Food: Random stalls, customers chase me all over the country

Chapter 556 - The Value of Wang Fan's Optimal Selection

Less than 20 minutes after we ordered, the waiter came over with a tray containing grilled fish wrapped tightly in oil paper.

There is a baking tray on the table. The waiter puts the tray on the baking tray and pulls out the wax paper, and the grilled fish appears in the baking tray.

The fish was not small in size, and the various seasonings flowed into the baking tray instantly with the waiter's actions. The dark red seasoning looked very appetizing.

The fish is also covered with various seasonings, as well as some fresh celery, onions and minced garlic. The baking tray under the tray is continuously heating, the soup in the baking tray is constantly boiling, wisps of hot steam are wafting away, and the aroma of various seasonings is becoming stronger and stronger.

Wang Fan sniffed, and a strong aroma of garlic, chili and peppercorns instantly filled his nasal cavity. The smell alone was quite remarkable, and at this moment a piece of fish was already handed to his mouth.

Wang Fan opened his mouth and put the fish into his mouth. The fish melted in his mouth as soon as he touched it with his tongue. Even Wang Fan couldn't help but feel his eyes brightened.

To achieve such a soft and tender taste, two conditions must be met. First, the fish must be fresh. If it is frozen for a long time, the fish will become dehydrated and it will be impossible to maintain this taste.

Secondly, the heat must be controlled well. This taste is at a stage when the fish is just mature, which requires extremely high skill of the chef in controlling the heat.

Zhuo Qianqian picked up a piece of fish with skin for Wang Fan. The fish meat was soft, tender, and chewy, melting in the mouth. The fish skin was also very smooth. The fish meat itself had a strong sour aroma, and the fish meat already had a base of salt and other spices.

Maybe this is the reason why we don’t kill the fish alive?
It is true that killing fish alive is fresh, but it takes more time for the bottom of the fish meat to form, which may make customers wait anxiously. Killing and marinating the fish in advance can make the food ready faster, which is beneficial to both the restaurant and the customers.

Moreover, the garlicky and slightly spicy flavor of the fish is carefully matched with other seasonings, and the proportions of various ingredients seem to be strictly required.

With Wang Fan's taste and skills, it is not difficult to replicate the recipe, but it is not necessary.

He placed a piece of fish belly into Zhuo Qianqian's bowl. The fish belly had more fat, and this method of cooking the fish belly was the essence of the dish. Not only was it rich in flavor, but it was also tender and smooth. It was the absolute essence. He himself had already started experimenting with the side dishes.

I picked up a potato chip and placed it in front of my eyes. The golden potato chip was cut very thinly and curled up. It didn't look like a fresh potato, and of course, it couldn't be an expired potato either.

When he put it in his mouth and took a bite, the crisp sound and chewy texture undoubtedly confirmed his guess - it was made of dry potato chips.

That is, cut the fresh potato slices and dry them, then cook them in advance when you need them.

Although this type of potato chips does not have the crispy or soft texture of fresh potato chips, they are more resilient, more flavorful, and more resistant to cooking.

This is interesting!

Wang Fan felt that he had learned something new, so he planned to cut some potato slices and dry them when he returned home so that he could try making different dishes in the future.

Zhuo Qianqian picked up a piece of cooked beef and gave it to Wang Fan. The thin piece of beef had absorbed the delicious and rich soup, and it tasted very soft and tender in the mouth. If there was one flaw, it would be that it had no beef flavor.

Wang Fan looked at the uncooked beef and saw the problem at a glance - the batter was too thick.

If this happened in Guangzhou, it would definitely receive a lot of bad reviews.

Not only does it not taste like beef, it also doesn't have the texture of beef. If you didn't order it yourself, you wouldn't know what it is when you put it in your mouth.

If you just want it to be soft and fluffy, wouldn’t it be better to just use vegetarian beef instead?

However, Wang Fan has high demands on himself and not so many on others. Although the side dishes of the Wushan Paper-Wrapped Fish are of varying quality, at least the taste of the paper-wrapped fish is still very good, and the price is not expensive overall. The two of them spent more than 150 yuan in total.

……

After returning to the RV after eating and drinking to his heart's content, Wang Fan posted the noodles he had prepared that morning to the group and Weibo, and also posted a post to recruit small restaurants serving Jianghu cuisine.

Seeing that Wang Fan actually came, netizens in Fog City were so happy. Although he hasn't started setting up a stall yet, it's better than having no chance at all in other places, right?

Faced with Wang Fan's post, these netizens were very enthusiastic and posted all the stores they thought were good in the comments.

Some people will give a thumbs up if they see a good restaurant they have been to. In this way, Wang Fan can go to the most highly recommended restaurants and avoid running around like a headless fly.

After posting the message, Wang Fan and Wang Fan had a good sleep. After waking up, they continued their store exploration journey refreshed. Zhuo Qianqian's purpose was to eat, and Wang Fan could absorb the advantages of each store while eating, which made both of them enjoy it.

In the afternoon, the two of them planned to start with some Jianghu cuisine.

In the category of Jianghu cuisine, many people recommended small restaurants, among which the most recommended one is called: "Renhe Shuishangpiao"

Yes, Wang Fan plans to start directly from this one.

Jianghu cuisine is a specialty of the Fog City, with a strong local flavor.

The so-called Jianghu cuisine, in the words of cooking experts, refers to dishes that are different from authentic dishes. It is rooted in the folk, based on Sichuan cuisine, and absorbs the strengths of various cuisines. It uses unconventional methods to repeat cooking, complex seasonings, Chinese dishes with Western twists, old dishes with new twists, northern ingredients with southern cooking, etc.

It seems unintentional, but it is actually a natural move, thus achieving the effect of surprising the enemy and winning by surprise.

The biggest characteristics of Jianghu cuisine are that it is "earthy", "rough" and "mixed".

"Tu" means that Jianghu cuisine has a very strong local flavor.

"Coarse" refers to the rugged, uninhibited nature of Jianghu cuisine. Cooking is unconventional, with generous amounts of chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in large bowls, crucian carp swimming in red oil broth, and diced chicken hidden in spicy shells. They cook on earthen stoves, use coarse bowls, and guzzle wine and meat, savoring the numbness, spiciness, and heat of the food, savoring its crispness, tenderness, and freshness. They prioritize enjoyment over formality.

"Miscellaneous" refers to a variety of cooking techniques.

Because he himself does not have a fixed master, if I think your method is good, I will adopt it, and if I think his technique is good, I will adopt it from him. Many of the dishes here will taste familiar to you, but you can't figure out what they are similar to no matter how hard you rack your brains.

Chongqing hotpot is one of the representative works of Jianghu cuisine, and Maoxuewang and boiled fish are also the most well-known dishes among them.

When going out to explore a restaurant, one must of course be fully prepared. Wang Fan is not good at memorizing words or texts, but he can memorize the background and recipes of these dishes at a glance.

Renhe Shuishang Piao is in Longshou Lane, and the store is an old brand that is easy to find.

The two of them were traveling off-peak. There were not many people going out today, and it was not mealtime, so sitting in the empty store was like renting the whole place out.

The biggest advantage of having fewer people is that the food is served quickly. The eldest sister quickly brought up three large bowls of tofu pudding.

The eldest sister looked to be in her forties and always had a warm smile on her face.

Wang Fan and Zhuo Qianqian knew they were from other places as soon as they spoke, so the eldest sister explained to them: "Is this your first time eating this old tofu pudding? Let me teach you how to eat it."

As he spoke, he took out his chopsticks and dipped them into one of the bowls of tofu pudding.

The bowl is very big, and the tofu pudding inside is also very generous. A large piece of tofu pudding with a greenish white tint floats on the water in the bowl, its spirit scattered but its form not dispersed, which is also the origin of the name "Water Floating".

Wang Fan and Zhuo Qianqian watched the elder sister's operation with great interest. They had never eaten this kind of thing outside of their hometown. The elder sister's chopsticks slowly lowered and then gradually closed, and a large piece of tofu pudding was picked up by the chopsticks. The elder sister raised the chopsticks, and the tofu pudding remained firmly on the surface.

"Just pick it up and dip it in chili oil. If you need anything, just let me know. You're in our foggy city, just like you're at home, so don't be shy."

After thanking the elder sister, Wang Fan and Zhuo Qianqian began to carefully pick up the tofu pudding in their bowls.

Although Wang Fan had never made this before and it was his first time eating it, he could tell at a glance how the tofu pudding was made.

The principle of this thing is the same as that of tofu. The difference lies in the thickness of the soy milk. If the thickness of the soy milk is reduced and the proportion of brine is increased, the state of old tofu pudding will appear.

Wrap the thing in the bowl with tofu-making cloth, squeeze out the moisture and press it with a heavy object to shape it, and it will become tofu directly.

Wang Fan easily picked up a piece of old tofu pudding. With his body under his absolute control, it would not be difficult for him to pick up a piece of old tofu pudding.

The old tofu pudding trembled lightly on Wang Fan's chopsticks, telling Wang Fan in this way how tender it was.

Without dipping it in chili pepper, Wang Fan took a mouthful of white tofu pudding directly into his mouth.

When the tofu pudding enters your mouth, you can smell the fragrance of soybeans and a faint taste of brine. Just a light press of the tip of your tongue and the small piece of tofu pudding in your mouth will completely dissolve. It is really very soft and tender.

Naturally, this thing doesn't have any base flavor, only the unique flavor of soybeans. Wang Fan mainly wants to taste whether this is the real thing.

He picked up another piece and this time put the tofu pudding into the chili bowl on the side.

The tofu pudding was put into the chili bowl, and the red oil immediately came over to wrap the tofu pudding. Wang Fan rinsed it at the bottom of the bowl to let the tofu pudding be stained with chili powder, and then picked it up and put it into his mouth.

The chili oil tastes smoother than tofu pudding, and has a strong chili aroma without being spicy. Wang Fan knew this would be the result, so he dared to let the tofu pudding roll in the chili oil without any worries.

The moment the peppers were served, he could already smell that they were made from Erjingtiao, a type of pepper that is fragrant but not spicy.

The addition of red chili oil is like giving this bowl of tofu pudding a soul. The rich aroma of chili combined with the soft and tender texture of the tofu pudding, plus a hint of salt in the chili oil, makes this originally mediocre tofu pudding instantly become extremely delicious.

I had just taken two bites of tofu pudding when the elder sister came with more dishes. The serving of dishes here is also very interesting. Because the kitchen is downstairs, there is a small window dedicated to serving dishes. The chef will serve the dishes through the window after they are ready.

The dish served this time is called three-in-one. Of course, this dish can be called three-in-one or four-in-one. If there are special requirements, five-in-one or six-in-one is not impossible. Just add one ingredient and you can add more. This is the eclectic nature of Jianghu cuisine.

As soon as this dish was served, the whole table was filled with the aroma of chili peppers.

Because the surface of the dish was covered with dark red chili flakes, which were spread directly on the plate in a whole layer. The chili flakes hid all the ingredients underneath, and nothing could be seen except the chili flakes.

Wang Fan picked up the chopsticks and turned it over, and a piece of fat intestine suddenly appeared in front of him.

He gave the first piece to Zhuo Qianqian, then picked up a piece of chopped chili peppers with chopsticks and put them in his mouth.

The aroma of the chili peppers is fragrant and goes straight to the top of your head, but there is only a hint of spiciness. You can tell it is a good chili pepper after taking a bite. The only flaw is that it is a little bitter, probably because the heat was a little overheated when frying the chili peppers.

He picked up another piece of pig intestine and put it in his mouth. The soft and chewy texture made Wang Fan nod his head.

Not to mention the taste and texture, the ingredients alone are very particular.

It’s not that it retains the original flavor, but the taste of the pig intestines shows that they are fresh pig intestines, not the imported frozen pig intestines.

The price difference between fresh and frozen pig intestines is huge, so many merchants will sell inferior products as good ones. Anyway, as long as they add seasonings and cook for a longer time, most people can't tell the difference, so they might as well make more money.

Wang Fan was very impressed by the store's approach.

When eating out, people first look for good taste, secondly for cleanliness, and thirdly for convenience. They can tolerate mediocre taste, but they cannot tolerate unclean food at all.

The three-in-one dish also contains pork belly and pork kidney slices. The pork belly is tender, crispy, sweet and has a great taste. Fresh ingredients are also used. The only difference is that the pork kidney slices have retained some of the original flavor, and the taste is quite strong when you eat them.

The third dish was warm beef. The cooking method was no different from the three-in-one dish, but the beef had a strong flavor. You could tell it was fresh and not frozen. However, while eating, Wang Fan suddenly felt like his mouth was on fire.

Damn, this chili has a lasting effect!
Feeling the burning sensation in his mouth, Wang Fan took a breath and reached out to pick up Zhuo Qianqian's yogurt. Yogurt and milk are good things to relieve the spiciness. Zhuo Qianqian drank half of the yogurt all the way, but Wang Fan finished it in one gulp.

Zhuo Qianqian can handle spicier dishes better than Wang Fan. The chili peppers from southern Xinjiang are no joke. The spiciness of these two dishes is just a drizzle for Zhuo Qianqian. She can eat the meat in big mouthfuls and fully savor the freshness of the ingredients.

After the spiciness in his mouth eased a little, Wang Fan picked up the rice and ate it with the dishes. Although the dried peppers were spicy, they were the perfect dish to go with the rice. He ate the chili meat with a chopstick and a big mouthful of rice, and he ate it very heartily.

The Jianghu cuisine restaurant that received the most likes from locals is far more authentic than the online rankings. At least Wang Fan felt that there were no disappointments in this meal, and the price was very affordable, with a meal for two people costing less than 100 yuan.

After leaving the house, the two of them moved on to the next restaurant. Only after they completed their recommendation list of Jianghu dishes did Wang Fan end today's restaurant exploration trip with satisfaction.

"People and Water Floating, Jiujiu Beef Restaurant, Mountain City Home Cooking, Tang Rabbit Family, Yuling Hot Pot, Xiyangyang, Drunken Eight Immortals, Leilei Stir-fry, Zaodong Family Folk Cuisine..."

The list includes recommendations from netizens and some that Wang Fan found himself. He doesn't even have to eat at some of the restaurants. Just by smelling the food in the restaurant and looking at the dishes on other people's tables, he can tell whether the restaurant is good or not.

As soon as Wang Fan’s recommendation list was released, netizens in Fog City couldn’t sit still, because they were surprised to find that many of the stores recommended by Wang Fan were not even in their own favorites!

"I was born and raised in the foggy city, and I didn't even know there were so many good shops here..."

"Now you're telling me that I, a local, should collect food tips from someone who's only been here two days?"

"It's embarrassing, but it seems to be like this... I just came out of Xiyangyang, the food tastes really good, and it's very fresh."

"Wow, Boss Wang is indeed a professional. He actually visited so many stores in one day?"

"This is just a recommended list. If we include the list of places we didn't visit, how many places did we visit in one day?"

"The key point is that not only do they shop a lot, but the restaurants they find are also very good. There is a restaurant very close to our house. This restaurant doesn't even have takeout and has no reputation online. Only residents like us would go there to eat. I didn't expect that Boss Wang would snatch it up."

"You'll probably need to make a reservation next time you go to this shop upstairs. It's on Boss Wang's first recommended list..."

Seeing this sentence, many local people were stunned.

Yes, this is the first recommendation list made by Boss Wang. I guess everyone who comes to visit the Fog City will have to refer to it, right?
Considering Boss Wang’s status in the food industry, if the sales of these stores don’t double from today onwards, it would mean he’s hidden himself well enough!
"Local food won't run away, so there will be plenty of opportunities to eat it in the future. I want to know when Boss Wang will open his stall. I can't wait to try it!"

"According to convention, it should be Monday, which is the day after tomorrow."

"Let's make Boss Wang's delicious food even more intense! Tomorrow, let's go to the restaurant Boss Wang recommended to have a meal to satisfy our hunger, and then wait for the delicious food Boss Wang personally made!"

(End of this chapter)