Chapter 286: The Soul-Shaking Impact of Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish
The voting process for recommendation votes was a simple matter.
Ruyi had already prepared small customized ballot boxes for Qi Han the night before—one for each dish.
These ballot boxes had slots just the right size for inserting a single recommendation vote. Since they were designed to be small—much smaller than the menu plaques—there was no issue of space limitations like the twenty-item cap for the menu wall.
Instead, they could simply be mounted on the opposite wall.
Once everything was explained and in place, everyone took their positions. As Fu Ya pushed open Han Shi's doors, the restaurant officially began its first day of business for the food festival.
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"Is this Han Shi's location in Shrek City?"
Standing in the queue outside, Mu Liufeng carefully observed the surroundings.
"The restaurant seems smaller than the one in Star Luo City..." He then glanced at the Tang Sect branch across the street, as well as the two auction houses and the Great Spirit Arena on either side. Nodding slightly, he commented, "But the location is excellent."
As the chief editor of the Food Critique Magazine, Mu Liufeng naturally wouldn't miss a grand event like the Shrek Food Festival.
After all, experiencing a greater variety of cuisine could help improve and expand the Food Critique Magazine.
Of course, the biggest reason for his presence was simply his love of food.
As a devoted foodie, missing an event like this would be an unbearable regret.
That morning, he had already reviewed the list of competition dishes. Han Shi had entered eight new dishes, none of which he had ever heard of before. He had to admit—this piqued his curiosity.
As one of the many voters, he had three recommendation votes, allowing him to vote for three dishes.
Due to his fondness for Han Shi, he had chosen it as the first stop on his food journey.
The queue outside Han Shi was longer than usual, but as a loyal customer of the Star Luo City location, Mu Liufeng was well aware of this possibility. Arriving early had allowed him to secure a spot among the first wave of diners.
Upon entering the restaurant, he glanced around at the interior decor and nodded approvingly.
Not bad—the same design as the first floor of Han Shi in Star Luo City.
This was a style that Mu Liufeng personally appreciated.
In fact, many people in Star Luo City had started considering renovating their homes in a similar fashion—choosing Han Shi's simple yet elegant aesthetic over excessive luxury and embellishment.
After finding a seat, Mu Liufeng quickly spotted Qin Yao and Keke.
Yesterday, when the Star Luo City Han Shi had closed for the day, a notice had been posted stating that the three of them were heading to Shrek City. Seeing them here was entirely expected.
Since Fu Ya was still busy greeting other customers, Mu Liufeng took the opportunity to observe his surroundings.
Before long, he found the menu plaques displaying the eight new dishes.
Wensi Tofu – 1,500 gold coins per serving.
Jade Dragon Tendons – 800 gold coins per serving.
Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers – 60 gold coins per serving.
Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish – 52 gold coins per serving.
Bodhi Vegetarian Dish – 20 gold coins per serving.
Swallow-Skin Dumplings – 30 gold coins per serving.
Dragon Well Tea Shrimp – 25 gold coins per serving.
Fish-flavored Shredded Pork – 15 gold coins per serving.
Wensi Tofu and Jade Dragon Tendons were priced significantly higher, but judging by the color of the plaques, they were likely special dishes capable of creating a heavenly phenomenon. With that in mind, Mu Liufeng found their prices reasonable.
Especially Jade Dragon Tendons—only 800 gold coins?
He then noticed that some familiar dishes, like Dragon Whisker Noodles and Xiaolongbao, were missing from the menu plaques.
Did they stop selling them?
Mu Liufeng noticed a menu on the table and flipped through it. That thought was quickly dismissed.
The hotpot menu at the Star Luo City location was always available, but since it contained a large number of ingredients, it was relatively concise—each item was presented with a small image and a brief description.
This menu, however, was different. With only a little over twenty dishes, it allowed for two to three full pages per dish for detailed descriptions and photos. That wasn't excessive, was it?
As he looked through the beautifully illustrated menu, Mu Liufeng couldn't help but swallow.
Soon, he had carefully examined all eight new dishes.
Although he missed many of Han Shi's other delicacies, which he hadn't eaten in a long time, his desire to try the new dishes was even stronger.
Just as Mu Liufeng finished reading the menu, Fu Ya quickly walked over. "Hello, may I take your order?"
"One Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish and one Swallow-Skin Dumplings," Mu Liufeng responded gracefully with a nod, signaling that he was done ordering.
At that moment, the menu's other advantage became apparent.
By looking at the pictures, diners could easily distinguish between main courses and side dishes and gauge portion sizes. This way, there was no risk of ordering too much and wasting food.
"Alright, please wait a moment." Fu Ya nodded before turning and heading into the kitchen.
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In the kitchen, Qi Han took the order slip from Fu Ya while continuing his cooking, occasionally glancing at Qin Yue.
Under his guidance, Qin Yue handled simple ingredients, such as chopping scallions.
The more Qi Han observed, the more surprised he felt.
This little girl… was she already approaching the threshold of proficiency in knife skills?
Feeling pleased, Qi Han nodded approvingly.
Reaching proficiency was relatively easy, but achieving mastery was far more difficult.
When Qi Han had reached the mastery level in knife skills, it was only after he had perfected deboning an entire fish for Fish Belly Stuffed with Lamb. As for perfection, that took an arduous amount of training, which he only managed to achieve while preparing Wensi Tofu.
With Qin Yue's talent, a few more days of guidance should be enough for her to break through to the Proficiency level.
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Mu Liufeng didn't have to wait long before his two dishes were served.
Compared to the visually unimpressive Swallow-Skin Dumplings, the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish immediately seized his full attention.
The golden-brown fried fish was evenly drizzled with a bright tomato-red sauce. Even as it was placed on the table, the sauce was still bubbling slightly, producing a continuous sizzling sound. A rich, mouthwatering aroma wafted into Mu Liufeng's nose.
On the Douluo Continent, deep-frying was a relatively uncommon cooking method.
For one, it required a large amount of oil, which most families found too wasteful for a single dish. Additionally, deep-frying techniques had yet to develop into a full-fledged culinary system.
Concepts like batter made from starch, egg wash, and breadcrumbs—the golden trio of deep-frying—were nonexistent in this world.
As a result, fried foods here were nowhere near as refined as those on Earth, which was why deep-fried cuisine hadn't gained widespread popularity.
Thus, when this distinct, rich aroma unique to fried food entered Mu Liufeng's nose, his eyes widened in shock. It felt like his very soul was being shaken.
What an unbelievable aroma!
The scent of crispy, golden batter made from flour and egg, fried to perfection, carried a deep and satisfying richness. Beneath that crispy shell, the fish fibers—naturally fresh with the delicate taste of river fish—were fully cooked at high heat. These elements fused into one incredible olfactory experience in Mu Liufeng's nose.
If there was any flaw, it was perhaps the unavoidable hint of greasiness that came with deep-fried food.
But that slight greasiness was completely masked by another flavor, making it undetectable.
It came from the tomato-based sauce, which had now cooled slightly and stopped sizzling. Its glossy surface and warm hue made it all the more enticing.
The intensely sweet and tangy fruity aroma instantly cut through the oiliness, balancing it out entirely. The fusion of fruitiness and fish fragrance further elevated the dish's depth of flavor.
Taking in a deep, greedy inhale, Mu Liufeng felt powerless against such an intoxicating aroma.
Unable to resist, he picked up his chopsticks and carefully grabbed a piece of fish.
With minimal effort, the delicate fish piece came off cleanly.
Looking at the golden, sauce-covered fillet, Mu Liufeng's appetite surged, and he wasted no time in bringing it to his mouth.
Crunch. Crunch
As the crisp sound of chewing filled the air, a look of pure enjoyment spread across Mu Liufeng's face.
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