1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 354 Zhou Shi, You May Take His Place (6.6k words in one volume)

"Chicken blood can be stir-fried like this? I thought it was going to be made into braised pork intestines and blood curd! Spicy and fragrant! So tender and smooth!" Ah Wei looked a little shocked as he ate the spicy chicken blood.

"This is my first time trying this kind of cooking method. Spicy chicken blood? Is it a traditional Sichuan dish?" Zeng Anrong was also a little surprised. The chicken blood was spicy and refreshing, and it was especially good with rice. It was different from Maoxuewang and Feichangxuewang. It was piping hot and had a spicy wok aroma.

"Spicy chicken blood is a Guizhou dish. A friend of mine told me about it, so I tried it and thought it was pretty good," Zhou Yan casually made up.

"As expected of Master Zhou, he can whip up a delicious dish with just a few stir-fries," Awei exclaimed, shoveling a large mouthful of rice into his mouth.

This dish is characterized by its numbing spiciness.

Xia Yao tasted a piece, and it immediately turned reddish-brown. She ate several mouthfuls of rice, still a little dazed.

"Here, have some rice porridge." Zhou Yan got up and poured her a bowl of rice porridge, saying gently, "The chicken blood is a bit too spicy. If you don't like it, then don't eat it."

Xia Yao took two sips of warm rice porridge, and only then did she feel the numbing spiciness in her mouth subside. She pursed her lips, nodded, and kept her distance from the fiery chicken blood.

This is way too spicy!
It's much spicier than the spicy blood curd I had last weekend.

But Mao Xue Wang (a spicy Sichuan dish) also looks bright red, doesn't it?

She picked up a piece of taro and soothed her taste buds.

The taro, coated in a thick broth, melts in your mouth, soft and chewy.

The spicy flavor is much milder than chicken blood.

It's especially delicious with rice.

It seems she can only share a meal with Zhou Momo.

"I just saw that you added Kung Pao Chicken to the banquet menu? Is it a new dish?" Aunt Zhao asked Zhou Yan.

Upon hearing this, Awei looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise: "Chef Zhou can also make Kung Pao Chicken? That's the signature dish of Leming Restaurant! Feiyan Restaurant also seems to use it as their signature dish."

Zhou Yan nodded: "That's right. Anyway, we need fresh chicken to make Snowflake Chicken Soup. We can't finish eating taro and chicken every day. Why not use the chicken legs to make Kung Pao Chicken and improve the cost-effectiveness of the 30 yuan banquet menu?"

"Still talking about cost-effectiveness? This is going to ruin the Suji State-run Restaurant!" Awei looked at Zhou Yan with a hint of excitement in his expression: "If we do this in Jiaozhou, the manager of Leming Restaurant will have to kneel down to us."

"Isn't your master the general manager of Leming?" Zeng Anrong whispered.

“That’s right.” Ah Wei nodded and whispered, “I just want to see him lower his proud head in front of me and say: Ah Wei, I was wrong.”

Zeng Anrong: "..."

Are all Confucianists like this?

"The banquet menu needs continuous adjustments to achieve a more perfect one. It's not meant to target any particular restaurant." Zhou Yan calmly shook his head. The current menu felt too cobbled together, and it wouldn't be quite appropriate to order a private room on the second floor.

“I understand. It’s not that our restaurant is targeting anyone in particular, but rather those restaurants in Jiaozhou…”

"Eat your food, even chicken feet can't shut you up." Zhou Yan stuffed a chicken foot into his mouth.

"Mmm! This chicken foot is cooked until it's so tender, it falls off the bone with just a suck, delicious! It's just a little sticky on the lips." Ah Wei took a bite of the chicken foot and praised it highly.

Zhou Momo, who was engrossed in her meal, activated her food-hunting radar. She lifted her face from the bowl, looked at Awei who was munching away with relish, and then turned to Zhou Yan: "Brother, I want to eat chicken feet too!"

"Here you go." Zhou Yan picked up a chicken foot and put it in Zhou Momo's bowl.

"Thank you, bro~" Zhou Momo said, first taking small bites at the joints, then reaching out to pick up her paw and start gnawing on it.

"Would you like to have one?" Zhou Yan asked Xia Yao.

Xia Yao nodded. Zhou Momo was eating so deliciously that it made her a little envious too.

"Here you go." Zhou Yan was quick and nimble, putting the last chicken foot into Xia Yao's bowl before Awei could do it.

Having lost a chicken foot, Ah Wei could only pick up a wing tip and gnaw on it.

Everyone at Zhou Erwa Restaurant was enjoying their meal, while at the entrance of the state-run restaurant, Director Yan Wen, Head Chef Fan Qingfeng, and Supervisor Wu Danzhen looked solemn.

"How come we only booked four tables today? We prepared enough ingredients for thirty tables! Where are the guests?" Yan Wen frowned.

"Director, don't worry, it's not lunchtime yet. Based on past experience, we should have at least thirty tables of guests today, and we haven't even prepared as much food as last year," Fan Qingfeng said confidently.

“But last New Year’s Day, we booked 21 tables in advance,” Wu Danzhen whispered.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent.

"No, no, my left eyelid started twitching really fast when I woke up this morning, and I just feel like something's wrong." Yan Wen paced back and forth, looking somewhat uneasy.

"A twitching left eye means good fortune, while a twitching right eye means bad luck. Director, this is a good thing," Fan Qingfeng said with a smile.

"Is that so?" Yan Wen felt slightly relieved upon hearing this.

As they were talking, a young man walked toward the state-run restaurant.

"Ahem." Yan Wen immediately straightened his back, his expression serious, displaying the demeanor of a leader.

Fan Qingfeng crossed his arms, looking every bit the chef.

Wu Danzhen glanced at the person, looked at her watch, and said indifferently, "We haven't opened for business yet. Come back in half an hour."

The man shook his head and said, "I'm not here to eat. I'm here to cancel the private banquet I booked yesterday."

"What?"

The three of them couldn't hold back any longer and looked at him at the same time.

"I...I said I wanted to cancel." The man instinctively took a step back. "You state-run restaurants can't hit people, can you?"

"The reservation is already made, and it's almost lunchtime. You want to cancel? My kitchen has already prepared the food!" Wu Danzhen's voice rose several decibels. "And you're not allowed to hit me?"

“That’s right, you’re treating, so you must have already invited people. Now is the perfect time to call them over to eat,” Yan Wen said, his hands behind his back.

“No way, my older brother also made a reservation and paid for it. It’s a small restaurant, thirty yuan, and they really won’t refund a single cent.” The man shook his head and looked at Yan Wen, saying, “You’re the boss, right? Give me back my eight cents deposit, or I’m going to report you.”

"Get out of here! I think you're just here to cause trouble today, Qingfeng! Chop him up!" Yan Wen rolled up his sleeves and shouted angrily.

"Coming!" Fan Qingfeng grabbed a broom from the side.

"Fine, no refunds! I'm scared of you guys! No wonder your state-run restaurant has no customers!" The man turned and ran, not forgetting to throw in a few sarcastic remarks.

It's not just a rumor that state-run restaurants beat people up; they really dare to do it.

"Director, let it go." Fan Qingfeng hugged Yan Wen. "You just said this in the meeting today: we can't beat up guests at will."

"This bastard is here to cause trouble! This isn't what you call a guest!" Yan Wen was so angry that he kicked his legs.

"Now there are only three tables left," Wu Danzhen sighed.

Yan Wen lost his temper. Usually, more than three tables are booked on weekends, but today is New Year's Day. Although it's not Chinese New Year, factories and schools are closed, so it's the perfect time for a gathering.

It shouldn't be.

"Could the privately-owned restaurant that bastard mentioned be Zhou Erwa's restaurant?" Fan Qingfeng said.

Yan Wen and Wu Danzhen were stunned when they heard this. Su Ji had three private restaurants in total. The menus of the other two restaurants were not enough to fill a table. They would just cook a few home-style dishes for three or five tables.

The only possibility is the Zhou Erwa Restaurant, which has just completed its expansion.

"Didn't Zhou Erwa's restaurant not offer dry banquets?" Yan Wen frowned.

"Perhaps they launched a special banquet package during the New Year's Day holiday," Fan Qingfeng speculated.

"They're too cunning. These individual business owners are just speculators," Wu Danzhen said angrily.

Yan Wen straightened his Zhongshan suit and resumed his solemn expression: "Individual business owners are just paper tigers. We should not be afraid. We should despise the enemy strategically!"
"Look, our state-run restaurant surpasses Zhou Erwa's restaurant in every way. Our lobby is more impressive, and we have large private rooms. Guests who want to entertain guests in a respectable manner will definitely choose our state-run restaurant first."

"The director is right!"

"Director is wise and capable!"

Fan Qingfeng and Wu Danzhen immediately smiled and clapped.

"Tsk, two sycophants."

"The guests have nothing to eat and they're still laughing. I bet there's going to be a lot of food left over today."

“That’s great! We can also have a New Year’s Day holiday. They’ve divided up the meat, so we can get some scraps to take home. We can have something nice to eat today for the holiday.”

“That makes sense. We steamed a lot of savory and sweet braised pork belly today. I wonder if we'll get any.”

Inside the restaurant, the waiters were cracking sunflower seeds and chatting quietly. When they talked about serving the dishes, their smiles became even brighter.

After lunch, everyone began preparing for the day's business opening.

Fourteen tables were booked for lunch, three of which were banquet tables, so the workload was quite low.

"Delivering fish!" Wang Chuan called out from the doorway.

Zhou Momo was pulling Xia Yao out to look at paintings when she looked up and saw Wang Chuan. Her eyes lit up: "Wow, it's Grandpa Chocolate!"

"Huh?" Wang Chuan looked down at the little guy and was stunned.

After thinking for a moment, he grinned, revealing two rows of teeth.

"Wow! Your teeth are so white~" the little guy exclaimed, his voice soft and sweet, his big eyes full of wonder.

Zhou Yan followed him out, and upon hearing the voice, he immediately lost his composure and quickly said, "Mo Mo, call him Uncle."

Xia Yao pursed her lips to suppress a laugh. Luckily, she was a beat too slow, or she would have called him "Grandpa" too.

"It's fine, let her call whatever she wants." Wang Chuan waved his hand and handed the bucket of fish to Zhou Yan. "Four fish, see if they're any good."

He doesn't pretend at all when it comes to treating people differently.

Zhou Yan took the fish bucket, opened it, and looked inside. The four rock carp were all quite active, with good fur, and weighed about two pounds each. "They're good, and the size is just right."

“Three of them weigh two jin and one liang, and one weighs exactly two jin. You can just calculate it as two jin for all of them,” Wang Chuan said.

"Okay," Zhou Yan replied, and paid Wang Chuan.

"Four more this afternoon?" Wang Chuan counted and put away the money, then looked at Zhou Yan and asked.

“Yes, four are needed. I’ll keep one in a tank as a backup.” Zhou Yan nodded.

“Okay, they can be kept alive this season.” Wang Chuan nodded.

Zhou Yan carried the fish inside.

Xia Yao took Zhou Momo away. The little one wanted to see her paintings, so she planned to take her back to the dormitory to play with them.

"Goodbye, Grandpa Chocolate." Zhou Momo waved goodbye to Wang Chuan.

"Goodbye." Wang Chuan waved with a smile, looking at Old Zhou with envy and said, "Old Zhou, you are so lucky to have such a lovely youngest daughter. My two sons are like cats and dogs at home every day, they want to cause trouble every day."

Old Zhou sighed and said, "Daughters are just a bit spoiled. They come over and ask you to hold them all the time, and they want you to massage their backs. They're so soft and sweet when you hold them, but sometimes it can be a bit annoying."

"Climb!" Wang Chuan's buttocks hardened; this was too much to brag about!
“Let’s ask Zhang Hui to have another one for you,” Zhao Tieying said with a smile.

"Who would dare to have a baby now? The village loudspeaker is announcing it every day." Wang Chuan shook his head. "If I were to have another son, I'd be doomed."

Zhou Yan took out the fish bucket and handed it to Wang Chuan, smiling as he said, "Uncle Wang, your fishing skills are so good, why don't you set up a fish stall?" "Fishing is just a hobby. I catch a few fish to sell, and that's enough to make a living. If I really set up a stall to sell fish, wouldn't that be like going to work? What's the fun in that?" Wang Chuan took the fish bucket and put it in the basket on the back of his seat, saying calmly, "What's the point of making so much money? Eight fish for thirty-two yuan, I can't spend it all, I can't possibly spend it all."

Zhou Yan couldn't help but laugh at Versailles' tone.

Having a special skill means you'll never lack ways to make money.

In the dead of winter, restaurants that want to serve rock carp have to order the fish from him.

The money I earned this winter should be enough to last me a year.

He can't learn to be carefree and easygoing; he's just a materialistic person who loves money.

Wang Chuan said, "Do you still have braised meat today? We had a really good time yesterday. My brother-in-law and father drank so much they were practically under the table. It was absolutely delicious."

"We're out of stock today. We made this based on the amount ordered. If you want some, come tomorrow." Zhou Yan shook his head.

"Okay, I'll come earlier tomorrow to buy it." Wang Chuan replied, got on his bike, and rode away.

As soon as Wang Chuan left, several bicycles began to arrive on the main road outside the textile factory.

Zhou Yan raised his hand and glanced at his watch; it was 11:30.

The diners are starting to arrive.

"Awei, kill the fish! Three rock carp and eight crucian carp," Zhou Yan called out.

“Okay!” Ah Wei’s voice rang out from the kitchen.

"You're here, please sit here. The name you reserved is Liu Yaxin, right? Okay, everyone's here, let's start cooking for you."

"Wow, Chunfang looks so stylish today! That wool coat is beautiful, I almost didn't recognize her. There's a difference between being on vacation and going to work."

"Oh dear, slow down! It's not New Year's yet, no need to rush to wish people a Happy New Year."

Aunt Zhao greeted the guests and gave Zhou Yan the order number.

Seeing Zhao Niangniang handling things with ease, Zhou Yan felt very gratified; his mother had really mastered it.

There were fourteen tables of guests at noon, and they started arriving after 11:30, so it wasn't too quiet.

Zhou Yan had planned the order of cooking the night before. As soon as everyone was seated, the dishes were brought out of the kitchen and served one by one, which was quite efficient.

"This is the Zhou Erwa Restaurant that I told you about. The food is even better than the restaurants in Jiaozhou."

"Try this Mapo Tofu. It tastes just as authentic as Chen Mapo Tofu in Chengdu! I've eaten it in Chengdu, and the one made by Boss Zhou is even better."

"Mom, this salted braised pork belly is so tender, it melts in your mouth."

"Get your son a piece of braised pork ribs, and I guarantee he won't yell anymore once he gets some."

Once the dishes are served, the most common thing you hear is the host proudly introducing the dishes to everyone.

Tuesday Wa Restaurant is closed on Sundays. Everyone is busy with work during the week and may not have time to come to Suji for a meal.

Today is New Year's Day holiday, so I guess I made it in time.

Many guests who had been wanting to bring their family and friends for a long time were finally able to schedule a time to dine here today.

Zhu Zhe also booked a private banquet today, bringing his whole family to celebrate the festival.

Zhao Dong and Song Yang both made reservations; if he didn't book a table to try it, wouldn't he seem out of place?

If I go to work tomorrow and all I hear is them bragging, I'll feel awful.
His wife approved the request under the pretext of his youngest son's eighth birthday; the banquet for thirty-one tables cost him almost half a month's salary.

Besides his family of six, they also invited his brother's family of three, which made up a table full of people.

Zhu Lang took off his scarf and put it aside, looking annoyed. "The people at the state-run restaurant are really vicious. I went to get my deposit back and they almost beat me up. Luckily, I ran fast."

"Your deposit hasn't been refunded?" Zhu Zhe asked with a smile, looking at his younger brother.

"I dare not take it anymore. The manager said he would cut my pay. Eight cents? It's not worth it." Zhu Lang shook his head, still shaken.

"So ruthless?" Zhu Zhe was also shocked upon hearing this.

"I don't know. When I asked for a refund, it was like I stepped on their tail." Zhu Lang shook his head, somewhat sighing, "Private restaurants are still better. The owners and waiters are all smiles, and their attitude is much better than that of state-run restaurants."

Everyone laughed when they heard this, except for Zhu Lang's wife who felt sorry for the eight cents that couldn't be returned.

Zhu Zhe said, "Let me tell you, this week Zhou Erwa Restaurant not only has a good attitude towards its customers, but the food also tastes much better than that of state-run restaurants."

Although the owner, Zhou Yan, is not very old, he is the grand-disciple of Master Kong Huaifeng, a famous chef in Jiaozhou. Just a few days ago, he cooked three dishes at a banquet for foreign businessmen.

These three dishes were included in the banquet I ordered today. Even the high-end restaurants in Jiaozhou might not be able to match this level of quality.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and their faces showed more anticipation.

"Brother, is this chef really that amazing? Huh?" Zhu Lang was a little skeptical.

Zhu Zhe looked at him and said, "If you don't believe me, let's make a bet. Didn't you eat at a banquet in Chengdu that cost fifty yuan a table? If you think this thirty-yuan banquet tastes better than what you ate in Chengdu, then that bottle of fifteen-year-old Guizhou Moutai in your liquor cabinet is mine."

"I accompanied a client to Rongcheng Restaurant for a 50-yuan banquet. I glanced at the banquet menu as soon as I walked in. Kung Pao Chicken, Snowflake Chicken, and Braised Rock Carp were dishes I had eaten at banquets before. It's easy to compare them," Zhu Lang said. "If I think the Rongcheng Restaurant banquet tastes better, then that bottle of Luzhou Laojiao in your wine cabinet is mine."

“Okay.” Zhu Zhe nodded without the slightest hesitation.

But he quickly added in confusion, "Where did Kung Pao Chicken come from? I don't remember it being on the menu."

Not only him, but the guests at the other two tables who had booked private banquets also had some doubts.

Zhou Yan brought out two servings of braised meat and explained, "Kung Pao Chicken is a new dish that we added to the banquet menu today. It's my holiday greeting to all of you."

"Boss Zhou, is there really such a good thing?" Zhu Zhe exclaimed in surprise.

The other two tables of guests also had smiles on their faces.

"It's a festival, so it should be lively and festive," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Boss Zhou, can we order Kung Pao Chicken separately? I really love this dish," a customer at the next table asked.

Immediately, other guests followed and looked over.

"I'm sorry, Kung Pao Chicken requires fresh chicken thigh meat, so we can't order it separately right now," Zhou Yan said, shaking his head.

Everyone sighed; it was yet another dish for a banquet.

After explaining the details about adding more dishes, Zhou Yan returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.

"Brother, is this the boss you were talking about? He looks to be in his early twenties." Zhu Lang looked at Zhu Zhe, his smile radiating confidence: "Looks like you're not getting away with that bottle of Luzhou Laojiao."

"Don't be so sure of yourself. Try this braised meat first." Zhu Zhe poured wine for Zhu Lang and his old man.

"You're bragging so much, let me try this braised beef and see how delicious it is." Zhu Lang picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised beef, and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, the confident smile on his face gradually disappeared.

The smile didn't disappear; it moved to Zhu Zhe's face. "Xiao Lang, how is it? How does this braised beef compare to the cold dishes at Rongcheng Restaurant?"

Zhu Lang said with a somewhat complicated expression, "To be honest, this braised beef smells so good! The braised chicken gizzard and red oil chicken slices at Rongcheng Restaurant are quite good, but they are definitely not as good as this braised beef."

"Try this braised pig's head again," the old man said.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Lang picked up a piece of braised pig's head meat and tasted it, then tasted a thinly sliced ​​ear. He raised his wine glass and said, "For cold dishes, Rongcheng Restaurant is slightly inferior! This braised meat is absolutely delicious!"

The three men clinked glasses and laughed.

"This braised dish is the best in the entire Jiaozhou, not just in Suji. It's hard to maintain such a good braising liquid. How can an ordinary restaurant maintain such a good braising liquid?" the old man said leisurely.

Zhu Lang remained confident: "It's alright. When attending a banquet, you can't just look at the cold dishes; you have to look at the main courses. The Rongcheng Restaurant has a gathering of renowned chefs, including three top-level chefs, whose skills are top-notch."

As they were talking, two braised dishes were served.

The braised pork ribs were a hit with the children; the three kids fought over them, eating with great relish.

Zhu Lang ate without making a sound, tasting one piece of dried bamboo shoot after another, soaking up the beef broth, making them crisp and delicious. The beef brisket was tender and flavorful, and the aroma was intoxicating.

The pace and speed of serving the dishes were well controlled, and the steamed dishes were served next.

The old man praised the salted pork belly highly.

The old lady greatly praised the steamed pork with rice flour, and even ate two pieces of the pumpkin at the bottom of the bowl.

"How was it?" Zhu Zhe asked with a smile.

Zhu Lang said, "The braised pork belly was really good, but I think the steamed pork with rice flour was not as good as Rongcheng Restaurant. The steamed dishes were about even."

As we were chatting, the snowflake chicken soup was served.

"Wow! Is that snow?" the three children exclaimed in surprise.

"This is snowflake chicken soup, made with chicken meat. When it's well-made, you can eat chicken without seeing any chicken," Zhu Lang explained.

As he spoke, he picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and tasted it himself first.

The freshly cooked snowflake chicken soup was still a little hot, but this dish is meant to be eaten hot.

The chicken broth is tender and smooth, with a rich chicken flavor that melts in your mouth. With a sip, it slides down your throat, leaving only the savory aroma lingering in your mouth. There isn't a single chicken fiber in it.

"This snowflake chicken is absolutely amazing! The texture is even smoother and more tender than the chicken I had at the restaurant in Chengdu. It's truly like eating chicken without even seeing chicken!" Zhu Lang couldn't help but exclaim.

"The taste is exquisite. It feels like you've eaten something, yet it's also like you haven't eaten anything at all. There's a reason this dish is so expensive," Zhu Zhe exclaimed in amazement.

No one had ever tried this dish before. As soon as it was served, everyone picked up their spoons to taste it, finding it a novel experience.

"The taste is not bad, but it's like eating nothing at all, and it costs six yuan a serving. It's not very satisfying." The old man shook his head and picked up another piece of salted braised pork belly into his bowl. "Salted braised pork belly is still more comfortable to eat."

"You don't understand, what you're eating is all about the fresh and delicious taste." The old lady used a spoon to scrape the snowflake chicken off the bottom of the plate, looking quite satisfied.

Kung Pao Chicken, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, Mapo Tofu...

One dish after another was served.

Zhu Lang's expression shifted from confident to serious, and then to one of repeated amazement.

"This braised rock carp is absolutely amazing! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, savory and slightly spicy, the fish is so fresh and tender! It feels like it was just caught from the river, the texture and taste are even better than the ones at Rongcheng Restaurant!"

"Brother, I admit defeat wholeheartedly. You can keep my bottle of Moutai. Next time you come over for dinner, just take it."

"The meal you treated me to today was absolutely fantastic! These dishes taste at least ten times better than those in state-run restaurants!"

Zhu Lang was completely convinced. His eyes were clear, and even the eight cents that hadn't been returned from the state-run restaurant seemed insignificant.

"Isn't it Uncle Xu who makes braised rock carp at Rongcheng Restaurant?" After serving the braised rock carp, the kitchen was quiet. When Awei heard this, his eyes lit up and he said with a smile, "I have to tell Uncle Xu about this next time I see him."

"Don't stir things up," Zhou Yan warned with a smile. He didn't care, but he was afraid that Uncle Xu wouldn't be able to handle it.

“How can that be called stirring up trouble? Talented people emerge in every generation. As an elder of the sect, Uncle Xu certainly has the magnanimity to do so.” Awei grinned: “Master Zhou, you can take his place.”

"climb!"

"Seriously, next time Uncle Xu comes back, why don't you give him some pointers? He's your own uncle, not an outsider, don't be so formal."

Zeng Anrong stood to the side, hesitant to speak, feeling that something was not quite right.

　There will be another chapter later, a long one, please vote with your monthly tickets!
　　
　
(End of article)