1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 356 Don't talk about the second brother, they both have the same number of pockmarks on their faces (6.2k combined)

Although Kung Pao Chicken is not a common dish, it holds a very high position in Sichuan cuisine. It is almost always among the top three in every Sichuan cookbook.

Restaurants may not have snowflake chicken soup, but they absolutely cannot do without Kung Pao chicken.

Kung Pao Chicken at Fei Yan Restaurant is the number one dish on the menu and has been a signature dish for decades.

Huang He has been eating this dish since he was a child.

Since taking over Feiyan Restaurant, whenever I go to other Sichuan restaurants, I always order this dish on the menu to try it and compare it with the Kung Pao Chicken from my own restaurant.

If you find a dish that tastes good, you'll go back and discuss improvements with the chef at the restaurant.

It can be said that this dish is not only the signature dish of Feiyan Restaurant, but also the dish that Huang He is most confident about.

Back when Master Kong Huaifeng was still working at the Leming Hotel, he dared not claim to be number one.

Since Master Kong retired, Fei Yan Restaurant has been the undisputed number one place for Kung Pao Chicken in Jiaozhou, and he is full of confidence.

The Kung Pao Chicken that Zhou Yan made today has a wonderfully spicy and lychee-flavored aroma. The taste is absolutely authentic, which reminds him of the first time his father took him to Leming Restaurant, when Kong Huaifeng made the Kung Pao Chicken.

“Old man, this Kung Pao Chicken looks and smells so good! The spicy and lychee flavor is even stronger than the ones in our shop. Reduce the sauce, apply a glossy sheen, and cook it to perfection.” Huang Ying sat down next to Huang He, tilting her head to look at him and said, “Our Kung Pao Chicken, the best in Jiaozhou, might not be able to maintain its position.”

“I think so too. This Kung Pao Chicken looks delicious.” Huang Bing nodded in agreement.

"You know nothing, get the hell out of here." Huang He raised his hand and gave Huang Bing a flick on the forehead, then looked at Huang Ying and shook his head, saying, "Yingying, we can't boost others' morale and diminish our own. Whether it tastes good or not, we have to try it before we can make a judgment."

“That makes sense, let’s try it.” Huang Bing picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of chicken, and put it in his mouth. He chewed and said, “Delicious, this chicken is so tender.”

“You can’t even eat Kung Pao Chicken properly. This is a dish that needs to be eaten with a spoon. You have to use a spoon to scoop it up to taste the layers of spiciness.” Huang Ying picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of Kung Pao Chicken, and fed it to her mouth along with the chicken, scallions, peanuts, and chili peppers.

“Learn from your sister. You’ve eaten plenty of good food over the years, but you’re like a wild boar, unable to appreciate even a little bit of fine food.” Huang He looked at Huang Ying, his face full of a father’s gratified and proud smile.

This child is like him; he loves to eat and knows how to eat.

I've gained a little weight, but it's nothing serious; it just means I didn't eat for nothing.

He noticed she had lost a lot of weight recently, and he felt a little sorry for her.

As Huang Ying took a bite of Kung Pao Chicken and chewed it slowly, her expression lit up. The tender chicken pieces, the crispy peanuts, the spicy chili peppers, and the soft scallions created a wonderfully layered texture.

The smoky aroma of chili peppers, the crispy fragrance of fried peanuts, and the sweet and sour flavor of the sauce perfectly showcase the smoky lychee taste.

"Absolutely amazing!" Huang Ying put down her spoon and looked at Huang He, saying, "Old man, you have to try this. This is definitely the best Kung Pao Chicken I've ever had!"

Huang He felt a little uneasy upon hearing this. If Huang Ying could say something like that, Zhou Yan's Kung Pao Chicken must taste pretty good. But he was still unconvinced and took a spoonful of Kung Pao Chicken with him.

Upon closer inspection, the sauce is applied perfectly, with a thin layer of gravy covering each piece of chicken. It's light and not sticky, yet it holds the flavor perfectly.

There is a basic requirement for Sichuan cuisine's stir-fries and pan-fries: the dish must be cooked until it is loose, releases oil, reduces the sauce, and has a glossy sheen.

The juice coats the vegetables, and what comes out is oil, not soup.

The food enters the mouth, and is chewed slowly.

The crispy flowers crackled and popped like a horn exploding between your teeth. The diced chicken was tender, savory, and chewy. The spicy aroma of the chili peppers blended with the sweet and sour sauce, and the intense spicy lychee flavor burst forth between your teeth.

Sweet, sour, slightly spicy, and numbing, with a fresh and fragrant aftertaste!
Huang He's memory seemed to return to when he was thirteen years old. That winter was very cold, and the Feiyan Restaurant was not doing well. So his father took him around to find restaurants with good business.

While eating, they pondered how each restaurant did business, what their menus looked like, and how their signature dishes tasted.

It was snowing that day, and his father took him to Leming Restaurant for dinner. They ordered Kung Pao Chicken, twice-cooked pork, and deep-fried thumb rings, all of which were Leming Restaurant's signature dishes.

The receptionist recognized his father and spoke to the kitchen staff, instructing Kong Huaifeng to personally prepare three dishes.

When the Kung Pao Chicken was served, the old man took a spoon and ate two spoonfuls, then tears started streaming down his face.

He remembered this incident vividly. His father was a man who cared a lot about his reputation and wouldn't easily shed tears.

But after eating two spoonfuls of Kung Pao Chicken, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably, which terrified him, and he didn't know what to do.

The old man sobbed as he said, "Son, try it! It tastes amazing! No wonder our restaurant isn't doing well. This Kung Pao Chicken is so delicious!"

He was confused after hearing this, and picked up his chopsticks to pick up some chicken pieces, but his old man slapped his hand and shoved a spoon into his hand: "Eat your ass! You need a spoon to eat Kung Pao Chicken! A spoon has everything in it, so you can taste the spicy and lychee flavor."

He scooped up a spoonful of Kung Pao Chicken and put it in his mouth. The crunchy peanuts, the tender chicken, and the spicy lychee flavor still carrying the smoky aroma of the wok exploded in his mouth and also in his mind.

At thirteen, it was the first time he had ever known that Kung Pao Chicken could be made so delicious.

In comparison, their restaurant's Kung Pao Chicken was absolutely terrible.

After returning home, the old man scolded the chef. Eight chefs stayed up all night and cooked thirty-eight plates of Kung Pao Chicken.

The next day, the old man, sporting dark circles under his eyes, hugged his mother and secretly cried, "Kong Huaifeng is Kong Huaifeng! Eight chefs combined aren't as good as him..."

Huang He felt a slight saltiness at the corner of his mouth.

The voice of a nightingale rang in his ears: "Old man? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"It's back, that feeling is back..."

Huang He sniffed and suddenly understood why his father had cried so bitterly back then.

"What's back?" Huang Ying wiped away his tears with a handkerchief and looked at him in confusion.

Huang Bing and Zhao Shulan also looked at him with concern, and everyone at the table stopped eating and looked at him.

"Eating Zhou Yan's Kung Pao Chicken reminds me of an old friend," Huang He said with some emotion. "It's delicious, even better than what we make at our restaurant. From today onwards, the title of the best Kung Pao Chicken in Jiaozhou has been snatched away again."

"Old man, Zhou Erwa's restaurant has more than one dish that's better than ours. There's no need to be so sad. You'll get used to it," Huang Ying comforted him.

Huang He, whose emotions had already calmed down, showed signs of breaking down again.

Huang Ying took a spoon and scooped a spoonful of snowflake chicken soup for him: "Come, come, try this freshly served snowflake chicken soup. I think it tastes even better than the one you took me to Rongleyuan last year."

Huang He took a bite, savored it carefully, and nodded, saying, "The texture is indeed very soft and tender, the taste is fresh and fragrant, there are no muscle fibers at all, and the tendons are particularly thin. It is no worse than Rongleyuan."

“This dish is something our Feiyan Restaurant will never serve in our lifetime,” Huang Ying nodded.

Huang He: "..."

Even more uncomfortable.

"The ham bits sprinkled on top are of pretty high quality. Although there's not much, the aroma is quite strong," Zhao Shulan said, scooping up a spoonful of snow topping.

Huang Ying said, "Oh, this ham should be from our family's place. Last time Zhou Yan asked me if I had any ham, I cut him a small piece."

"What? You cut my Xuanwei ham from Yunnan? I still can't understand how a piece could be missing. I thought I cut it up one of my drinks when I was drunk." Huang He's eyes widened as he looked at Huang Ying with a betrayed expression: "Yingying, you've aided the enemy!"

Huang Ying shrank back towards her grandmother, saying confidently, "Old man, you need to be more open-minded. Feiyan Restaurant is yours, and my relationship with Boss Zhou is ours. Let's keep things separate. Besides, it was such a big ham, and I only cut a tiny bit. Are you going to hit me? If you dare to hit me, I'll dare to cry."

"Fine, it's done, but don't do it again." Huang He was amused and annoyed. How could he really hit her over a small piece of ham? He'd have to coax her afterward.

"I understand." Huang Ying smiled and came closer. "Come on, old man, let's review this. Where does our Kung Pao Chicken fall short of this one?"

Huang He thought for a moment and said, "I think there's a difference in the sauce. Zhou Yan's Kung Pao Chicken has a more prominent lychee flavor, which is the kind of flavor that takes your breath away immediately. It explodes in your mouth as soon as you put it in your mouth, with a sweet, sour, slightly spicy and numbing taste, coating the chicken pieces."

Huang Ying nodded in deep agreement: "Great minds think alike. I think the main difference lies in the sauce. Actually, our restaurant's Kung Pao Chicken is already very delicious, but it's just missing that little bit of flavor."

“That’s the difference between chefs, there’s nothing we can do about it.” Huang He sighed and glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “Zhou Yan is a genius, he’s somewhat like his master back in the day.”

"I'm quite lucky. I missed Master Kong Huaifeng's peak period, but I encountered Zhou Yan's rise. I'll be in for a treat from now on." Huang Ying grinned. By the time she learned to appreciate good food, Grandpa Kong had already retired, and she hadn't eaten with him many times.

But when her old man said that, she understood how amazing Master Kong Huaifeng was back then.

Zhou Yan can only be said to resemble his advisor in some ways, yet he is already able to cook so many amazing dishes.

If we let him grow a few more years, he will definitely become another master of Sichuan cuisine.

"It's hard to say. I'm already starting to worry about next year and the year after," Huang He said, eating Kung Pao Chicken with a touch of melancholy.

"Zhou Yan is a genius! This Kung Pao Chicken is so good! I've never been able to get the spicy lychee flavor right. I must ask him for some pointers later." At the next table, Wang Hongliang held a spoon and praised it highly.

As a food and cooking enthusiast, Wang Hongliang considers himself a level two chef, and there is no chef in Suji who can meet his standards.

Ever since Zhou Yan won him over with a dish of twice-cooked pork, he has been eating out more often and bringing home more braised dishes.

"This snowflake chicken soup is really good. I had it in Chengdu last time. I didn't expect to be able to eat it right here at the factory gate. This dish has to be eaten while it's hot. If it cools down, the lard will solidify and the taste will be a bit greasy," the factory manager's wife said with a smile, scooping a spoonful for her grandson.

"Mmm, it's so delicious!" Wang Wei tasted a spoonful of snowflake chicken soup, turned to Xia Yao, and whispered, "Yao Yao, are you two together yet?"

Every time she ate with Xia Yao, she couldn't help but ask her a question.

Xia Yao, who usually shakes her head, nodded today.

"Huh?" Wang Wei's eyes widened suddenly. "You're together?!"

"Mm." Xia Yao nodded slightly, a smile on her lips.

"Oh my god? Really?" Wang Wei put down her chopsticks and leaned over with a gossipy look on her face. "When did this happen? You agreed?" "Yesterday," Xia Yao whispered.

"I knew you two were up to something." Wang Wei said with a hint of envy, "That's great. Look at this table full of food. From now on, it will be your three meals a day. Sister, you really don't have to suffer at all in this life."

"It's still early." Xia Yao smiled and shook her head.

"Never mind, congratulations! I'll come over for meals often in the future and help Zhou Yan raise money for his betrothal gifts," Wang Wei said with a smile.

"Zhiqiang, will the eighth production line in the silk reeling workshop be able to start before the New Year?" Wang Hongliang raised his glass to Lin Zhiqiang and asked.

Lin Zhiqiang put down his cup and nodded, saying, "No problem, Factory Director. The machines are already in the debugging stage. However, since they are all new machines, we still need to train the workers. Director Zhao and I have already discussed it. After the machines are debugged, we will select outstanding employees from each production line for training and put them on the job, and strive to put them into production smoothly within the year."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dong, who was at the next table, quickly turned around and said, "Don't worry, factory manager, we guarantee a smooth start to production."

"Alright, we're having a meal, and now you're talking about work again. If this continues, who will want to eat with you in the future?" The factory manager's wife gently patted Wang Hongliang's hand.

"I just asked because I thought of it. It's nothing, let's eat." Wang Hongliang waved his hand with a smile.

Zhao Dong turned back, scooped a spoonful of Kung Pao Chicken into his bowl, and said to Huang He with a smile, "Brother-in-law, we didn't make a mistake coming today, did we? Zhou Yan's banquet was excellent. We'll definitely come back next time we have dinner."

Huang He looked at him and said, "Next time, take your mother up with you. After you eat, stay overnight and then come back. Anyway, there are plenty of rooms at home."

The old lady said, "No, I think it's fine to eat here. It's close by and the food is delicious. Look at these dishes, they're so unique."

“That’s right, how wonderful!” Huang Ying added, “Grandma, I love coming to Suji to eat.”

Just then, the grand finale, braised rock carp, was served.

Huang He sat up straight and looked at the braised rock carp on the long plate.

The fried rock carp, golden brown with a slight sheen of oil, had its sauce reduced to almost nothing, leaving only a thin line of oil on the plate. It was topped with minced meat and chopped pickled mustard greens, and a few scallion segments and pickled peppers were carefully arranged on top of the fish, making it look quite appealing.

This is the signature dish of Leming Restaurant, and also one of the signature dishes of the Kong School.

Braised rock carp is a delicacy that can be served as one of the four main dishes in high-end banquets. The skill of braising is quite exquisite, and even among chefs of the Kong school, the number of those who can make braised rock carp well can be counted on two hands.

Among the three generations of disciples, Fang Yifei and Song Bo were the best. For a time, they were in charge of cooking the braised rock carp at Leming Restaurant, and their dishes were almost identical to those of Grandpa Kong and Second Grandpa Kong.

Later, they were both transferred; one went to the capital, and the other went abroad with his superior.

Next up was Xu Yunliang. To be honest, Xu Yunliang's braised rock carp was not quite as good as his two junior brothers', but it was consistent, so when Er Kong was not in charge of cooking, he would take over.

Later, Grandpa Kong and Grandpa Kong Er retired one after another. Due to their age and health, they rarely went to the front line of the kitchen to cook anymore.

Xu Yunliang was transferred to Rongcheng Restaurant, and the braised rock carp at Leming Restaurant almost went out of business. They managed to bring back Master Kong to keep it going for a year. Later, Wang Mian studied under Master Kong for a year before he was able to take over the business.

I tried Wang Mian's braised rock carp and yellow crane once. It was decent, with the flavor of dry-braised fish. The broth did indeed reduce naturally, and the fish was fresh, but not tender enough. It was still somewhat inferior to the fish made by Grandpa Kong and Second Grandpa Kong.

However, it's good enough for Jiaozhou. Feiyan Restaurant and Jialin Restaurant can't make anything better. If you want to eat braised rock carp, you still have to go to Leming Restaurant.

But things are different now; Zhou Yan has brought out this braised rock carp.

He had already heard from Li Liangcai that Zhou Yan had cooked three dishes at a foreign businessmen's banquet and amazed everyone with his skills.

All three dishes were served tonight. The braised beef was excellent, but the snowflake chicken soup was truly outstanding.

Although he was moved to tears by the Kung Pao Chicken, he actually came here today for the braised rock carp.

"Try this final dish and see how it tastes." Huang He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish belly meat, and put it in his mouth.

The fish skin is slightly crispy, while the fish meat is exceptionally tender, with a firm and delicate texture. The aroma and oil from the stir-fried pork pieces coat the fish meat, resulting in a rich and smooth taste with a fresh and slightly spicy flavor that bursts in your mouth.

The characteristic of dry-frying is that it doesn't use cornstarch; the flavor is slowly absorbed into the fish. The subtle sweetness from the sugar and fermented glutinous rice, the slight sourness from the vinegar, and the unique aroma of the pickled mustard greens...

The rich layers of flavor are all contained in this one bite of fish, yet they are perfectly balanced.

"Leming Restaurant is doomed this time, holding a chicken in its hands." Huang He's tone was tinged with schadenfreude. "I hereby declare that the best dry-fried rock carp in Jiaozhou is now at Zhou Erwa Restaurant."

Huang Ying's eyes lit up after taking a bite of the braised rock carp, and she said with a smile, "If I remember correctly, a banquet with braised rock carp costs fifty yuan per table at Leming Restaurant. Although the other dishes are quite plentiful, there is no snowflake chicken soup, nor are there such delicious Kung Pao chicken and braised beef."

"Don't even mention Second Brother, they both have the same number of pockmarks on their faces." Zhao Shulan rolled her eyes at the father and daughter, suppressing a laugh, and said, "You still have the amusement to show for it?"

"The thought of Leming Hotel being brutally beaten by the fourth-generation disciples of the Kong School is hilarious; I can't stand it at all," Huang He said with a helpless smile.

What can we do? We can only go back and study how to deal with Tuesday's restaurant attack next year.

"A banquet costing thirty yuan a table, with this level of food, would make even the best banquet restaurants in Jiaozhou go bankrupt," Zhao Shulan said quietly.

Once the braised rock carp is served, the kitchen work is considered complete.

Zhou Yan glanced at his watch; it was 6:10.

One hour and ten minutes later, all the dishes for the twenty-eight tables were served.

Efficiency is maximized.

Zhao Hong and Li Lihua waited in the hall, occasionally adding rice to the guests' bowls and chopsticks.

Aunt Zhao has already gone upstairs to change her clothes and put on perfume. Even Zhou Momo and Old Zhou have been dragged away.

The dishes were ordered in advance, and we couldn't add any more.

"Awei, Zeng, well done, thank you for your hard work." Zhou Yan said with a smile as he looked at Awei and Zeng Anrong.

Awei's consistent performance and Zeng Anrong's arrival demonstrated their value to the fullest tonight.

If it were just him and Awei today, the kitchen would definitely be in a frenzy.

Ah Wei breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with excitement: "I can't believe the three of us actually pulled it off! Twenty-eight tables, and four more reserved for banquets, we're absolutely ruthless!"

"Master Zhou and Awei are really amazing." Zeng Anrong smiled and looked at Zhou Yan with admiration. She and Awei could only be considered kitchen helpers. Zhou Yan's cooking efficiency was too high. He was the fastest chef she had ever seen in her career.

"No, it's the three of us who are super awesome!" Zhou Yan laughed.

Ah Wei and Zeng Anrong also laughed.

The three-person kitchen team felt like they had fought a fierce battle together, and their level of teamwork had clearly improved.

"It's time to get off work and rest." Zhou Yan took off her apron and came out of the kitchen.

When Huang He saw him, he stood up with a smile and greeted him, "Boss Zhou."

"Mr. Huang, how's the food tonight? Does it suit everyone's taste?" Zhou Yan stepped forward with a smile.

"Thirty yuan for this table of dishes, and the taste is simply perfect." Huang He looked at the young man in front of him with undisguised admiration and emotion. In just a few months, twenty-year-old Zhou Yan had become an opponent that Huang He had to take seriously.

"Mr. Huang, you flatter me. I still have a lot to learn from you. I'll come to your place next time to support you," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Okay, come back and give me some pointers later.” Huang He nodded.

"Boss Zhou, the Kung Pao Chicken, Snowflake Chicken Soup, and Braised Rock Carp are so delicious! You've got a real knack for high-end banquet dishes," Huang Ying added, praising the dishes.

"Thank you, then you can take your time eating." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile and then walked over to Xia Yao's table.

Wang Hongliang looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Little Zhou, your Kung Pao Chicken is excellent. The spicy lychee flavor is just right. I'll come and ask you for some pointers sometime. I've never been able to get the spicy lychee flavor right. Once I learn it, I can make Kung Pao Shrimp Balls and Lychee Pork Kidney."

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Director Wang can come anytime. The key to the spicy lychee flavor is how to stir-fry the chili peppers, and secondly, how to prepare the sauce. Let's not talk about asking for advice, but about exchanging ideas."

"That's right, Xiao Zhou is really generous." Wang Hongliang nodded with a smile.

"Are you all satisfied with the food served at this banquet?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

"It's wonderful, even better than the banquets we had in Jiaozhou," the factory manager's wife nodded with a smile.

Meng Anhe nodded slightly: "It is very good. The dishes are plentiful, especially the snowflake chicken soup and the braised rock carp. They are particularly delicious. You can't find this taste in Chengdu."

"It's delicious, I love it." Xia Yao said to Zhou Yan with a smile.

"I'm a little stuffed." Wang Wei looked at the two of them, feeling like she'd been stuffed with another mouthful.

"Okay, then you can take your time eating." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile, greeted several regular customers, went upstairs to get his clothes, and prepared to take a cold shower so he could go to the show feeling refreshed.

Xia Yao put down her chopsticks and smiled, "Please enjoy your meal. I'm finished eating and need to change into my costume and makeup for tonight's performance, so I'll leave the table now."

“Okay, you go first, today’s performance is the most important.” Wang Hongliang nodded with a smile.

"Yaoyao, I'll go with you and sneak backstage to see the beauties." Wang Wei quickly ate a bite of fish, put down her chopsticks, and followed Xia Yao.

After the two left the restaurant, Wang Hongliang asked Lin Zhiqiang, "From what I overheard the two girls chatting, Xia Yao and Xiao Zhou are dating?"

The factory manager's wife looked up when she heard this, also showing some curiosity.

"It seems like they've reached an agreement." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile, a hint of smugness in his expression.

"It's good." Wang Hongliang nodded, his tone tinged with a hint of sourness: "Wang Wei is good in every way, except she's a bit dull."

　There will be another update later, probably after 1 AM. You can check it tomorrow morning.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)