After finishing a pig's trotter, Wang Wei had a small pile of clean bones beside her, not even a trace of tendon left.
She had completely and thoroughly devoured the large pig's trotter.
It was so satisfying!
The customers watching nearby swallowed hard, then contentedly looked away.
That's right! That's how she eats braised pig's trotters, so that she can taste the best flavor.
Looking at this, they became incredibly hungry and wanted to eat even more...
Oh my god! What did they do wrong?
o(╥﹏╥)o~~
Wang Wei put down the last bone. She was about 80% full, her hands were shiny and sticky, and there was a little grease on the corner of her mouth.
However, compared to Zhou Momo, her eating manners were relatively elegant; at least she didn't get grease on her nose.
Well, she couldn't help it; after all, she wasn't a cute baby, so she still had some self-consciousness.
"Come on, good girl, wash your hands here, then eat slowly." Aunt Zhao greeted with a smile. She had thoughtfully placed a bucket of well water and a ladle, along with a small packet of laundry detergent, by the door.
The oil on her hands was easily washed away with a little detergent.
"Aunt Zhao, you're so thoughtful." Wang Wei said, watching Aunt Zhao pour her water.
"It's my duty to make sure you all eat comfortably." Aunt Zhao replied with a smile.
Wang Wei sat back down at the table, picked up the plate, poured the sauce over her rice, stirred it, and took a bite.
The rich oil and aroma of the sauce intertwined, seeping into the rice, creating a delicious symphony.
So fragrant!
A piece of pickled radish followed, sour, spicy, and crunchy, is quite refreshing and helps to cut through the greasiness.
In no time, a bowl of rice with braised sauce was gone, and with the last slice of pickled radish in her mouth, Wang Wei got up to pay the bill.
This meal was truly satisfying.
However, she'll probably have to wait another two weeks before she can have braised pig's trotters again.
Girls, you know, still need to maintain their figure.
Recently, she's been going to her uncle's house for dinner a lot, and she feels like she's gained some weight around her stomach.
Although it's the season for gaining weight in autumn, this isn't good for a pretty girl like her!
Today's new dish, spicy stir-fried pork liver, priced at 0.8 yuan a serving, successfully attracted the customers' attention.
Eighty cents a serving of spicy stir-fried pork liver is definitely not cheap.
Before, when the cafeteria sold stir-fries, it was 0.35 yuan a serving.
But the taste was really awful.
The thick slices of pork liver were overcooked, with a very grainy texture, and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The chef's performance is extremely inconsistent; only occasionally can they get a decent serving.
Of course, everyone at the textile factory knew how good Master Xiao's stir-fried dishes were.
It's just that later, when Master Xiao stopped cooking, everyone stopped being able to enjoy them.
But Zhou Yan was Master Xiao's apprentice, and everyone was still looking forward to seeing how well he made the spicy stir-fried pork liver.
"Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver! Zhou Yan, you've finally brought this dish!"
Zhao Dong, Song Yang, and Zhu Zhe had just sat down when they saw the newly added spicy stir-fried pork liver on the menu, and they immediately stood up, their eyes shining.
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Yan smiled and poked his head out from the kitchen: "Director Zhao, would you like one?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Zhao Dong replied without hesitation.
He had been craving this for far too long.
He could make other dishes at home with a little experimentation, achieving about 70 to 80% of the flavor.
But pork liver was different.
If not cooked properly, it will have a bitter, fishy, and foul smell.
Overcooked, it will be sandy and hard.
Undercooked, and the whole family will fight over the toilet.
Like spicy stir-fried pork kidney and spicy stir-fried crispy pork intestines, this dish requires extremely high skill in controlling the heat.
When Master Xiao was in charge, Zhao Dong ate spicy stir-fried pork liver or spicy stir-fried pork kidney at least three times a week; he loved it.
He had been asking Zhou Yan about it several times before, and today it's finally on the menu.
Is eighty cents a serving expensive?
If it's delicious, it's not expensive!
In Suji Town, finding a chef who can cook spicy stir-fried pork liver well is extremely difficult.
The state-owned restaurant's spicy stir-fried pork liver costs sixty cents a serving; when the head chef was in charge, the taste and heat control were acceptable, but still not as good as Master Xiao's.
Zhou Yan is Master Xiao's apprentice. Judging from the dishes he made before, Zhao Dong thinks highly of him.
"This dish requires extremely precise control of the heat. Can Zhou Yan do it well?" Song Yang asked in a low voice. Zhou Yan is young after all, and the fact that this dish took so long to be added to the menu suggests that he might not be very confident.
"The double pepper minced beef requires high precision in controlling the heat, right? Look how well Zhou Yan cooked it." Zhao Dong said with a smile. "Zhou Yan's knife skills, heat control, and seasoning are all amazing. It's like the culinary masters were practically feeding him."
"A twenty years old cooking dish that even the factory director praised highly—his talent in cooking is truly remarkable." Zhu Zhe nodded in agreement, still savoring the memory. "His braised meat is so good! Pig's head meat is a perfect accompaniment to drinks!"
Song Yang also became interested: "How about we have some more tonight?"
"Damn it! Don't stare at me like that! Last time you drank a whole bottle of Yanghe and opened a bottle of my Wuliangye. I'm out of good liquor at home!" Zhao Dong's gaze shifted and landed on Zhu Zhe: "Old Zhu, didn't you say last time that your dad brought you five jin of local liquor from the countryside and it was really good? Tonight, Old Song and I will buy meat, and you'll provide the liquor?"
"Sure." Zhu Zhe nodded with a smile. "Get two extra liang of pork belly, and invite my dad to drink with us. He can hold his liquor better than I can."
"Sure thing!" Zhao Dong and Song Yang nodded in unison.
Zhu Zhe's father is a retired cadre. Now he spends his days at home growing flowers and vegetables, and when he has nothing to do, he rides his bicycle to various towns and villages. His family is quite well-off.
Song Yang's parents are retired factory workers, and his father is a retired accountant. The family is well-off.
They can eat together not only because they share similar tastes and are all greedy, but also because they can afford to eat.
The two dishes they ordered were served quickly: a double pepper minced beef and a spicy stir-fried pork liver, both of which were great with rice!
As soon as the two dishes were served, all three of them were drawn to the spicy stir-fried pork liver.
The double-pepper minced beef has become a thing of the past.
The spicy stir-fried pork liver was a bright red, coated with a thin layer of sauce, glistening with an amber sheen, like layers of red agate.
Green peppers, dried chili peppers, scallions, and garlic slices intertwined to create a vibrant color, dotted with peppercorns, and the aroma wafted up with the steam.
The pork liver must be sliced evenly. If it's too thin, it will lack texture, and if it's too thick, it won't absorb the flavor and will easily overcook without being fully cooked. Zhou Yan's knife skills are beyond question.
The three of them swallowed hard; it looked delicious!
Three bowls of rice were also served.
"Try it." Zhao Dong picked up his chopsticks and first put a piece of pork liver into his mouth.
The freshly cooked pork liver, still sizzling with the heat of the wok, bursts with numbing, spicy and savory flavors. Beneath the slightly charred crust created by the quick frying in plenty of oil over high heat lies an incredibly tender interior, a wonderfully unexpected and delightful contrast that makes his soul tremble.
Zhao Dong could almost see the pork liver tumbling in the blazing oil, its heat intoxicating and its aroma irresistible.
"Delicious! The texture is amazing!" Zhao Dong exclaimed, shoveling a mouthful of rice into his mouth. This was definitely the best spicy stir-fried pork liver he had ever eaten, even better than Master Xiao's!
The texture was smooth and tender, without a trace of graininess.
The numbing, spicy, and savory flavors were held together by a thin layer of sauce, complemented by the aroma of scallions—a truly exceptional taste.
Song Yang and Zhu Zhe, hearing this, couldn't resist and immediately tried a piece.
"Mmm! So fresh and tender! The taste is really good!"
"It's not just good, it's absolutely delicious! It's just as good as twice-cooked pork! And it goes perfectly with rice."
The two finished eating and praised it endlessly, amazed by its brilliance.
The three of them immediately started showing off their food.
Each bite of pork liver was followed by two mouthfuls of rice, and they ate with great relish.
The spicy stir-fried pork liver cost only eighty cents, but the portion was generous. For the three of them, plus a plate of double pepper minced beef, and two bowls of rice each, it was just right.
Zhao Dong and his group's extravagant display of their food also attracted the attention of other guests.
They had initially hesitated, wondering how this new dish was, and whether it was worth trying for eighty cents a serving.
Hearing the praise from Zhao Dong and his friends, their hesitation vanished instantly.
Some customers who preferred strong flavors and enjoyed stir-fried dishes began ordering.
The spicy stir-fried pork liver saw a surge in orders.
Of course, this dish is selective in its appeal, unlike twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts which is loved by everyone.
No matter how much others praise it as delicious, those who like it will enjoy it immensely, while those who don't will absolutely not try it no matter how eloquently they describe it.
However, customers who already liked the dish generally agreed that it was the most delicious spicy stir-fried pork liver they had ever eaten.
"Zhou Yan, your spicy stir-fried pork liver is amazing! It's the best I've ever had." Zhao Dong said, praising Zhou Yan at the kitchen door after finishing his meal.
This spicy stir-fried pork liver truly satisfied him.
"Sure, Director Zhao, come again next time." Zhou Yan replied with a smile.
He loved these talkative customers; a few honest comments saved him a lot of trouble promoting new dishes.
After all, he couldn't cook the spicy stir-fried pork liver for customers to try; it had to be eaten hot, otherwise the taste would deteriorate.
Two new dishes were introduced today: braised pig's trotters and spicy stir-fried pork liver, both of which received unanimous praise from the customers.
Eleven servings of spicy stir-fried pork liver were sold, with nine left. Selling them all by tonight shouldn't be a problem.
Needless to say, the braised pig's trotters sold out instantly upon release.
At 1.2 yuan each, they were an irresistible price.
Twelve customers pre-ordered braised pig's trotters at noon today, and they've already registered with Aunt Zhao.
"The braised pig's trotters are selling so well! Many workers want some too. We can order more and sell more in the future." Aunt Zhao said, holding her small notebook, which had two tally marks and two other lines, her smile impossible to hide.
"Braised pig's trotters are a low-frequency consumption item. They were newly launched and there was a sense of novelty. Plus, Momo was promoting them through her "food vlog", and the price was lower than their expectations. Our supply was insufficient, so we experienced a surge in orders. This situation is generally unsustainable." Zhou Yan said with a smile, "This week, we will maintain the pre-order system to get a basic number. Once the daily sales volume stabilizes, we won't need to do pre-orders anymore."
Aunt Zhao thought about it seriously for a while, but still didn't understand what Zhou Yan meant by "food vlog" and "surge in orders" so she simply didn't ask. After all, Zhou Yan was quick-witted, and he was the one who made the decisions in the restaurant.
…
"Old Huang, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve? I come to Jiazhou eighteen times a year, it's practically my second hometown. I've been to Suji countless times too. As the deputy editor-in-chief of a food magazine, I know better than you what good food there is!" A slightly overweight middle-aged man rode alongside Huang Chen on his bicycle, a smug smile on his round face.
"Look at Niuhua's spicy hot pot, Xiba's tofu feast, Luocheng's beef, and Mucheng's sweet-skinned duck—these are all renowned names. They've all been featured in our 'Sichuan Cuisine' magazine. Tell me, what new delicacies can you take me to this time?"
The editor on the back seat turned away and smiled. Their editor-in-chief and Deputy Mayor Huang had been brothers for over twenty years, their relationship incredibly close, always exchanging playful banter whenever they met.
Editor-in-Chief He was a gourmet, spending 300 days a year on business trips. In the past two years, he'd practically traversed the entire Sichuan province, his footprints covering every town and village. Wherever there was good food, no matter how far or remote, he'd personally go and try it.
When he discovered good restaurants and novel dishes, he'd personally write articles to promote them.
"Old He, don't get too cocky. I recently discovered a new restaurant that I guarantee will leave you amazed." Huang Chen said calmly, a bottle of cheap liquor from Qiaotou in his bicycle basket, looking confident and composed.
"Tch, you said the same thing last time I came." He Zhiyuan said, curling his lip.
Huang Chen was a little embarrassed and coughed twice, saying, "Last time was different. It was a state-owned restaurant, which has always been neither good nor bad. This time, I'm taking you to a proper private restaurant."
"Look, we're here!"
He Zhiyuan looked up and followed the direction Huang Chen was pointing, and said with a smile, "I've seen too many small restaurants near the factory gate. This one looks pretty ordinary."