"Okay, don't worry about that!" Ma Hongxia agreed immediately. Looking at the magical disinfection cabinet, the weight of the word "hygiene" in her heart increased a little more.
In addition to the core team of Liu Dong's family and Mr. Chen, "Xinweiju" also absorbed several old employees of the former Workers, Peasants and Soldiers Hotel who were willing to stay.
The kitchen is staffed by a chef named Wang, who has solid knife skills and is an honest and hardworking person. The front desk is staffed by two older sisters, Zhang and Li, both of whom are locals and familiar with the situation.
Although the service habits from the state-owned era are difficult to change, they are practical.
Of course, some people chose to leave, either because they felt there were too many new rules or because they were skeptical about the prospects of "contracting."
Lu Qingyang expressed his understanding and only asked that those who stayed must abide by the rules and regulations of the new store, especially the hygiene requirements.
The opening is finally here!
The brand new signboard - the three big characters "Xinweiju" sparkled in the morning light.
The door is open and the windows are clean.
A red ribbon was hung at the door, making it look festive.
Before daybreak, Mr. Chen, along with Liu Dong and Master Wang, were busy in the kitchen, and the rich aroma wafted into the air early in the morning.
Ma Hongxia, Liu Xiaohua, Sister Zhang, and Sister Li all wore the clean, plain aprons prepared by Shen Mo, combed their hair neatly, and stood in the front hall in high spirits.
There are not many people passing by, but more people looking around curiously.
Looking at this brand new restaurant, whose name even exudes the "new" flavor, people's eyes are full of inquiry and...hesitation.
"Xinweiju? It looks quite bright..."
"Public-private partnership? What does that mean? It's different from the old state-owned enterprises?"
"I wonder if it's expensive? How does it taste?"
"It looks clean, but who knows what's going on inside? Is it just old wine in new bottles?"
"Let's wait and see if anyone goes in..."
For the whole morning, people came and went in front of the door, and many stopped to talk, but no one dared to push open the open door and be the first person to eat crabs!
The smile on Ma Hongxia's face became a little stiff, and Sister Zhang and Sister Li couldn't help but whisper to each other.
Liu Xiaohua clutched the corner of her apron, her palms sweaty, and stared out the door eagerly.
The richer the aroma wafting from the kitchen, the more awkward this desolate scene becomes.
Lunch time was almost over, and the front hall was still empty.
Old Master Chen came over from the kitchen with a sullen face, snorted, and went back. The sound of the spatula became louder, as if he was venting his dissatisfaction.
Liu Dong also looked over, his brows furrowed.
"Qingyang...what...what should I do? It's already been the whole morning, and there haven't been any customers! I've prepared so many dishes...what should I do?"
Lu Qingyang frowned as he looked at the crowd outside the door who were curiously watching but hesitant to move forward.
He expected it to be difficult at the beginning, but he didn't expect it to be so deserted.
In this era, people are wary of new things such as "public-private partnership" and "contracting". Coupled with the stereotype formed by the large number of state-owned restaurants, extraordinary measures are indeed needed to break the ice.
Lu Qingyang smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, don't panic! No one dares to come in, let's invite them in! Let everyone try it first!"
"Try it? It's free?" Ma Hongxia and Sister Zhang were stunned.
"Yes, let's have a food tasting." Lu Qingyang said firmly, "You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing your child! We are confident in our dishes and we are not afraid of others trying them! Once they have tasted them and know they are good, they will naturally dare to come in and eat them!"
He immediately called together the core members for a brief discussion:
Choose a few items that best represent the characteristics, have relatively controllable costs, and are easy to share.
Set up a clean long table at the entrance of the restaurant.
Ma Hongxia and Sister Zhang are responsible for warmly greeting passers-by and introducing the dishes.
Lu Qingyang personally sat at the door, responsible for explaining and guiding.
Mr. Chen is responsible for ensuring supply in the kitchen, and Liu Dong is responsible for quickly cutting, preparing and packaging.
"Xinweiju Grand Opening Promotion! Free tastings of special wild game! Don't miss it if you're passing by! Taste and take a look, it's clean, hygienic and delicious!"
Say 꺛늀꺛!
Liu Dong and Master Wang immediately started to quickly cut the selected dishes into pieces and plate them.
Ma Hongxia took a deep breath, and tried her best to mobilize her greatest enthusiasm. Together with Sister Zhang and Sister Li, they stood in the most conspicuous position at the entrance of the restaurant, holding the fragrant tasting plates.
"Dear neighbors! Dear comrades!" Ma Hongxia cleared her throat and spoke.
"Xinweiju opened on the 1st day. To thank you all for your support, we specially prepared our special dishes, which are free to taste!"
Sister Zhang and Sister Li also followed suit, "Yes! Free to try! Guaranteed to be clean and hygienic, and the taste is amazing!"
"The wild chicken soup is so delicious it makes your eyebrows drop!"
"Braised rabbit meat, rich in sauce and tender and delicious!"
"Blueberry yams, sweet and sour, the little ones love it!"
"Rhubarb rice blueberry cake, soft and sticky, sweet but not greasy!"
Lu Qingyang also spoke loudly: "Comrades, we are a pilot restaurant for a 'public-private partnership' approved by the district. We are trying new reforms and have high hygiene standards! We have fresh ingredients, a master chef, and we offer free tastings every day. This is to let everyone get to know us first. If you like it, you are welcome to come in and dine at any time!"
The word "free" and the loud shouting stirred up the crowd who were originally watching, and all their eyes were focused on the long table with tempting snacks.
"Free trial? Really?"
“It smells so good!”
"Let's go and take a look!"
Finally, the first brave man walked over and asked with a hint of doubt: "Is it really free?"
"It's really free! Comrade, please try this wild rabbit meat, be careful it's hot." Ma Hongxia immediately and enthusiastically handed over a piece of rabbit meat with a skewer inserted.
The man took it doubtfully, put it in his mouth and took a chew... his eyes widened instantly. The rich aroma of the sauce, the unique aroma of game, the crispy and boneless texture... completely overturned his perception of restaurant food.
"Wow! Delicious! Really fragrant!" He praised vaguely and immediately reached out to take the small bowl of mushroom soup.
After the first one, there was the second, the third...
"Give me a piece of rabbit too!"
"I need to try that blueberry yam!"
"This soup smells so delicious, give me a bowl!"
"That yellow rice cake looks good..."
A queue quickly formed in front of the long table.
Liu Xiaohua distributed the lottery tickets and small plates nervously but methodically, her face flushed from being busy.
Ma Hongxia, Sister Zhang and Sister Li introduced the food enthusiastically and distributed the samples skillfully.
Lu Qingyang stood by, patiently answering various questions about the restaurant, the dishes, and the public-private partnership, emphasizing hygiene standards and the source of ingredients.
The mushroom soup cooked by Mr. Chen is so refreshing and fresh that it makes you feel like you are in the mountains after the rain.
The rich and overbearing aroma of braised rabbit has conquered countless taste buds.
The yam in blueberry honey sauce is sweet and sour and refreshing, while the rhubarb rice and blueberry cake is soft, glutinous and sweet, making it a favorite among lesbians and children.
Everyone who has tasted it has an expression of surprise and satisfaction on their face and praises it highly.
"Delicious! I didn't expect it to be this delicious!"
"This wild rabbit meat is absolutely amazing!"
"That blueberry jam is so sour and sweet, it's really appetizing!"
"And it's so clean! Look at that little girl wearing white gloves even when handing out dishes!"
The free tasting not only broke the ice in people's hearts, but also conquered their stomachs and hearts with its real deliciousness.
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