"We have quite a few 4A and 5A scenic spots here. When we're done filming, I'll take you on a proper tour and we can eat our fill of the local delicacies!"
Before Liu Yifeng could reply, Tongtong piped up excitedly. She was clearly a little foodie, her spirits lifting at the mention of food.
Her reaction amused everyone.
About twenty minutes later, Director Wang's car pulled into the underground parking lot of the food street.
The outdoor parking spaces were already full by then. Fortunately, the underground lot had plenty of room.
The third basement level was entirely dedicated to parking, capable of accommodating seven to eight hundred cars at once.
"You wouldn't believe it, but when it's crowded, even the underground parking lot is full. So, many people prefer taking taxis to eat here rather than driving. Otherwise, they'd spend ages just trying to find a spot, and even then, there's no guarantee of finding one." Director Wang commented on the not-so-abundant parking spaces as they got out of the car.
"Is it more crowded here than at Wuyi Square?" Xia Qianqian asked curiously.
She had been here for several days and hadn't even finished trying all the food at Wuyi Square, and now Director Wang was taking her to a new place.
Director Wang chuckled, "I wouldn't say it's more crowded than Wuyi Square, but it's certainly comparable. However, many out-of-towners flock to Wuyi Square for food because it's more famous. But locals who know their food prefer this place. My colleagues from work, when we have team dinners, we always come here. Today, I'm going to show you some truly unique dishes that will make you forget the very word 'diet'."
His words immediately made Liu Yifeng and Xia Qianqian eager to taste the delicacies he spoke so highly of.
Even Tongtong's stomach rumbled, and she urged, "Uncle Wang, I'm starving! Hurry up and take us!"
"Hahaha, follow me!" Director Wang laughed and led the way.
They then took an elevator to the first floor, walked down a small lane, and arrived at a seemingly unremarkable shop.
"Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance. Good wine needs no bush. The popularity of this place is comparable to a meteor colliding with Earth!"
Given Director Wang's high praise, Liu Yifeng entered with curiosity.
From the outside, it was hard to tell, but stepping inside revealed a different world. The buildings weren't ordinary high-rises; they resembled ancient taverns. Not only the buildings but also the interior decor were retro.
Even the restaurant staff were dressed like ancient shop assistants, wearing traditional costumes, especially the hats, making one feel as if they had traveled back in time.
Some customers, to match the ambiance, had also deliberately dressed in ancient attire to dine. The shop owner, to promote this historical culture, offered a 15% discount to anyone wearing ancient costumes. This applied to unlimited visits and spending amounts. Consequently, this eatery had become a distinctive spot in the area.
As Director Wang led them in, he introduced the restaurant to them. Upon entering, he was recognized by a server. "Boss Wang, you're here! The private room on the second floor is reserved for you. Please head up!"
"Great, warm a pot of good rice wine for me first!" Director Wang said.
"Alright, one pot of rice wine coming up!" the server exclaimed loudly.
Listening to the server's tone and seeing his attire, Liu Yifeng felt like he had time-traveled.
"Do you feel like you've time-traveled too?" Xia Qianqian whispered to him.
Liu Yifeng nodded, "Yes, you too?"
"If it weren't for the fact that some customers are wearing modern clothes, I would have truly believed we'd time-traveled! Look at that table of guests, dressed in scholarly robes. One might mistake them for the Four Great Talents of Jiangnan!"
Liu Yifeng followed her gaze and indeed saw four men in Tang Dynasty robes, particularly their hats. It reminded him of the clothes worn by the Four Great Talents in the drama when Tang Bohu chose Qiuxiang. The restaurant's cultural output was quite impressive, managing to get so many people to wear cumbersome ancient costumes just for a late-night meal.
"What are you two whispering about?" Director Wang, holding Tongtong's hand, had already reached the second floor. He turned around and saw them still on the first floor, talking about something.
Liu Yifeng and Xia Qianqian withdrew their gazes and walked towards the second floor.
"This restaurant has been around for ten years. Initially, business wasn't great, so the owner took a different approach and renovated it like this. The unique design immediately attracted quite a few customers. However, because the taste was rather mediocre, after a brief surge of customers, business plummeted. Later, the owner must have found some secret seasoning formula from somewhere, and the taste became exceptional. From then on, the restaurant's business grew steadily. The customers you see wearing ancient costumes are those with a certain fondness for ancient styles. Unlike me, I'm just here for the food and never wear those. If you're interested, you can even rent costumes. There's a large garden behind the restaurant where many people like to take photos."
After hearing Director Wang's explanation, Liu Yifeng looked surprised. "You can rent costumes here?"
"What's so surprising? Not only can you rent ancient costumes, but they also sell all sorts of modern crafts!"
Liu Yifeng clicked his tongue. This shop owner truly had a business acumen, able to drive other commercial activities through dining. However, he had no interest in ancient costumes and immediately shook his head. "I won't wear one. Tongtong, do you want to?"
Tongtong also shook her head. "Daddy, I don't want to either. It's too troublesome. I just want to eat right now. I'm so hungry!"
"Then let's hurry to the private room. I called the owner in advance to reserve this room," Director Wang said, leading them towards the room.
The private room's decor was pretty much as Liu Yifeng had imagined, with screens used for interior decoration. A low table was placed on the floor, covered with a clean rug and soft cushions for seating. A small corner of the window was open for ventilation. The only incongruous element was the modern, bright lighting. However, using only candles would have wasted a significant amount. Thus, the owner ultimately opted for electric lights.
"When dining in a private room, we sit on the floor. But you don't need to take off your shoes; just come in!" Judging by Director Wang's familiar demeanor, it was clear he had been here more than once.
The group found comfortable seating positions. A server then entered with the menus. Director Wang ordered all the dishes he considered delicious and then asked Liu Yifeng and the others to order anything else they wanted. Seeing that Director Wang had ordered quite a few dishes, Liu Yifeng didn't order but instead asked Xia Qianqian to do so.