Chapter 97 Songji Private Banquet Hall
It was quite lively at Aunt Rong's house early in the morning. Her son's company was far from home, so he went there even earlier, while his wife was still at home having breakfast.
"Mom, are you not feeling well today? Why did you only eat so little for breakfast?" The daughter-in-law asked with concern, noticing that Aunt Rong had only eaten a small half-bowl of dumplings.
The dumplings are homemade and very healthy; Aunt Rong usually eats a whole bowl of them.
Aunt Rong said, "No, I have a great appetite! Xiao Mei, can you tell me how this dress looks on me?"
Aunt Rong was wearing a dark brown floral dress. Her daughter-in-law nodded and said, "It looks good. Mom, is there something you need today?"
Aunt Rong beamed with joy: "Xiao Song's restaurant is opening today, and I've made plans with Lao Jin to have lunch there!"
Daughter-in-law Xiaomei: ...
I'm wondering if it's really necessary to change clothes just for lunch? It's not like it's a fancy restaurant, why do I need to change clothes?
However, Xiaomei had already heard about the restaurant from her mother-in-law countless times in the past month, so she didn't want to spoil the old woman's mood. She simply said, "Mom, there's still so much time before noon. Why don't you eat a few more dumplings so you won't get hungry halfway through?"
Aunt Rong said, "I already told Lao Jin that we'd go around eleven o'clock, to save some room so we wouldn't be full after just a few bites. Aunt Jin said she's treating today."
Xiaomei was always puzzled as to why her mother-in-law and Aunt Jin were so enthusiastic about a restaurant that hadn't even opened yet. Even though her mother-in-law told her how delicious Song Xinran's pizza was, Xiaomei hadn't tasted it herself and had no real experience. She could only guess that it was because the portions were small.
Xiaomei said, "Mom, if you like it, I'll take you to eat it when I have time off."
Aunt Rong happily agreed.
"Then I'll wear this outfit."
Xiaomei nodded: "Okay."
She didn't think much of it, and just went to the restaurant near her home for a meal. Sometimes she would go to the breakfast shop at the entrance of the community wearing only her pajamas.
Aunt Rong was filled with excitement and anticipation. After waiting for so long, the restaurant was finally opening. For the past month, whenever she and Lao Jin went for a walk, they would make a point of passing by the restaurant, which was still under renovation. She had practically watched it transform into the "Song's Private Banquet Hall" it was today.
When Aunt Rong bought the shop, it was quite empty. Later, it was rented to a wine seller, but the business went bankrupt after two years. It had been vacant for two months before Song Xinran rented it.
As Aunt Rong watched her shop gradually being built and decorated, transforming into the tranquil and elegant place it is today, and finally opening for business, she was overjoyed.
This is not only about the anticipation of delicious food, but also about other factors.
At 10:30 a.m., Aunt Rong met with Grandma Fufu, who greeted her warmly, "Grandma Rong, it's time for lunch!"
The little girl's voice was clear and bright, unable to hide her excitement.
Aunt Rong smiled and asked, "How many bowls of rice is Fu Fu planning to eat today?"
Fu Fu held up ten fingers.
Aunt Rong was overjoyed: "Ten bowls? Can you really eat that many?"
Fu Fu shook his head: "I'll only eat ten bites of rice, I need to eat lots of vegetables!"
Even a six-and-a-half-year-old girl knows that when eating at a restaurant, the focus is on the food, let alone the food made by Song Yu's mother.
She always heard Song Yu talk about what he ate that day, like smooth steamed eggs, fragrant stir-fried vegetables, and spicy and flavorful sliced meat... Every time she heard it, her mouth would water.
Today, she can finally eat it!
Aunt Rong laughed heartily: "Fu Fu is a man of ambition."
Then he asked, "Old Jin, have you prepared enough money?"
Grandma Fufu said, "You don't need to worry about the money!"
His tone was very bold and unrestrained.
The two elderly people, along with Fufu and a child, strolled around the area before heading to Songji Private Banquet Restaurant. Song Xinran had already told them that the restaurant's opening hours were from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
Most of the well-known restaurants in the city are open from 10 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m., so Song's restaurant has very short hours. However, Aunt Rong and Grandma Fu both agreed, saying:
"High-end restaurants need to differentiate themselves; if they were available anytime, they would lower the overall quality."
"You're the only one in the shop, so you should still take a break. These opening hours are just right; health is the most important thing for young people!"
In short, the two elderly people were very supportive of everything about the restaurant.
Upon arriving at the entrance, one sees a dark brown door with a wooden plaque above it that reads "Songji Private Banquet Hall." Two bright windows on the side are covered with bamboo blinds. Compared to the straightforward and bustling small restaurants at the main entrance of the residential area, it exudes a sense of quiet elegance, without any of the greasiness of traditional restaurants.
A sign at the entrance reads, "New store opening; during the trial operation period, all dishes are 12% off."
The trial operation period is three days.
Aunt Rong laughed and said, "Young Song is quite good at doing business."
Grandma Fu looked around and nodded repeatedly: "The environment is much better than when we came here last time."
Fu Fu didn't want to talk and couldn't wait any longer. She tugged at her grandma's hand and said, "I'm so hungry!"
Aunt Rong laughed and said, "Alright, let's go in and have a taste!"
The restaurant has only five tables, but they are spaced far apart and separated by wooden latticework. The walls are clean white with a few paintings hanging on them, and a dark solid wood display shelf stands in the corner. There is also a private room in the restaurant.
Aunt Rong couldn't help but compare Song Ji with another high-end private restaurant in a neighborhood she had visited. The two were comparable in terms of environment, but the other one had spent a lot of money on renovations.
Fu Fu was the first to choose a seat by the window.
Song Xinran walked over with the menu and said with a smile, "Aunt Rong, Grandma Fufu."
The menu was placed on the table, and Grandma Fufu looked at it:
Twice-cooked pork (38 yuan), stir-fried pork belly with green peppers (38 yuan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables (15 yuan), Mapo tofu (28 yuan), boiled beef (48 yuan)...
Some dishes also have a thumbs-up icon next to them, indicating that they are recommended.
At this time, the home-style dishes in the small restaurants on the street usually cost around ten yuan, while Song Ji was about three or four times more expensive. However, Grandma Fufu was not so distressed as to spend that much money.
With so many dishes to choose from, I didn't know which ones to eat, so I ordered four recommended dishes.
"Xiao Song, would these recommended dishes taste even better?" Grandma Fu Fu shared the same thought as many customers.
Song Xinran smiled and said, "Actually, all the dishes taste good, but some customers don't know what to order, so I gave some recommendations. These recommendations are all popular home-style dishes."
Grandma Fu saw that this was indeed the case and couldn't help but laugh, "Little Song, you really are a shop owner, you know how to understand people's minds!"
Song Xinran took the menu to the kitchen, and Aunt Rong started chatting with Grandma Fufu: "Why are we the only table in the restaurant?"
Aunt Rong was still a little worried.
Grandma Fufu was much calmer: "It's only eleven o'clock, not lunchtime yet."
Aunt Rong looked out the window. There weren't many people on the road. She thought to herself that the location wasn't good enough, and also, "Xiao Song didn't promote it much."
They live in the same neighborhood. If they hadn't known Song Xinran before, they definitely wouldn't have known about the opening.
Aside from a banner hanging at the entrance that reads "New store opening, many discounts," there seems to be no other promotion. And to see this banner, you have to walk over here.
Grandma Fufu said, "Good wine needs no bush."
Fu Fu didn't want to listen to the two old people's conversation. She craned her neck towards the kitchen, looking with great anticipation. Then she turned around and looked around, but didn't see Song Yu in the store, which made her a little disappointed.
However, this disappointment completely disappeared when he smelled the aroma of the food. Fu Fu's eyes lit up, and he quickly said to his grandma, "It smells so good!"
Grandma Fu Fu obviously smelled it too, and her spirits immediately lifted. She often cooks, so she naturally recognized that it was the smell of pork belly after being stir-fried. The aroma of the rendered fat wasn't particularly special, but it was very tempting.
Grandma Fufu couldn't help but say to Aunt Rong, "This pork smells just like the pork I ate when I was a child!"
The two women were about the same age, and only Aunt Rong could understand Grandma Fufu's thoughts. Aunt Rong nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of anticipation: "It smells amazing!"
The stir-fried pork I ate as a child didn't have any other fancy smells; the aroma of the meat alone was enough to tempt me, and I could eat a bowl of rice just from smelling it.
At this moment, the pure aroma of meat, after being added to the fermented bean paste, is infused with other fragrances, making it even more enticing and whetting the appetite.
My stomach knows there's good food and is already yelling that it's hungry and wants to eat.
Twice-cooked pork was the first dish served. The pork slices were cut into even pieces, stir-fried until golden brown and slightly charred, and shaped like lamp-shaped bowls. Interspersed among them were bright green garlic sprouts and bright red chili flakes, creating an extremely tempting color contrast.
Not to mention the aroma, it's absolutely delicious with rice.
Aunt Rong politely declined and let Grandma Fufu, who was hosting, start eating first. Grandma Fufu took a piece of pork belly and was immediately amazed by its deliciousness.
Yes, the only word to describe it is stunning.
Grandma Fu thought she was mentally prepared, after all, she had eaten Song Xinran's cold noodles and pizza before and knew that she was a good cook, but she didn't expect it to be this good!
Grandma Fufu didn't really like pork belly. She would get tired of it after eating just a couple of slices, especially the twice-cooked pork in restaurants. Some slices were thick and some were thin, and some were burnt while others weren't even curled up. Although the overall taste of the dish was okay, the large chunks of fat made her feel nauseous just looking at them.
But Song Ji's twice-cooked pork is completely different. The fatty meat is fried until it is translucent and the skin is slightly charred. It is fragrant and oily but not greasy at all. It has a slight crispy texture when you bite into it. The lean meat is firm and chewy and is covered with sauce. When you chew it, all kinds of flavors come out.
After eating one piece, Grandma Fufu quickly reached for a second piece with her chopsticks.
The second piece looked like a twin to the first; the curls after frying were almost identical, and the fat and lean meat were evenly distributed, making it clear at a glance that it was good quality meat.
Grandma Fu couldn't help but praise, "Your knife skills are excellent, and your control of the heat is just right!"
It's so delicious when you put it in your mouth.
Aunt Rong watched as her friend quickly picked up two slices of meat and was a little dazed. Was her eating speed too fast?
Grandma Fu used to say that you should eat slowly, as it's better for your stomach, but looking at her now, it seems like she's completely forgotten what she said.
Without further hesitation, Aunt Rong put the twice-cooked pork into her mouth. As her teeth chattered and she chewed slightly, she involuntarily sat up straight.
He moved his jaw slightly, carefully savoring the piece of meat.
The meat juices burst forth, carrying the aroma of stir-fried sauce, colliding wildly in the mouth and activating every taste bud cell.
Aunt Rong's eyes lit up, and she uttered a single word: "Good!"
It was definitely worth it for her to wear a dress to the meal; just one bite of twice-cooked pork was worth it. Aunt Rong is a person who has a bit of a sense of ritual; when she goes out to eat something nice, she also wants to wear appropriate clothes to match.
I used to think pizza was delicious, but after tasting twice-cooked pork, pizza's status in my heart plummeted. Strictly speaking, it's not just pizza, but everything else I've eaten before pales in comparison to this vibrant twice-cooked pork.
Twice-cooked pork is usually a dish that goes well with rice, but because it tasted so good, the three of them didn't even bother to eat. They just finished the twice-cooked pork by taking turns using their chopsticks.
Aunt Rong rummaged through the plate with her chopsticks, but couldn't find any extra slices of meat. She was still a little incredulous: "How come it's gone so quickly? I don't remember eating much."
Grandma Fufu said, "I just feel that I've actually eaten quite a lot already."
When people taste something extremely delicious, they always feel like they can't get enough.
Fufu sat next to her, holding her small bowl, taking small bites of the last piece of twice-cooked pork, feeling very happy. She got the last piece of meat, haha!
Before the next dish was served, Grandma Fu tasted a few garlic sprouts and immediately nodded in agreement: "Sister Rong, you should try the garlic sprouts, they taste good too!"
When Aunt Rong took a bite, she found it to be true. The garlic sprouts were fresh and had a natural and refreshing aroma. Because they had been stir-fried with pork belly, they also absorbed the aroma of the pork fat, making them taste absolutely delicious.
Aunt Rong picked up a large piece of garlic sprouts with her chopsticks, feeling that she could eat two large bowls of rice with these garlic sprouts.
Before we had even finished the garlic sprouts, the second dish, pan-fried chicken, arrived.
Smelling the fresh and spicy aroma, the three quickly abandoned the twice-cooked pork and embraced the new dish.
...
Just then, two girls who looked to be in their early twenties passed by the restaurant. One of them, a girl with short hair, said, "Hey, look, this restaurant is open!"
Two girls work nearby and walk this road every day, practically watching the shops being renovated bit by bit.
"Song's Private Banquet Hall." The short-haired girl read out the name and laughed, "I knew it! This place is a restaurant, and it serves private dishes! Let's go in and take a look!"
"Pang Ru, wait a minute!" Her companion grabbed her arm, glanced at the shop's decor, and advised, "This looks expensive. Let's just find a noodle shop to eat at."
They do ordinary jobs and only earn 1,500 yuan a month, while this store looks very high-end.
Pang Ru said, "Since it's located near the entrance of the community, it can't be too expensive. We've been looking at it for a month, so let's go and give it a try."
Pang Ru makes a good point. Restaurants in the city are relatively concentrated, with high-end restaurants located in the city center. Restaurants around residential areas, no matter how expensive, won't bankrupt people.
My companion, however, didn't want to try it. Pointing inside, he said, "It's already noon, and there's only one table of customers inside. Business is bad, so the taste must be just average."
Pang Ru glanced inside and saw that there was indeed only one table of guests, consisting of two older women with a child. Pang Ru, with her sharp eyes, carefully observed how they ate and immediately felt a surge of envy...
Those people at that table are eating so deliciously!
"Why not give it a try? And look, we're getting an 8.8% discount during the trial period, but it's only for three days, and we just happened to catch it today!" Pang Ru said, pointing to the display board.
His companion was clearly briefly swayed by this rare opportunity.
"Hello, would you two like to try some?" a woman's voice asked clearly and fluently in standard Mandarin.
Pang Ru looked up and saw a woman with delicate features, clean and fair skin, bright eyes that were slightly curved with a gentle smile. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her features were soft and her contours were smooth, making her instantly likable.
Pang Ru's voice softened slightly: "Are there any seats left?"
She felt like she was asking a question she already knew the answer to, but some restaurants just keep their seats booked.
Song Xinran's smile deepened: "Yes."
Pang Ru pulled her companion's hand and went inside. Her companion didn't resist and acquiesced. It was an 8.8% discount, and they had finally managed to catch it, so they had to give it a try.
As soon as she saw the menu, her companion whispered to Pang Ru, "It's so expensive!"
The cheapest stir-fried vegetables cost 15 yuan, while you can get them for 5 or 6 yuan at a regular small restaurant!
The most expensive dish costs 98 yuan. Is it made of gold?
Pang Ru lowered her voice and replied, "We can just order one serving of stir-fried vegetables for the two of us. It's only thirteen yuan, and it's very cheap for two people to share."
My companion thought to himself, "This isn't very cheap. A bowl of noodles only costs three or four yuan. But six or seven yuan per person is acceptable. I'll just try it out. I definitely won't come back again!"
Pang Ru asked Song Xinran, "Can we just have one serving of stir-fried vegetables?"
Song Xinran smiled slightly: "Of course."
As soon as she left, Pang Ru and her companion looked at the menu and discussed it quietly. Her companion said, "A shop next to the community that sells such expensive items must not have much business."
"What a pity, I quite like the decor of this place." Pang Ru looked around the shop's furnishings, which had a poetic and artistic feel, quite different from the typical restaurant decor. "It would be better if it were cheaper."
Pang Ru's companion nudged her arm, gesturing for her to look at another table of customers in the restaurant: "They ordered a lot of dishes!"
Now that they're closer, they can see more clearly, but because of the partition, they can't see each other very well. Their perspective isn't even as good as the one from the doorway.
There were four dishes on the table, all stir-fried to a beautiful color. The chopsticks were moving quickly through the dishes, suggesting they tasted delicious. After watching for a few seconds, Pang Ru suddenly smelled a faint aroma of food, an incredibly tempting fragrance. Pang Ru's stomach suddenly growled.
Fortunately, the stir-fried vegetables finally arrived at that moment.
It's a simple dish of water spinach, but it's stir-fried to a particularly vibrant green and tender color, making it very appealing. The aroma of the vegetables fills the air, with the strong scent of garlic rising from the hot oil, mixed with the refreshing aroma of the water spinach itself. The two intertwine, and there's also a smoky, slightly burnt flavor that makes your mouth water just from the smell.
Even his companions couldn't help but say, "Strange, why does it smell so good..."
Stir-fried water spinach is a very common home-style dish, especially now that it's the season for water spinach to ripen. Families with farmland must be growing water spinach.
Pang Ru ate a lot of water spinach when she was a child in the countryside. After she started working, she would never buy water spinach to cook noodles, because she was tired of it. But when she saw this plate of freshly stir-fried water spinach in front of her, she inexplicably felt a craving.
Following my instincts, I picked up my chopsticks, put the food in my bowl, and put it in my mouth. One bite and I was amazed.
Is this really water spinach?
The crisp, tender stems make a soft "crunch" when you bite into them, and when you chew them, you're greeted with a sweet, refreshing juice. The tender leaves are soft, smooth, and flavorful, absorbing the aroma of garlic and oil.
The garlic aroma doesn't mask the natural herbal scent of the vegetables; instead, it acts like a bond, binding the flavors together and adding a rich, smoky flavor.
Pang Ru quickly shoveled a mouthful of rice and then picked up a piece of water spinach with her chopsticks. This was the first time she had discovered the wonderful taste of water spinach since she grew up; it was so delicious with rice!
The portion of stir-fried dishes wasn't small, but one plate wasn't enough for two people, especially since it was so delicious that you couldn't get enough of it, one bite after another.
If it weren't for filling my stomach, I wouldn't need to eat any rice at all; I could eat several plates of stir-fried vegetables!
After putting the last precious leaf of vegetable into her mouth, Pang Ru felt that she hadn't had enough. Looking at her companions, who also looked like they wanted more, she tentatively suggested, "How about we order another dish?"
Pang Ru had already planned to be frugal with her companion. If the other party agreed to add more dishes, she would add the same stir-fried vegetables. Today, she suddenly appreciated the charm of water spinach again.
After thinking for two seconds, his companion nodded decisively: "Add!"
Pang Ru curled her lips: "Then let's add another serving of stir-fried vegetables, then..." cheap.
"How can you add stir-fried vegetables?" my companion asked in surprise, then said, "We must add something we've never tried before, how about boiled beef?"
Pang Ru: "...It's possible, but the boiled beef is 48, and even after the discount it's still 42."
My companion, beaming with delight, said, "Then we'll get a good deal! Let's have the boiled beef!"
Looking at her companion's happy expression, Pang Ru thought to herself, "You just said that thirteen yuan for stir-fried dishes is expensive. 42 is many times more than 13!"
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