Lin Zhiqiang entered the restaurant and greeted Zhao Tieying, saying, "Boss lady, are there any empty tables? I'm bringing my friends here for a meal."
"Director Lin is here." Zhao Tieying glanced around the restaurant and pointed towards the kitchen, saying, "There's a table left over, please sit down. I'll come over and take your order in a bit."
"Okay." Lin Zhiqiang turned to Qian Siyuan and said, "Mr. Qian, we were lucky, we managed to get the last table."
"We're really lucky." Qian Siyuan nodded with a smile. The restaurant wasn't big, but it had nearly twenty tables, and the restaurant was full of textile factory workers.
At first glance, it looked like a canteen.
As he walked further in, Qian Siyuan looked around at each table, observing what dishes people were choosing to eat.
He recognized Mapo Tofu, he had it at the Guocheng Silk Factory canteen the day before yesterday. It was spicy and numbing, and tasted alright, except it was a bit salty, but it went well with rice.
He had also tried twice-cooked pork before. There was a restaurant in Chengdu (Rongcheng) that made it quite well, though it was a bit fatty.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the bright red Yu Xiang Shredded Pork on the table: "Director Lin, is this... Yu Xiang Shredded Pork?"
"Yu Xiang Shredded Pork?" Lin Zhiqiang followed his gaze and saw a plate of freshly served dish in front of the guests at the next table: shredded winter bamboo shoots, shredded wood ear mushrooms, and stir-fried shredded pork. It really was Yu Xiang Shredded Pork.
But does Zhou Erwa Restaurant have this dish?
Lin Zhiqiang turned to look at the menu. Sure enough, there was a new wooden sign in the stir-fry section. Today's new dish, Yu Xiang Shredded Pork was two yuan a serving, placed next to twice-cooked pork.
"Yes, it's Yu Xiang Shredded Pork." Lin Zhiqiang nodded.
Qian Siyuan's throat bobbed, his voice slightly hoarse, "Then let's order a serving of Yu Xiang Shredded Pork."
"Okay, let's order one." Lin Zhiqiang nodded.
The three sat down.
Lin Zhiqiang pointed to the wooden signs on the wall and said, "Mr. Qian, please see what dishes you'd like to eat, and order a few more."
Qian Siyuan looked at the menu for a while, then smiled and shook his head: "I don't know much about Sichuan cuisine either. Director Lin, you're familiar with this Sichuan restaurant, so you can order whatever you like."
"I wonder what Mr. Qian's tastes like? Shall I order a few light dishes?" Lin Zhiqiang asked, looking at him.
Qian Siyuan replied, "I actually prefer strong flavors. I'm quite used to the food in Sichuan, so there's no need to deliberately order light dishes, that would miss the charm of Sichuan cuisine."
"Understood. Then I'll order a few representative dishes for you to try." Lin Zhiqiang nodded. Just then, Zhao Tieying came over to ask them what they wanted to eat. He then ordered Cross-legged Beef, Braised Beef, a platter of braised vegetables, Mapo Tofu, Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver, and Yu Xiang Shredded Pork.
Five dishes and a soup were more than enough for the three of them.
He originally wanted to order a dish of crucian carp with perilla leaves, but Qian Siyuan said he didn't eat crucian carp because it had too many bones, so he gave up on that idea.
Braised crucian carp with perilla leaves is also a very distinctive Sichuan dish. After all, in many places, crucian carp is considered waste after being used to make soup because of its many fine bones.
But there are many ways to cook crucian carp in Sichuan cuisine.
Tender and easily flavorful crucian carp is quite popular.
It seems that Sichuan people are naturally gifted at eating fish, even many six or seven years old children can eat fish very well.
Qian Siyuan looked around, this restaurant gave him a somewhat peculiar feeling.
It can't compare to modern restaurants in the United States, nor to luxuriously decorated restaurants in Chengdu, it's just a typical small, individually owned restaurant common in county towns and small cities.
The floor was rough cement, without even floor tiles, but the walls were painted with a white lime plaster to make the dining hall look brighter and more spacious.
Incandescent bulbs hung above the tables, and because the wattage was not very high, the whole restaurant looked slightly dim.
In the United States, he definitely wouldn't have entered a restaurant with such an environment.
Yet, in this very environment, the floor is swept clean, the tables and chairs are spotless, and there's not even a trace of grease on the tabletops.
While he was eating at a big restaurant in Chengdu, his sleeves were stained yellow by the oil stains on the table.
On the contrary, it's not as meticulously done as this small restaurant.
He started from scratch, so he pays more attention to these details.
This alone significantly increased his positive impression of the small restaurant.
Everything should be viewed in context. In this small town in southern Sichuan, where rammed earth houses are everywhere, the restaurant is already a relatively decent cement building.
Those eating there were also employees of the textile factory, which had the highest income in town.
The prices on the menu are similar to those at restaurants in Rongcheng, and are probably on the expensive side for this town.
He trusted the people's choice.
However, his gaze kept drifting to the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork on the next table. Seeing the surprised and satisfied expressions on the faces of the guests eating the shredded pork made him even more eager to try it.
Is that the taste?
Lin Zhiqiang observed him for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Mr. Qian likes Yu Xiang Shredded Pork?"
Qian Siyuan withdrew his gaze and smiled, "To be honest, this is the first time I've seen this dish since coming to China. It looks quite good."
"Mr. Qian, your ancestral home is in Zhejiang Province, right?"
Qian Siyuan nodded: "My father is from Hangzhou. When I came back this time, I went to Hangzhou to pay respects to my ancestors and met my father's older brother, who is my uncle. He is eighty years old."
"It's quite a coincidence that my wife is from Hangzhou, and I also worked in Hangzhou and Suzhou for a few years."
"You're from Shanxi, you studied abroad, married a woman from Hangzhou, and now you're settled in Sichuan for work?" Qian Siyuan chuckled. "You certainly have a rich experience."
"I studied technology, so I can go wherever I'm needed, which is fine." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile. "The Jiazhou Textile Factory is doing very well now. The newly introduced production lines have reached the international advanced level, and the technology is constantly improving. It will definitely get better and better in the future."
"It's clear you have excellent technical skills, and you handle interpersonal relationships perfectly well. You're very organized in your speech and actions." Qian Siyuan said, looking at him. "I entered China through Hong Kong this time, went to Guangzhou, then headed north to Hangzhou, and then to Sichuan. Along the way, I've seen China flourishing, with all kinds of industries, companies, and individual businesses growing rapidly. Everyone's talking about starting their own businesses. With your abilities, why not give it a try?"
Qian Siyuan lowered his voice, his eyes fixed on Lin Zhiqiang.
Lin Zhiqiang's gaze didn't waver as he smiled and said, "Mr. Qian, you're joking. The textile factory is thriving, and its technological advancements and iterations require my involvement. I certainly won't be starting my own business now."
Qian Siyuan smiled and didn't continue the topic. Instead, he said, "Let's talk about Jiazhou. How many years has Director Lin been in Jiazhou? Are there any places worth visiting in Jiazhou?"
Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, "I've been in Jiaohou for three and a half years. I've traveled around the surrounding areas during holidays. When you come to Jiazhou, you definitely have to see the Jiazhou Giant Buddha. Whether you believe in Buddhism or not, this is the largest cliff carving in China and it's worth seeing. It's quite magnificent.
Secondly, there's Mount Emei, which is known as the most beautiful mountain under heaven. If Mr. Qian has enough time, it's definitely worth climbing it once, it will surely leave a lasting impression on you.
Of course, what Jiazhou is most renowned for is its diverse cuisine. Niu Hua Malatang, Mucheng Sweet-Skinned Duck, Suji Cross-legged Beef, Bo Bo Chicken… each has its own unique charm, and you might not be able to find these dishes again after leaving Jiazhou."
Qian Siyuan nodded repeatedly, glancing at his secretary sitting beside him: "Write this down, and I'll definitely try it when I have the chance."
"Ok." the secretary replied, taking out paper and pen to quickly write it down.
In the kitchen, Zhou Yan heard Lin Zhiqiang's voice and guessed that he had brought his overseas Chinese clients for meal.
He didn't know how the business deal went, but judging from their conversation, they seemed to be getting along quite well.
"Here, have some Cross-legged Beef." Zhao Tieying brought over two bowls of Cross-legged Beef and placed them on the table.
"This is the Suji Cross-legged Beef you were talking about?" Qian Siyuan frowned as he looked at the beef soup in the earthenware bowl in front of him.
Wait, it wasn't just beef, he thought he saw tripe covered in granules? And segments of intestine?
Qian Siyuan frowned, not daring to think about it further.
"Yes, this is Cross-legged Beef, a medicinal dish with a long history. It has the effect of dispelling dampness and cold, and also has a very good nourishing effect. I often come here to drink it." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile: "This dish was improved and passed down from a recipe by Zhou Yan, the owner of this restaurant. He even made it onto the cover of 'Sichuan Cuisine' magazine, the 'Time' of Sichuan cuisine."
"That's amazing?" Qian Siyuan's eyes lit up, he understood the metaphor.
"Let me get it for you to see." Lin Zhiqiang stood up and picked up a magazine from the menu wall. "Look at this cover, isn't it 'Cross-legged Beef'?"
Qian Siyuan looked closely, his eyes lighting up immediately: "This blue and white porcelain bowl is really nice!"
"I meant the soup in the bowl." Lin Zhiqiang said.
"Oh, oh." Qian Siyuan looked more closely and nodded, "It really is the same, the earthenware bowl has been replaced with a blue and white porcelain bowl. I didn't recognize it at first."
He took the magazine, flipped through a few pages, and exclaimed in amazement, "This magazine is quite professional. I never thought that a dish from a small restaurant owner in this town could make it onto the cover of a magazine."
"The reasons are all in the interview. Perhaps after reading it, you'll change your opinion about Cross-legged Beef and have a new feeling about offal." Lin Zhiqiang turned to the interview page in the magazine.
"The boss is so young?" Qian Siyuan looked at the accompanying photo, somewhat surprised.
"Zhou Yan is twenty years old this year, indeed very young." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile: "Just like you said, nowadays in China, individual businesses are booming, and young people have more and more opportunities."
"I thought chefs who could be called 'masters' were all quite old." Qian Siyuan said, continuing his reading.
He read very quickly, a habit he'd developed over years of browsing industry news.
He finished the two pages interview in no time.
"This young man is quite impressive. I never expected that such a bowl of soup would contain such a legacy." Qian Siyuan closed the magazine and looked at the cross-legged beef soup in front of him again, his eyes now showing more curiosity and a desire to try it.
A medicinal dish with a history of over a hundred years, a soup that has saved countless lives. According to the magazine, the soup is fresh and delicious, and worth a try.
After a slight hesitation, he picked up the spoon and ladled two spoonfuls of soup into his small bowl.
The soup was clear, with a rich aroma of beef and no trace of gamey smell.
He had eaten clear broth beef hot pot in Guangzhou, but the meat flavor wasn't as rich as this.
He blew on the steam and took a small sip of the broth.
The soup was a little hot, with a mild texture and an extremely delicious flavor!
Yes, extremely delicious!
A bowl of beef soup that looked so clear had such a rich and delicious flavor, without a trace of gamey taste.
Glug, glug!
He finished the soup in the bowl in two gulps, and a warm feeling rose from his stomach to his brain, making him feel warm all over.
A bowl of hot soup like this in autumn and winter is so comforting!
The magazine interview and the delicious soup greatly reduced his discomfort with beef offal, but when he picked up his chopsticks, he still took a slice of beef first.
"This is the dipping sauce for the Cross-legged Beef. Because the soup is light, the beef and offal are eaten with chili powder." Lin Zhiqiang explained.
"Wrap it in chili powder?" Qian Siyuan hesitated. He liked spicy food, but seeing this plate of chili powder, he decided to be more cautious.
"Don't be fooled by the fact that it's all chili powder, the actual spiciness isn't as extreme as you might think. It's a fragrant and spicy flavor. If you're worried, you can dip a little bit first." Lin Zhiqiang explained.
Qian Siyuan first tried a piece of beef without any dipping sauce. It was a large, thin, and tender slice, cooked to perfection, and was exceptionally fresh and delicious.
Then he picked up another piece, dipped it in a little chili powder, chewed it, and his eyes immediately lit up.
This chili powder smells so good!
Completely different from what he expected, the spiciness was not prominent at all. The aroma of dried chili peppers blended with the aroma of roasted sesame seeds, and a touch of saltiness was added, like the finishing touch, adding a fragrant and spicy flavor to the originally delicious beef.
He'd never seen beef stewed in clear broth, yet served dipped in chili powder—a method he'd never seen before.
So Sichuanese!
Six slices of beef were quickly eaten, dipped in chili powder.
He picked up another piece of translucent tendon, dipped it in chili powder, and took a bite.
The originally chewy tendons become exceptionally soft and tender after long stewing, and they have a unique flavor when dipped in chili powder.
After finishing the tendons, Qian Siyuan's gaze fell on the tripe and intestines in the bowl, a conflicted look on his face.
"Wow! This tripe is so crisp! It must be fresh tripe, it tastes so good!" The secretary sitting next to him had already begun to eat heartily and couldn't help but exclaim.
The secretary works at the Hong Kong office, so he's more accepting of these foods.
After all, they live next to Guangdong, where people from Fujian eat almost anything, and they tend to eat things one bite at a time.
"Xiao Wang, is it really delicious?" Qian Siyuan asked, looking at him.
Xiao Wang nodded and said, "Mr. Qian, you must try it. Such fresh and high quality tripe is a rare find, and the heat control was just right, there's absolutely no gamey smell."
Upon hearing this, Qian Siyuan picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in chili powder, squinted, and put it in his mouth.
Crunch!
The crisp, chewy texture made his eyes widen.
Huh?
This isn't what he expected!
The texture was so crisp and refreshing, it broke easily with a single bite. Paired with chili powder, it became increasingly fragrant with each chew.
"It's really good. This is my first time eating tripe." Qian Siyuan said, his chopsticks already unconsciously picking up a second piece of tripe.
He tried beef intestines on his own initiative. Unlike the crisp tripe, beef intestines have a soft and tender texture. When dipped in chili powder, they taste oily and fragrant.
Taking sips of soup every now and then while eating was incredibly satisfying.
In no time, the bowl of cross-legged beef was finished.
Qian Siyuan took off his suit jacket and put it aside. He also unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt. In the late autumn, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
This bowl of appetizing Cross-legged Beef soup made him feel completely comfortable.
His aversion to offal had been completely overcome by this soup.
It wasn't as scary as he imagined!
It was cleaned very thoroughly, and the texture and taste were excellent.
Foreign media have demonized it too much, after actually tasting it, it's nothing like that at all.
A platter of braised beef and braised vegetables was then served.
Qian Siyuan, after tasting it, also praised it highly.
"Is this bean curd skin? It smells so good, it's like eating meat." Qian Siyuan asked Lin Zhiqiang with surprise as he picked up a piece of dried bean curd sticks.
Lin Zhiqiang explained, "This is dried bean curd sticks, a type of soy product. Soy milk is boiled in a large pot, and then a very thin layer of soy milk skin is peeled off from the surface and dried to become dried bean curd sticks."
"It's amazing! The Chinese are simply geniuses!" Qian Siyuan couldn't help but exclaim. "Compared to the US, it's a culinary desert. The few Chinese restaurants there are extremely bad and not authentic at all."
Next served was Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver.
"The color of this Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver is so beautiful, a bright red, it looks so appetizing." Having had the experience of eating cross-legged beef, Qian Siyuan this time picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of pork liver, chewed it, swallowed it, and nodded, saying, "So tender! The texture is smooth and tender, and it's incredibly fragrant!"
Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, "The key to spicy stir-fried pork liver is tenderness! However, there are only a few chefs who can achieve this. It is very difficult to control the heat. It is said that the pork liver only takes about ten seconds from going into the wok to coming out. It is very challenging for a chef to ensure that the pork liver is tender and that the customers will not get an upset stomach after eating it."
"A dozen seconds?" Qian Siyuan clicked his tongue in surprise. He took the rice his secretary had served him, shoveled a mouthful into his mouth, and then put a piece of pork liver into his mouth. It was delicious and went well with the rice.
"Mapo Tofu." Zhao Hong brought the dish to the table.
Qian Siyuan's gaze was drawn to the Mapo Tofu in the earthenware bowl. It was white with a hint of red, glistening with sauce and oil, and sprinkled with green garlic sprouts and minced beef, making it look quite tempting.
He examined it carefully and said, "This Mapo Tofu looks a little different from the one I had a couple of days ago. Is this sprinkled with garlic sprouts leaves? The one I had last time was sprinkled with scallions, and there was more broth than this."
"Then you must try this. It's definitely more authentic than the one from Guocheng Silk Factory." Lin Zhiqiang said with a hint of pride, "The founder of Mapo Tofu opened Chen Mapo Tofu, and he sprinkled garlic sprouts on top. Sprinkling scallions on top is not the authentic way."
"Let me taste it and see if there's any difference." Qian Siyuan picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful of Mapo Tofu into the bowl, blew on it, and then shoveled a piece of tofu directly into his mouth.
The freshly cooked Mapo Tofu was piping hot.
Qian Siyuan's tongue felt so hot in his mouth that it could have cooked two dishes before he could cool the tofu down. Sweat beaded on his forehead, it hadn't been this hot the last time he ate it!
The pain on his tongue subsided, replaced by a numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant sensation. The tofu was incredibly smooth and tender, the crispy and fragrant beef sauce having infused the broth and permeated the tofu.
Hot!
But delicious!
This is Mapo Tofu. What did he eat at the Guocheng Silk Factory last time?
The tofu wasn't as smooth and tender, and it had a slightly beany smell. The meat sauce seemed to be made with pork, which had a slightly gamey taste. The seasoning was even worse in comparison. He only tasted the spiciness and numbing sensation. He ate a bowl of rice in a daze and drank several cups of water in the afternoon.
In comparison, this Mapo Tofu has a milder spiciness, allowing each flavor to shine perfectly.
It's also very palatable to him, a visitor from out of town.
It's just a bit too good with rice.
The oily broth seeped into the rice, one bite, and it was incredibly fragrant.
"My God, this Sichuan restaurant is so delicious! It's unbelievable!" Qian Siyuan finally couldn't help but exclaim.
After arriving in Sichuan, he felt he had tasted many unique and delicious foods.
But today, in this small rural restaurant, he felt like he had entered a culinary paradise.
Because of his parents, he had always had a fondness for Chinese food.
After his parents passed away, his wife wasn't a very good cook and was busy with work, so he mostly ate out. Occasionally, he would go to Chinese restaurants, but the food wasn't very authentic, and the taste in his memory began to fade.
This trip back to China gradually unlocked his memories.
The feeling was especially strong during today's lunch.
Qian Siyuan's Mandarin, spoken with a foreign accent, drew sidelong glances from several tables of guests nearly, he spoke in a very foreign and sophisticated manner.
Moreover, Director Lin personally accompanied them. They were dressed in suits and looked quite respectable, and were mostly foreign or Hong Kong businessmen who came to the factory to discuss business.
The silk produced by Jiazhou Textile Factory was exported overseas, and even foreigners came to the factory for inspection. This was not unusual.
Lin Zhiqiang smiled, enjoying the shocked expressions on the faces of these foreigners who had never tasted good food before.
"Here, Yu Xiang Shredded Pork. Your dishes are all ready." Zhao Hong brought over the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork and gently placed it on the table.
A slightly sour and spicy aroma rose with the steam, filling the air.
Qian Siyuan looked at the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, his expression complex, his hand holding the chopsticks even trembling slightly.
Lin Zhiqiang looked at him with some surprise. This overseas Chinese businessman from the United States always gave people a sense of humor and composure, but after the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork was served, his emotions seemed to have become a little out of control?
Qian Siyuan picked up some Yu Xiang Shredded Pork and put them in his mouth. The salty, fragrant, sour, and spicy flavors came over him, and his eyes gradually widened as countless memories flooded his mind.
"Baby, Mommy will make you Yu Xiang Shredded Pork today."
"Mommy, but why isn't there any fish in the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork?"
"Because baby can't eat fish yet."
"Then I won't eat it!"
"Not eating? I'll count to three! One, two..."
"I'll eat! I'll eat right now!"
...
"Mom, I still want to eat Yu Xiang Shredded Pork."
"I can't cook anymore. If you're my son again in your next life, I'll cook for you again..."
"Mom—"
...
He slowly chewed and swallowed the Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, and two lines of clear tears slid down Qian Siyuan's cheeks.