Chapter 143: Chapter 143 I Just Love This Luxurious Feeling!
Little Black was fostered at Happy Ranch, where Zhang Dashan and Zhang Xinya would help look after him.
The two of them happily agreed.
After all, there were many animals on the ranch, and since Little Black was obedient, this place was quite suitable for him.
Jiang Feng was focused on the affairs of Jiangyue Terrace.
After the restaurant’s opening, Jiang Feng did not specifically invite the media for publicity, but many "word-of-mouth" promoters voluntarily helped promote the place.
Many tourists visiting the city treated Jiangyue Terrace as a must-visit photo check-in spot.
At the same time, right after the opening day, the name Jiangyue Terrace Restaurant appeared on "Meituan," "Dianping," and map software.
Many people left comments and reviews under Jiangyue Terrace’s listing.
They were unanimously five-star positive reviews.
On Little Red Book, many people were recommending it, especially local young women, who strongly recommended it.
The restaurant was developing in a good direction.
「The next day.」
By 10 o’clock in the morning, people had already started lining up at the door.
The restaurant would open for business at 11 o’clock, meaning they could only enter then.
At this time, the waitstaff and chefs were all in place.
Jiang Feng had hired three more waitstaff and two additional assistant chefs, making the pace just right without overloading operations.
Jiang Feng was checking the ingredients.
He took quality and food safety very seriously.
The employees understood his personality well: usually gentle, but strict when it mattered.
So they had prepared everything early on.
Today, Jiang Feng was preparing White Braised Quartet.
This dish had an illustrious history, being a very famous traditional dish from the Eastern Shandong Region and one of the renowned dishes of the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.
Being a part of the Manchu Han Imperial Feast spoke volumes about its preciousness.
After confirming there were no issues with the ingredients, Jiang Feng began preparing the dish.
「Meanwhile, outside Jiangyue Terrace.」
At this moment, a group of seven or eight people was gathered together.
Leading the group was a man of about thirty-five, dressed in a red Tang suit. He was a food vlogger known as Uncle Qiu’s Kitchen, who usually shared various cooking methods.
He occasionally did restaurant reviews.
Many fans had asked him to try the dishes at the newly opened Jiangyue Terrace to see if they were authentic.
He felt his own assessment wouldn’t suffice, so he had specially invited a retired Shandong Cuisine chef, the sixty-five-year-old Zhao Guoli, to come along.
With tens of millions of fans, his video productions were very professional, and their attention to detail was meticulous.
Moreover, their restaurant reviews were genuine; they would not accept any payment from the restaurants.
After all, they didn’t care about that kind of money.
Li Qiu, with a microphone on his chest, spoke into the camera, his voice clear and articulate, his explanation exuding expertise:
"Everyone, today we’ve come to the recently trending Jiangyue Terrace Shandong Cuisine Restaurant. I’ve heard that the Shandong Cuisine here is exceptionally authentic, especially since the owner himself, though young, is already a masterful cook.
"At the request of the fans, I’m here today to taste the flavors of Shandong Cuisine, particularly the dishes prepared by the restaurant owner whose skills everyone is eager to experience.
"I guarantee absolute objectivity and fairness.
"For this, I have specially invited Mr. Zhao Guoli, a titan of Shandong Cuisine.
"Now, let Mr. Zhao and I go inside and see for ourselves."
After recording this segment, the group headed into the restaurant.
Zhao Guoli looked up at the Jiangyue Terrace signboard without saying much.
Nowadays, the restaurant industry was thriving, and many young chefs possessed excellent culinary skills, a departure from the old days where seniority dictated status.
Of course, this outdated practice was still deeply rooted within the Chefs Association.
Many chefs believed that membership in the association lent their names greater prestige.
Little did they know that for a chef, true reputation hinged on customer satisfaction. Delicious food was paramount.
Li Qiu had already booked a private room. As they entered, everyone observed the restaurant’s environment.
The ambiance was excellent, with an antique charm and tasteful decor.
Upon entering, they could see the list of featured chefs for the day, which included Jiang Feng.
Below it was written: Today’s Specialty: White Braised Quartet.
Li Qiu said to Zhao Guoli beside him, "The restaurant owner is preparing White Braised Quartet today.
"I’ve heard about him; he can cook anything and everything, always with creative variations.
"His unique style is why he’s so well-liked by everyone."
Upon hearing Li Qiu’s words, Zhao Guoli nodded slightly and responded, "Preparing White Braised Quartet is not easy; it’s a renowned dish from the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.
"Simply being able to make it is not easy, and making it well is even more challenging.
"It demands strong fundamental cooking skills."
Li Qiu had also heard of this dish but hadn’t yet had time to make a related video for his fans. He wanted to see what this dish was like, and if it was good, he planned to create a tutorial on White Braised Quartet when he returned.
"Then let’s taste the owner’s craftsmanship," he said.
The group moved forward, entering the reserved private room, and began ordering dishes.
「In the kitchen.」
Order after order came in.
Without a doubt, White Braised Quartet became a must-order dish on every table.
Jiang Feng began preparing the ingredients.
The four main ingredients for White Braised Quartet were: deep-sea fish maw, abalone, chicken breast, and dragon’s beard greens.
So-called deep-sea fish maw, like abalone, is a precious marine ingredient.
Abalone and chicken breast are more commonly seen.
Dragon’s beard greens, known by various names in different regions, typically feature in cold dishes. They are crystal clear, have a very crisp texture, and are widely beloved.
The specific method for White Braised Quartet involves cooking the four ingredients using distinct techniques. Then, they are arranged neatly on a plate. Clear broth, cooking wine, and refined salt are added. The dish is brought to a boil over heat, and any froth is skimmed off. A cornstarch slurry (cornstarch diluted with water) is stirred in to thicken the sauce, and finally, chicken oil is drizzled over it. And it’s ready.
It seems simple but is actually very difficult.
Take chicken breast, for instance, which needs to be de-sinewed, skinned, and cut into large, thin slices.
Dragon’s beard greens, for example, need to be steamed for 10 minutes in a steamer after adding chicken oil and refined salt.
The abalone and deep-sea fish maw must both be cooked and flavored with cooking wine to remove any unwanted odors.
Jiang Feng was completely at ease handling these ingredients.
His handling of each ingredient was perfect.
Soon, portions of White Braised Quartet were assembled, plate by plate, and placed on an integrated stovetop to simmer.
Someone was specifically responsible for skimming the froth.
This dish also involved precious ingredients, a delicacy not found in ordinary eateries.
The cost of ingredients was not low.
If you wanted to eat it, you could only come to an authentic Shandong Cuisine restaurant like this to savor it.
The dish was priced at 128 yuan, which was also considered expensive.
But the abalone and deep-sea fish maw were costly, and the abalones were genuinely large and high-quality, so the price was considered reasonable.
The main dining hall and private rooms of the restaurant were now filled with customers.
Outside, people were beginning to queue.
The chefs and waitstaff bustled about again.
This Shandong Cuisine restaurant was truly unique.
It offered both affordable dishes and rarer, pricier options.
Whether one wanted a few simple home-style dishes or wished to splurge a little on something exotic, this place could satisfy.
This was because the flavors of the dishes were excellent.
In the private room, the White Braised Quartet that everyone was anticipating was finally served.
On the plate, the "four treasures" were separated by bok choy, with each section showcasing one of the main ingredients.
The overall presentation was very exquisite.
The four ingredients each stood out on their own while still coming together as a unified whole.
The dish offered the succulence of abalone, the crispness of dragon’s beard greens, the delightful texture of deep-sea fish maw, and the tender fragrance of chicken breast.
Waves of aroma wafted from it, and all eyes were on the dish.
"Teacher Zhao, please try it," Li Qiu politely invited Zhao Guoli.
The camera was pointed right at the two of them. Whether the dish tasted like authentic Shandong Cuisine would depend on Zhao Guoli’s assessment.
Looking at the dish on the plate, Zhao Guoli smiled and admired, "From its appearance, this White Braised Quartet is flawless.
"A dish doesn’t have a fixed presentation; as long as it’s neat, clean, simple, and impressive, that’s what matters.
"After all, it’s an imperial court dish, so it must be presentable."
As he spoke, he picked up his chopsticks and first tried a piece of abalone.
The abalone was still hot. The sauce was very rich, blending the flavors of various ingredients, including a subtle chicken essence and the aroma of wine.
Zhao Guoli chewed carefully, savoring the internal flavors of the abalone.
He then couldn’t help but exclaim, "Very good! The quality of the abalone is excellent, it’s well-prepared, and very fresh. It has the fragrance of chicken oil and a hint of wine.
"Most importantly, abalone usually doesn’t absorb flavors well, but this one was stewed perfectly. To achieve this requires a high level of culinary skill from the chef."
Next, Zhao Guoli picked up some deep-sea fish maw.
The deep-sea fish maw was tender and readily absorbed the broth, so its deliciousness hinged on the broth’s quality.
After tasting it, he couldn’t help but take another piece.
"Truly delicious! The deep-sea fish maw is also perfectly prepared. He did an excellent job removing any unwanted odors while enhancing its natural flavor. It’s very fragrant."
Following that, Zhao Guoli tasted the chicken breast and dragon’s beard greens as well, finding them both excellent.
Jiang Feng had done an excellent job thickening the sauce; it was rich, and the flavors were authentic and robust.
Every bite was filled with savory fragrance.
Li Qiu also picked up his chopsticks to taste the four ingredients.
Being a chef himself, he had a deep understanding of culinary art.
Just from one taste of the abalone, he knew Jiang Feng had real skill, and it was solid.
Abalone stewed this fragrantly is truly rare! Li Qiu thought.
"The owner of this restaurant is indeed formidable!" he couldn’t help but exclaim.
The video of their critique was recorded. After the team finished editing, it would be posted online.
The viewership numbers would break a million, and the likes would exceed one hundred thousand.
Most netizens wouldn’t necessarily visit in person after watching the video, but they would come to know Jiang Feng through it.
At least in the culinary industry, Jiang Feng’s rise was unstoppable.
In the main hall, the diners’ faces were filled with excitement.
"More abalone! What an eye-opener!"
"I love this rich and upscale feeling!"
"This is an imperial court dish, what the emperor ate!"
"It tastes so good. Now I can say I’ve had abalone too!"
Everyone was very satisfied with the White Braised Quartet.
Every person who tried the dish wore a smile on their face.
Dining at this Shandong Cuisine restaurant was a great experience.