Chapter 280 - 168: A Movement Played by 3 Grandmasters

Chapter 280: Chapter 168: A Movement Played by 3 Grandmasters

He Zhiyuan walked to the front of the line and looked at the ten enamel basins arranged in two rows. The front row was five-spice, and the back row, coated in red chili oil and sesame seeds, was clearly spicy.

Lotus root, potatoes, dried tofu, dried tofu skin, and kelp.

A long, eye-catching sign stood on the small tabletop, listing the prices for the various braised vegetarian dishes.

Lotus root and potatoes were the cheapest at only forty cents per jin.

Dried tofu was sixty cents, while dried tofu skin and kelp were eighty cents.

’Those prices are pretty reasonable!’

In He Zhiyuan’s memory, the prices at Zhou Yan’s restaurant rivaled those of the major establishments in Rongcheng.

Of course, the food was every bit as good as what you’d find in Rongcheng’s top restaurants, if not better.

In Rongcheng, the prices for braised lotus root and potatoes were about the same. However, braised dried tofu could sell for eighty cents, and braised dried tofu skin would cost a full yuan.

Of course, not just anyone could successfully sell braised vegetarian dishes.

If the food was expensive and tasted bad, customers wouldn’t buy it. They’d rather spend an extra twenty cents to buy some meat and stir-fry it at home.

"Bye-bye, mister! Come again soon, okay?"

"Miss, you look so pretty today! Your hairclip is really nice."

"Ma’am, did something good happen? You’re smiling so big!"

Only then did He Zhiyuan notice a little girl sitting on a small stool beside the braised meat stall. She was enthusiastically chatting with the customers at the front of the line, her voice soft and adorable. She made a point of spreading the love, making sure everyone got a word or two from her.

The customers nodded or replied with a laugh, their faces all lit up with smiles.

"Seriously, she’s just too cute!" Li, who was trailing He Zhiyuan, felt his eyes light up.

Not only was the little girl adorable, but she spoke in a sweet, childish voice and even helped call out to customers. She was just too precious.

Li was no longer just envious of Zhou Yan for being handsome and a great cook; now he was also jealous that he had such an incredibly cute sister!

’He also gets to run a restaurant and make money with his parents, with the whole family together.’

’That guy has it way too good.’

’Unlike me, I’m just a rat in the rat race...’

’I could cry.’

"Camera!" Zhou Momo looked up, her eyes brightening when she saw He Zhiyuan. "Mister! You came back!"

"That’s right, I’m back again." He Zhiyuan nodded, a smile spreading across his face as his voice unconsciously softened.

Zhou Momo looked at him, her eyes full of anticipation. "Where’s the picture the camera drew of me last time? Is it done?"

He Zhiyuan’s smile froze on his face, replaced by a flicker of embarrassment. He had taken a solo picture of the little girl last time, but when he’d gone to develop it, he discovered it was blurry. It was a completely ruined shot.

’He couldn’t believe the little girl still remembered this.’

"The camera only drew half of it last time. How about Mister finishes drawing it for you in a little bit?" He Zhiyuan said.

"Okay, okay!" Momo nodded, her smile exceptionally bright.

Li shot Chief Editor He a surprised glance. He didn’t usually just take pictures of anyone.

’Isn’t precious film made for taking pictures of adorable kids like her?’ He Zhiyuan thought, feeling certain.

Hearing the exchange, Zhou Miao looked over at He Zhiyuan and gave him a nod of greeting.

Zhao Tieying, who was preparing Kneeling Beef, noticed the group of three as well. After serving the two bowls she was holding, she came out to greet them with a smile. "Chief Editor He, Mayor Huang, Li, please, come on in! We have a table for you."

"Sounds good," He Zhiyuan replied with a smile to Zhao Tieying. "We came for the braised dishes today. Give me eighty cents’ worth of the assorted five-spice vegetarian mix, sixty cents’ worth of the spicy mix, plus four liang of braised beef and four liang of braised pork head."

Zhao Tieying took out a small notepad to jot down the order. "You got it. I’ll mix up the vegetarian dishes for you. Is there anything you don’t eat?"

"We’ll have everything. Could you add a few extra pieces of the dried tofu skin? It looks delicious," He Zhiyuan said.

"Okay, I’ll get that put together for you right away," Zhao Tieying nodded.

He Zhiyuan and his group went inside and sat down. He glanced at the menu first, then laughed. "They’re very cautious about expanding the menu, only adding the braised vegetarian dishes and braised beef. When it’s just family helping out, a more streamlined menu makes it easier to turn a profit."

"But isn’t it true that the more dishes you have, the more customers you attract, and the more money you make?" Huang Chen asked, confused.

"Mayor Huang, that’s a complete layman’s perspective," He Zhiyuan said with a smile. "The more dishes on the menu, the more ingredients the kitchen needs to stock. If you misjudge the amount you need, all that spoilage is pure financial loss. Typically, any dishes added later are just new combinations of existing ingredients."

"For example, if you have braised beef with dried bamboo shoots, you can add braised beef with potatoes. Both use beef brisket. You can cook the brisket until it’s about eighty percent done, then divide it into two pots to finish with the potatoes and bamboo shoots respectively."

"There’s also the ’shredded pork stir-fried with anything’ method, which is pretty common. Think shredded pork with dried tofu, with celtuce, or fish-fragrant shredded pork. You just need to prep a certain amount of pork tenderloin each day; the spoilage cost for vegetables is minimal."

Huang Chen nodded again and again as he listened. "I never thought there could be so much strategy behind a small menu," he said with a laugh.

"A small menu can decide the life or death of a restaurant. Dish pairings and pricing are the most critical factors. Whether or not you make a profit all depends on how you design the menu." He Zhiyuan said, looking at the menu. "Don’t be fooled by the small number of dishes. They do a high volume of sales. Just these items are enough to keep the whole family busy."

"Running a small restaurant is a real grind. They’re making noodles in the morning, simmering Kneeling Beef, and selling braised dishes. They absolutely deserve every cent they earn. I’m not the least bit jealous."

Huang Chen nodded again. It certainly sounded exhausting.

"Let’s get the stir-fried pork liver. The one I had in Rongcheng the day before yesterday was so disappointing it left me speechless. Zhou Yan’s is much better. And let’s get two bowls of Kneeling Beef. You can’t find this anywhere outside of Suji." He Zhiyuan called over Zhao Hong, who was walking by, and added the two dishes to their order.

Hearing their voices, Zhou Yan even came out of the kitchen to say hello.

"You stay busy, don’t mind us," He Zhiyuan said with a smile. "We can chat later when you’re finished. We don’t want to get in the way of your business."

"Alright. Please excuse me if the service isn’t up to par," Zhou Yan said with a smile before turning back to the kitchen. He appreciated friends who were so considerate.

A short while later, their braised platters arrived. The five-spice and spicy dishes were served on two separate plates.

The braised beef and braised pork head were served along with them.

Although the different vegetarian items were separated on the plate, the overall presentation was rather casual and lacked any particular aesthetic flair.

He Zhiyuan tilted his head from side to side, trying to find a good angle, but ultimately gave up on taking a picture. The plate itself wasn’t very photogenic, the lighting was lacking, and the low-wattage bulbs wouldn’t allow for a good shot.

Photography aside, the braised vegetarian dishes, beef, and pork head looked incredibly appetizing.

The braised lotus root and potatoes were cut into thick slices. Unlike the "fresh-scooped" style, which aims for a thin and crispy texture, He Zhiyuan preferred thick cuts. With a thick cut, the braising liquid’s aroma was generally more concentrated, and the potatoes had a mealier texture.

The portion of dried tofu skin was generous. It was a glittering golden color, cut into lengths of about eight centimeters, and glistened with a sheen of oil. Piled together, it looked quite tempting.

The kelp had been tied into knots.

The dried tofu was cut into long strips, about the thickness of a copper coin, revealing a cross-section that was especially fine and firm.

As for the spicy plate, He Zhiyuan had ordered twenty cents’ worth less than the five-spice.

Though called "spicy braised," it was more accurately a "cold-tossed braised" dish.

The seasonings were likely similar to the cold-tossed chicken he had eaten last time.

In comparison, He Zhiyuan was more excited about the original five-spice flavor.

With braised dishes, after all, it’s all about the authentic, unadulterated flavor of the brine.

"Come on, let’s dig in," He Zhiyuan said, picking up his chopsticks and grabbing a piece of potato first.

The potato slice was so thick he couldn’t finish it in one bite. After a mouthful, he noted the mealy texture. As he chewed, his mouth filled with a rich, meaty aroma.

He finished the potato in two bites and picked up a slice of lotus root.

The lotus root was crisp and refreshing. It too was thoroughly soaked in the brine, making it flavorful yet snappy. The more he chewed, the more aromatic it became.

He Zhiyuan’s face was a mask of astonishment. "The Fire Control on this potato and lotus root is perfect! To use an old brine for vegetarian dishes... Isn’t that too much of an investment? And they’re selling it for forty cents? This flavor is absolutely incredible!"

He often frequented several good braised-dish shops in Rongcheng, where he would also order the vegetarian items.

But he had never seen a single one use their old brine to cook vegetarian dishes. At most, they might drizzle a spoonful of the old brine and some of the rendered braising oil over the top right before serving.

But in this pot of Zhou Yan’s vegetarian dishes, he could clearly taste that they had been cooked in an old brine.

The meaty aroma was so rich. It was the pure fragrance of pork head, a savory depth built up from cooking one pork head after another.

The brine for vegetarian dishes can typically be used twice at most before it starts to spoil and the flavor rapidly diminishes.

He Zhiyuan mulled it over. It must be because Zhou Yan braises so many pork heads each day. That allows him to siphon off a portion of the old brine, dilute it with water to cook the vegetarian dishes, and still maintain the quality of the main pot of old brine.

As far as he knew, brines used for large quantities of braised pork, goose, or duck produced a surplus of braising oil every day.

And coincidentally, vegetarian dishes were excellent at absorbing oil.

No other restaurant could possibly replicate this method. This was how he had created an unassailable flavor moat.

’Absolutely savage!’

He picked up a slice of the braised dried tofu. The technique used to dry this tofu was clearly high-level. The outer skin was bound tightly to the body, with no air bubbles inside. A bright, reddish color permeated it from the outside in, creating a beautiful gradient.

He took a bite. It was firm on the outside and tender on the inside. The interplay of the soy aroma and the brine’s fragrance, combined with the delicate texture of the tofu itself, was a twofold surprise.

"This tastes like dried tofu made from West Bank Tofu! Within all of Jiazhou, the only dried tofu I can think of with such a rich soy aroma is West Bank Tofu—and an extremely authentic version at that!" He Zhiyuan sat up a little straighter. With an expression of disbelief, he popped another piece into his mouth, savoring it slowly. His face was filled with admiration as he spoke.

"It’s so delicate and tender! They call it dried tofu, but the texture is almost like that of pressed egg tofu. The aromas of the brine, the soy, and the meat all intertwine... It’s absolutely magnificent!"

Li had already opened his notebook and was furiously scribbling down Chief Editor He’s every word and reaction with his fountain pen.

"I’m going to try the dried tofu skin. I have a feeling it’s going to be another surprise." He Zhiyuan eagerly popped a piece into his mouth, chewing slowly as his eyes grew brighter and brighter. "It is! It’s from West Bank Tofu! The flavor of this dried tofu skin is perfect! The soy aroma is so rich, the Fire Control for the braising is spot on, and the texture is soft without being mushy. It even maintains its beautiful, stick-like shape."

"Zhou Yan is seriously skilled! To make even the vegetarian dishes this incredible."

"He uses such high-quality ingredients! This is exactly the standard an outstanding Chef should have for their ingredients!"

He Zhiyuan was animated, his excitement pouring out of him.

Huang Chen watched from the side, thoroughly amused. It was a rare sight indeed to see He Zhiyuan lose his composure like this.

The man had eaten every delicacy imaginable—Bear Paw and shark fin were nothing new to him. Yet here he was, completely floored by a simple plate of braised vegetarian dishes.

"You can get this excited over vegetarian dishes that cost sixty or eighty cents a jin?" Huang Chen asked with a laugh.

"It has nothing to do with the price. In fact, the simpler and cheaper the ingredients, the better they showcase a Chef’s skill." He Zhiyuan waved his hand dismissively. "Sure, nine-head abalone, deep-sea shark fin, Bear Paw, deer tendon—all those rare delicacies are high-class. But to say that the final dish would taste that much better than this plate of vegetarian food? I wouldn’t agree with that at all."

"Think about it. A basin of small Xiba soybeans is ground into soy milk with a stone mill. Half of that is made into tofu, which is then pressed and dried. The other half of the soy milk is heated, and the skins that form on top are lifted off, sheet by sheet, rolled into stalks of dried tofu skin, and hung on bamboo poles to dry. Finally, they are simmered in this old brine and served on this plate. Do you still think that’s simple?"

"This, I tell you, is the flavor of the earth itself!"

"It’s a delicacy born from the wisdom and hands of hardworking people."

"Furthermore, it’s a symphony conducted by three Grandmasters working in concert."

"A Grandmaster of West Bank Tofu provided the ingredients, a Grandmaster of braising nurtured the old brine, and finally, Zhou Yan executed the Fire Control to perfection."

"An unparalleled taste!"