."
Ge Xia blushed with excitement and nodded repeatedly: "Sister Xinran, I will try my best!"
When it was time to cook oden in the afternoon, Song Xinran did not go back. Instead, she left it to Song Xinwen and Chen Jingfang. She had written down the cooking time for the oden ingredients, so following the time would ensure that it would not go wrong.
Today is the opening day for the new mala tang restaurant, so she needs to put in extra effort.
In the afternoon, most of the food stalls in town were empty, but surprisingly, a few tables of customers came to the mala tang stall.
When school lets out in the afternoon, some of the school's young customers will also come. These young customers can be considered regular customers; they are Song Xinran's loyal supporters. Song Xinran plans to cook some spicy hot pot for them.
While the students from No. 3 Middle School and Central Primary School hadn't finished class yet, a few young customers arrived at the mala tang (spicy hot pot) shop.
Song Yu walked in somewhat embarrassedly: "Mom, my classmates said they want to come and eat our family's spicy hot pot."
Several children walked out from behind Song Yu one by one. Song Xinran found that they were all Song Yu's good friends: Yuanyuan, the Zhang Xiaoda brothers, Zhou Xue and Wu Yaoxuan, and two unfamiliar faces.
Wu Yaoxuan, dressed in a striking orange outfit, walked up to Song Xinran and said in a clear and generous voice, "Aunt Song, I wish you a successful opening, booming business, and lots of money!"
Song Xinran smiled immediately: "Thank you, Xiao Xuan."
Ge Xia watched with great curiosity. It was the first time she had met Song Yu's friend, and he looked very different from the children she usually saw in the village.
The children all offered their blessings and good wishes. Wu Yaoxuan was the first to sit at the nearest table: "Aunt Song, we want to eat mala tang, and we want the most expensive mala tang!"
Song Xinran glanced at him and thought that he seemed different from when they first met, which was more in line with the little tyrant persona that Song Yu had described.
She said, "For mala tang, you can choose your own ingredients. Xiao Xuan can choose whatever he wants to eat."
Wu Yaoxuan shook his head: "Aunt Song, you can help us get them. Give us what others don't like, and give us what others can't afford."
"Don't worry, Auntie, I have money!"
He straightened his back, raised his chin, slapped a banknote on the table, and looked very proud.
Ge Xia curiously peeked over and was almost shocked to her core.
One hundred dollars?
There's a hundred-yuan bill on the table?!
Are kindergarten kids these days really that rich?
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