The Spirit of Gourmet

Chapter 461 An Unexpected Check-in Point
"Boss, one large pan-fried dish, extra spicy and extra scallions, please!"

"Okay~"

The stall owner responded loudly, then buried himself in cooking.

Qin Lang took a deep sniff of the seafood aroma wafting from the stall, then turned to look at Cao Dongdong and the other man behind him, who both had resentful expressions.

"What's wrong with you two?"

"This is what you called a seafood feast?" Zhao Qian gritted her teeth, feeling like she had been fooled by Qin Lang.

"I never said anything about a seafood feast, you said it yourself." Qin Lang chuckled, a hint of cunning in his eyes.

"So you were the one who suggested the restaurant by the sea, right?" Cao Dongdong scoffed. "Do you call a roadside stall a restaurant?"

“I did say that,” Qin Lang shrugged, “but I suddenly changed my mind, and you’re wrong about one thing.”

He pointed to the beach not far away, "This is a beach stall."

"What's the difference?!" Cao Dongdong became somewhat frustrated, feeling like a great meal was slipping away, and his mood instantly soured.

"Don't be so picky," Qin Lang said with a smile. "Compared to upscale restaurants, street stalls have a more down-to-earth, lively feel to them."

"What's more, the stall owner I chose is a Spirit Chef."

As he spoke, he pointed to the food spirit floating beside the stall owner.

"Your 'Big Mixed Pancake' is ready!" the stall owner called out, cutting a large pancake—made from a mixture of batter, eggs, and various fresh seafood—into bite-sized pieces and handing it to Qin Lang.

Then, he smiled gently at Zhao Qian and the other person, "This young man is right. Big restaurants are certainly good, but our small stalls are not necessarily bad either. Try it, this mixed fried dish is my signature dish!"

“Crack—”

Qin Lang used a bamboo skewer to pick up a piece and put it in his mouth, chewing on the crispy outer layer and making a slurping sound.

Although it's just an ordinary roadside stall, the cooking process doesn't involve many complicated techniques, and even the names of the dishes are excessively simple and plain, the stall owner is quite particular about the ingredients he uses.

The palm-sized prawns are carefully shelled and deveined, then diced, so you can enjoy the fresh and bouncy texture of the prawns in every bite.

The scallop meat, about the size of a palm, is cut into five or six pieces. Although it is slightly less sweet than shrimp, it has a better texture when chewed.

As for the oysters, they were freshly caught from the nearby beach, shucked and chopped on the spot, and added to the batter. The tender oyster meat blended almost completely with the egg and batter, and the unique oyster freshness seemed to be everywhere.

Add a touch of squid, sea urchin, and the local specialty fish "Qinxian fish," also caught on the spot, and this dish, infused with the flavors of various seafood, made Qin Lang's eyes light up with just one bite.

Indeed, seafood is best enjoyed by the sea!
"You really won't have a bite?"

He handed the large fried dough stick in his hand to the other two people who were secretly swallowing their saliva.

The stall owner had thoughtfully prepared three bamboo skewers.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Qian and Cao Dongdong, who had been drooling over Qin Lang's live mukbang performance, immediately picked up bamboo skewers.

After each forking off a piece to taste, the two of them turned to look at the stall.

"Give me one!" x2
The stall owner let out a hearty, unsurprised laugh and then bent down to get back to work.

A moment later, the three of them, each carrying a large portion of fried dough, walked along the beach.

“I think you’re right.” Cao Dongdong, who had already finished half of the food in his hand, nodded in agreement. “Street stalls have a lively, authentic atmosphere.”

"There are still a lot of roadside stalls ahead, let's all try them!" Zhao Qian was already eager to try them, completely forgetting that she had originally wanted to have a seafood feast at a restaurant.

"No problem." Qin Lang nodded, his gaze sweeping over the various stalls. Judging from the aromas wafting from the stalls, the vendors' cooking movements, and the basic hygiene of the stalls, he quickly identified the second food stall that looked worth trying.

"That's it!" He pointed to that stall, and Cao Dongdong and his companion rushed up to join the queue without saying a word.

Countless experiences from their past travels have taught them this.

Qinlang Selected Products: Guaranteed to be Top-Quality!
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"Hiccup~"

Cao Dongdong rubbed his stomach and let out a burp without any regard for his image.

"You're full already?" Qin Lang glanced at Cao Dongdong with some surprise. "This isn't like you at all."

"That fish cake was so delicious, I couldn't resist ordering two servings." Hearing this, Cao Dongdong made a bitter face and showed a helpless expression.

"I see." Qin Lang smiled.

Fish cake is a type of pastry similar to steamed sponge cake in its soft texture, but it differs in that it is made from fish meat and has a savory flavor, unlike the sweetness of steamed sponge cake.

Even Qin Lang had never heard of such a delicacy before, and he found it quite wonderful after eating it.

how to say…

It's like a sweet rice dumpling lover trying a savory rice dumpling for the first time.

The fish cake did make him feel a bit bloated. Cao Dongdong ate two servings in one go, which explains why he was full after only eating a few dishes.

"Then you can only watch me and Zhao Qian eat from now on."

"It's nothing." Cao Dongdong waved his hand dismissively. "Let me take a walk to digest my food, then I can still fight later!"

"Hey, look over there!" Zhao Qian, who hadn't said a word, suddenly pointed ahead. "There are so many people over there!"

Qin Lang and his companion looked up and were quickly drawn to a building on the beach. The building had colorful eaves and walls, and from a distance it looked like a building from a fairy tale, which was exceptionally beautiful.

Near the building, a large number of tourists were queuing up, and the crowds blocked the view inside, making it seem somewhat mysterious.

"Shall we go take a look?" Qin Lang also became interested. "Maybe it's a shop, or some kind of special tourist attraction."

"As long as it's not just a restaurant," Cao Dongdong said, rubbing his stomach. "After all, I really can't eat anymore right now."

It's so painful to watch others eat while you can't.

As they talked, they quickly walked toward the building ahead.

As Qin Lang was about to reach the crowd, he suddenly stopped.

He turned his head and looked at a sculpture on the beach next to him, his expression showing surprise. "It's here?"

The sculpture was none other than the harp sculpture from the Traveler's Book.

After taking a few steps closer, Qin Lang found the right angle, and the sound of pages turning filled his mind.

"Qin Lang, hurry up and get in line!"

Zhao Qian's voice came from behind. Qin Lang, who had successfully checked in, responded and quickly returned to the two of them, arriving at the back of the line.

Looking at the long line of people ahead, the group still had no idea what they were queuing for. Fortunately, the lady in front of them overheard their conversation and turned around with a smile.

"Don't you know? Hai Sheng Yan Restaurant is having an event today. Anyone who performs any piece on stage in the restaurant and gets the approval of other guests can have their meal for free. That's why so many people are here."

Upon hearing this, Qin Lang and the other two were taken aback.

"A grand feast?!"

(End of this chapter)