Chapter 147 – Master, Your Dishes Can’t Compare

Translated by Kitchennovel dot com

 

“If the host wish it, the [System] will design a special packaging that will analyse the intention of the customer. As soon as it detects intentions outside the desire to eat, it will self destruct along with the content.” the [System’s] voice suddenly piped up.

“How much for one?” Mike asked interestedly.

After a short pause, the [System] answered, “Only 10 gold each.”

“Pei!” Mike rolled his eyes and trotted over to the kitchen.

One [Juicy Burger] was only 3 gold!

… please read this at kitchennovel.com …

“Here’s your [Yang Zhou Fried Rice].” Abbé Mia placed the first plate of [Yang Zhou Fried rice] in front of Wayson Neo with a smile. This customer was a little pitiful. The poor man was literally on his knees, begging for Boss Mike to give him some food, and looking at his pale face, she could believe that this poor man was close to starvation.

“Thank you.” Wayson Neo said simply, his eyes fixed eagerly upon the plate of [Yang Zhou Fried Rice]. Though he had seen people eating fried rice this morning, he was still kind of out of it. Now he found himself looking at something that was not only wonderfully colourful to look at, but was also enticing him with its exquisitely complex and alluring fragrance. He swallowed hungrily.

When Abbé Mia brought the [Yang Zhou Fried Rice] over, its fragrance attracted many gazes to it. It just so happened that the restaurant bosses were standing almost next to Wayson Neo’s table and was just at the right place to stare. And stare they did, eye wide with interest and mind buzzing with analysis.

“Just what is that thing? Why did he chop everything up into such tiny pieces? What kind of flavour could a dish offer without even a hint of chewiness?” Andrew frowned.

His restaurant was well known in Aden Square for their huge pork chops, and they were ranked as the 18^th most delicious food in Aden Square. Part of his fame was thanks to the showmanship butchering he liked to do in front of his restaurant. Each time he sees one of his customers biting into those huge chops, happiness suffused his whole body.

“The chicken egg has to be the key that ties in all the other ingredients’ flavour. This exquisite balance is the secret to this alluring scent. From the size of it, those looks like… rice? Could it be that every single rice is all wrapped in chicken’s egg? But how is it done? Rice is really tiny, you know, just… how?” Bernice‘s eyes were bright as she pondered upon this mystery.

Her restaurant’s signature dish ranked at number 13 in Aden Square, and her shop was famous for their delicate cooking that brought out the special qualities of fine ingredients. Therefore, she was particularly interested in the knife work needed to cut all the ingredients into such tiny and uniformed pieces.

“From the colour and shine of the ingredients, these had to be high end stuff. But, why fry all these valuable ingredients in oil? Why all the oil and seasoning? Is it really such good idea to smother good ingredients in all that junk? Every person has their own preference, this kind of wholesale cooking doesn’t even take a customers’ taste into consideration, won’t it be disgusting?” Miles frowned in thought.

His restaurant took customers’ preferences very seriously and specialized in custom made dishes tailored to each customer’s taste. While this technique meant his restaurant didn’t have a proper signature dish, he still had quite a good following, and business was not bad.

However, while everyone have their own doubts, no one actually said anything. It was not good manners to talk about other chef’s cooking while in their territory. It could be misinterpreted as an attempt to disrupt other restaurant’s business. As a chef, it was just not the done thing to do.

“En?” feeling eyes poking at him, Wayson Neo looked up, and saw the fixed gazes from several uncles and aunties staring straight at him. He subconsciously draw the fried rice closer to himself and said a little helplessly, “Hey, these uncles, aunties… can you please stop staring at me, it’s making me nervous, ah.”

“Don’t be nervous, we’re just looking, we’re not going to take your food.” Andrew laughed heartily, the fat on his entire body trembling, it was kind of terrifying.

“Do whatever you like.” Wayson Neo looked away, there was no way he could fight against a man who regularly hold down a live pig with one hand and a killing knife in the other. However, his stomach choose that moment to grumble, and his attention was once again drawn by the fried rice. He picked up a spoon and scooped a moderate amount of [Yang Zhou Fried Rice] into his mouth.

“Such- such deliciousness!”

Wayson Neo’s eyes brightened, as he enjoyed the spark of deliciousness spreading through his mouth. The flavours from several different kinds of ingredients merged together in a great harmonious symphony. He felt almost drunk from this unique kind of tastiness.

He swallowed almost reluctantly, and felt his throat warmed up as the rice travelled towards his stomach. His thin and wasted body slowly awakened to various sensation, like a dry land feeling the touch of spring rain after a long drought. It was warm and satisfying, a good amount of the weariness in his body dissipated almost immediately. There was the tiniest red tint on his cheeks, and even his hands felt stronger.

“It’s working! It’s really working! It’s working faster than all those folk remedies, and, and the taste, it’s just too delicious. No wonder my old lady couldn’t stop eating.” Wayson Neo’s eyes were very large and his face flushed with happiness as he stared at the [Yang Zhou Fried Rice]. Another spoonful of rice went into his mouth, and he chewed happily, his beautiful eyes sparkling with tears of happiness. One after another, spoonful after spoonful, he just could not stop himself as he wholeheartedly stuffed his mouth with more fried rice. Everything else around him had fallen away in the face of this [Yang Zhou Fried Rice].

[Gulu]

Everyone who happened to be watching Wayson Neo could not help but swallowed as they stared at him.

“Could it really be that delicious?”

Was the general question floating in everyone’s mind. They found they could not take their eyes off Wayson Neo and his rapidly diminishing plate of [Yang Zhou Fried Rice]. Those who never had [Yang Zhou Fried Rice] before tried to imagine what it tasted like and grew hungrier, and hungrier.

One by one, the dishes were sent out, soon the air was swimming with the combine scent of [Juicy Burger] and [Yang Zhou Fried Rice], to the point that the people still in queue were starting to jiggle their feet anxiously.

However, the half dragon waitress was firm about taking orders according the sequence people came in, and the dishes were all sent out according to this sequence. Not a single mistake was made. Also, since the people sitting and enjoying their food were all smiles, there was nothing that the waiting customers could say.

“What’s that one?” the peanut gallery by the counter were now watching a nearby customer who was now holding a [Juicy Burger] in his hand.

“Isn’t that just two pieces of biscuit with meat in the middle? Moreover, the meat was all in pieces, what’s so delicious about that?” by now, Andrew became even more confused. While the [Yang Zhou Fried Rice] could, by some stretch of imagination, be called fine cuisine, isn’t matching meat with biscuits a perfectly normal thing?

“The smell of this meat is certainly unique, does any of you have any idea how to make something like this?” Bernice couldn’t help but whispered to her fellow restaurateurs. The smell of meat had a much greater impact compared to the [Yang Zhou Fried Rice], and really raises the appetite.

As a customer, your only interest was to eat your delicious food as quickly as possible, but owner chefs were different, their main fixation was how these wonderfully delicious meat was made.

“Fried pork definitely do not smell like this.” said Andrew, shaking his head.

“It’s not baked.” behind them, an older lady shook her head.

“Well, it’s definitely not boiled.” Miles also frowned.

“Why do I get the feeling that this boss had used a completely new cooking method? Could all these food be cooked using innovative methods?” a bald uncle suddenly blurted out.

“Heh, innovative cooking? There’s been quite a few new restaurants popping up nowadays trying to compete using innovative cooking methods, but they’ve all closed down now. I think this boss is just blundering about mashing up different cooking methods to generate interest. It won’t be long before customers grow tired of his weird cooking style and stop coming completely.” Bishop said with a cold laugh, he had a very disdainful look on his face.

One of the customer seated nearby heard this, and looked up with a frown. When he saw Bishop, his eyes brightened, “Master, I’d advice you not to talk about things you don’t understand. Boss Mike’s [Juicy Burger] is wonderfully delicious. Let me tell you, your shallot pancakes definitely can’t compare”

[Gumihou: … *blinks*… I’m sleeping now, this has only been edited once. Let me know if there’s any glaring mistakes, please…wait, I’ve forgotten to press the button to publish the previous chapter?! …. Oh well, here’s a double chapter update…] [Gumihou: Ok, I’ve edited it again.]

 

  ^_^

 

Translated and edited by Gumihou from kitchennovel dot com.

 

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