A Bite of Douluo Continent

There is a system, but unfortunately it's a food system...

All of this is because the system doesn't allow Qi Han to join any faction.

[The host's mission is to promote the culinary culture of Earth in the Douluo Continent and conquer the other world with Earth's cuisine. As the host of the system, no force is qualified to recruit the host.]

"Not even the Tang Sect?" Qi Han was almost in tears. Now that he was in Douluo Continent, he had to cling to Tang San's coattails.

Yes, even the Tang Sect is not allowed.

System, you've narrowed your options!

Chapter Twenty-Five: Long Lines of People

In the end, Qi Han couldn't win against the system and could only accept the fact that he couldn't join any faction.

Back in his room on the second floor, Qi Han, exhausted from the day, quickly forgot his resentment towards the system and fell asleep immediately.

He strongly suspected that the system used some kind of black technology on the bed in the room that he didn't know about, so that he could fall asleep the next second as soon as he touched the bed.

System: No, I didn't, you're talking nonsense.

The next morning, when Qi Han got out of bed again, all the fatigue from the previous day had disappeared, and he felt full of energy.

Therefore, Qi Han did not hesitate to enter the training space.

He has completed more than half of the training for the tomato beef brisket dish. If all goes well, he should be able to finish it by this morning and then we can start preparing the new dish for lunch.

When Qi Han emerged from the training space again, it was nearly noon.

As expected, the tomato beef brisket restaurant successfully completed its training; now it's time to open the store.

Upon arriving on the first floor, Qi Han subconsciously glanced at the menu on the wall.

Small portion of egg fried rice - 5 Gold Soul Coins/portion

Large portion of fried rice - 10 gold coins/portion

Pork Tripe and Chicken Soup - 12 Gold Soul Coins/serving

Cucumber Salad - 2 Gold Coins/serving

Dongpo Pork Knuckle - 100 Gold Soul Coins/serving

Tomato Beef Brisket - 20 Gold Coins/serving

Although the tomato beef brisket is also made from a century-old spirit beast, the Ironclad Beef is not as special as the Osmanthus-scented Pig, and the dish made from it does not have the special effects of Dongpo Pork Knuckle, so the price is naturally not too expensive.

It seems the diners are in for a treat today.

Currently, the only pure meat dishes available in the small shop are Dongpo pork knuckle and tomato beef brisket. Dongpo pork knuckle is more expensive because it has the special effect of improving cultivation, and only Soul Masters with higher cultivation levels can afford it. This is not friendly to ordinary diners who like meat dishes.

Fortunately, there are now tomato beef brisket dishes that are much cheaper and taste just as good, giving diners more options.

Qi Han glanced at the door and suddenly froze.

When did your shop become so popular?

The shop's glass windows are made possible by the system's advanced technology. When the shop is closed, Qi Han can see outside, but those outside cannot see inside. When the shop is open, both the inside and outside can see each other.

The shop wasn't open yet, so people outside couldn't see Qi Han inside, but Qi Han could clearly see the long queue outside the shop.

At the very front of the line were none other than the four hall masters of the Tang Clan.

As the shop's reputation grows, many customers do now arrive before Qi Han opens the shop to wait, but the number is far from large, and there are no queues. They simply stand in small groups at the door waiting for Qi Han to open for business.

For some reason, diners are now lining up in long queues, and the number of diners is much greater than in the previous days.

Qi Han was unaware that Zhou Long's breakthrough to Soul Emperor at the small shop yesterday, and the gathering of four Title Douluo-level hall masters from the Tang Sect at the shop for a meal, had already caused a stir that swept through half of Shrek City.

Nowadays, the small shop is no longer just famous in the neighborhood. As the delicious food in the shop has been spread like wildfire by busybodies, many passersby from other places have also heard that there is such a small shop opposite Tangmen.

Those who have tasted the food at the small shop are enthusiastically recommending it to their friends and family.

The accumulation of positive word-of-mouth finally led to an explosion in popularity.

"Phew..." Although he didn't know the reason for the sudden increase in guests, Qi Han took a deep breath and opened the door as calmly as usual.

"Little brat, give this old man five servings of Dongpo pork knuckle! And one serving of cucumber salad!" Tyrell strode into the shop, looking eager to try it out, clearly intending to eat his fill of meat.

"I want one serving of braised pork belly and chicken, two servings of Dongpo pork knuckle, one serving of smashed cucumber, and one large serving of fried rice!" Compared to Tai Lei, Niu Yue's ordering was less biased, and he ordered every dish.

"A small portion of fried rice, a portion of pork tripe and chicken, and a portion of smashed cucumber." Zhao Yunsheng's appetite couldn't compare to those two guys. Compared to meat dishes like Dongpo pork knuckle, he preferred the simpler-looking fried rice and pork tripe and chicken.

"One Dongpo pork knuckle, two servings of smashed cucumber, and a small portion of fried rice with egg." Yu Hua looked very happy; his complexion seemed much better after not seeing him for a night.

"Huh?" Yu Hua's professional habits made him more observant of his surroundings, and soon he noticed that the menu seemed to have changed.

"Any new dishes?"

Ok?

The other three all turned their attention to the menu.

"Another serving of tomato beef brisket!" the four of them said in unison.

With this little incident, news of the shop having new dishes began to spread rapidly along with the long queue outside the shop.

Every customer who came in afterward would invariably look at the menu to see what the new dish was and how expensive it was.

Compared to Dongpo pork knuckle, tomato beef brisket quickly gained popularity among diners due to its affordable price.

Not long after, the tomato beef brisket served to the four hall masters of the Tang Clan was brought out.

Many diners, extremely curious about the new dish, craned their necks to see what it was all about, but ultimately dared not offend the four titled Douluo. Helplessly, they shrank back, smelling the unique aroma of tomato beef brisket in the air, and couldn't help but swallow a few mouthfuls of saliva, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their own portion.

The four hall masters had no such concerns; their eyes were all fixed on the steaming hot tomato beef brisket that had just been served.

Yu Hua was the first to pick up a piece of red tomato and put it in his mouth.

Tomatoes also exist in the Douluo Continent, so Yu Hua recognized the plant after tasting it.

Compared to local tomatoes, these tomatoes seem to be more sour, but also sweeter, with a much richer flavor.

The tomatoes, already peeled and cut into neat small pieces, were ripe and melted in the mouth as soon as they were put in, leaving a rich sweet and sour taste.

The sweet and sour flavor is complemented by the savory taste of beef. The two blend together without creating a jarring or chaotic effect. Instead, they add layers of complexity to the tomato's flavor.

Yu Hua smiled slightly. Ever since the cucumber salad cured his appetite, he seemed to have developed a liking for sour foods. He particularly enjoyed the perfect balance of sourness in the tomato and beef brisket.

After tasting the tomato, Yu Hua picked up a piece of beef brisket that had been stewed until tender.

Beef brisket is the tender meat from the belly and ribs of a cow. After being stewed for a long time, it becomes almost melt-in-your-mouth tender, but it does not completely lose its original elasticity.

The soft texture was soaked with the broth from the tomato and beef brisket, giving it a savory and slightly sweet and sour flavor.

The sweet and sour flavor perfectly highlights the freshness of the beef, elevating the savory flavor of the beef brisket to a whole new level.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Tang Zi's Shock

Yu Hua was very meticulous in his appreciation, but Niu Yue, standing next to him, wasn't so particular.

Niu Yue was a rough man. As soon as the tomato beef brisket was served, he buried his head in his chopsticks and started eating, and he ate faster and faster.

Lacking much formal education, he stared at the plate of tomato and beef brisket in front of him, exhausting his vocabulary, and could only manage to utter two words: "Delicious!"

Although he can eat as much as Terry, Niu Yue doesn't have such a strong preference for meat. He loves to eat anything, whether it's meat or vegetables, as long as it's delicious.

However, if he were to eat only meat like Tyrell, he would find it too greasy.

That's why this tomato beef brisket dish was also very much to Niu Yue's liking.

The combination of meat and vegetables elevates the dish, as the salty and savory flavor of the beef blends with the sweet and sour taste of the tomatoes. It avoids the greasiness of pure meat dishes and offers more layers of flavor than pure vegetables.

However, for Thales, this was a completely different experience.

Thales was a carnivore who couldn't live without meat. He believed that meat should be pure and should not be cooked with vegetables, as that would make the meat impure.

So when he saw this tomato beef brisket dish being served, he felt a little regretful.

I think I acted impulsively...

Can beef and tomatoes taste good when mixed together?

He knew the taste of tomatoes, of course; they were sweet and sour and quite palatable. Beef, on the other hand, was chewy yet tender. Could these two be combined?

But this is the small business owner's skill; it shouldn't be too bad, right...?

Thinking this, Talley hesitated for a moment but still picked up a piece of beef brisket with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

Well?

As if struck by lightning, Thales froze in mid-air.

His tiger-like eyes suddenly widened, and the taste in his mouth was something he had never experienced before.

It had the sweet and sour taste of tomatoes and the tenderness of beef. When the two were mixed together, a wonderful chemical reaction occurred. The beef was more tender than any beef he had ever tasted before, making him want to swallow his tongue.

Tomatoes and beef cooked together are surprisingly delicious!

Thales felt that his life motto of eating meat for decades had suddenly collapsed at this moment.

Tomato and beef brisket, so delicious!

"Another small portion of egg fried rice, please!"

While Terry was still questioning his life, Zhao Yunsheng's voice suddenly came. In just a short while, his fried rice was almost gone, and he had also finished half of the tomato beef brisket.

He loves fried rice with eggs and has perfected another characteristic of tomato beef brisket: it makes the rice even more delicious.

Zhao Yunsheng doesn't have many requirements regarding meat or vegetables. In his opinion, this tomato beef brisket is sweet, sour, salty, and savory, and it's absolutely delicious when eaten with fried rice.

After enjoying a couple of sips of the pork tripe and chicken soup, Zhao Yunsheng couldn't help but show a contented expression.

Even the gods wouldn't trade this life for something like this.

...

"Haha, boss, your little shop is getting better and better! Now there's even a queue!"

The shop door was pushed open, and a towering man strolled in. He was about to say something when he suddenly froze.

He rubbed his eyes and looked incredulously at the four old men in black robes sitting together not far away.

What's going on? Am I seeing things?