"But if I had to make a comparison, it's actually somewhat similar to the Roujiamo from Xi'an." "It's just that you used bread instead of a
"But if I had to make a comparison, it's actually somewhat similar to the Roujiamo from Xi'an."
"It's just that you used bread instead of a 'mo' bun, and it went through a deep-frying process."
Savoring the taste in his mouth, Dylan nodded, a look of approval on his face.
This one bite was filled with fragrant ingredients, their flavors intermingling, ultimately forming a deliciousness that was hard to resist!
The aroma of sesame, the aroma of bread, the aroma of mango black pepper beef cubes, the aroma of shrimp cutlet.
Dylan even tasted the flavor of garlic paste.
"It seems you've made quite a few innovations on this. You actually added garlic paste."
"This was the optimal solution I arrived at after many trials. It incorporates the method of French garlic bread, which can enrich the flavor of this dish while also stimulating the essential taste of the ingredients. And besides, whether it's the bread, the beef cubes, or the shrimp, their compatibility with garlic paste is excellent."
Hearing Dylan's voice again, Kikuchi Sonoka said with a smile, revealing the source of her inspiration for adding garlic paste.
"You did the right thing. France has garlic bread, and China has many dishes like steamed vermicelli with garlic, steamed prawns with garlic, and golden garlic beef cubes. All of these dishes, without exception, maximize the flavor of the ingredient 'garlic,' allowing it to integrate with the taste of the main ingredients."
Dylan said as he took another large bite, savoring the flavor within, closing his eyes in thought.
If the garlic paste were replaced with minced garlic, would the taste be even better?
Garlic paste is made by directly crushing garlic cloves and adding water to form a paste, resulting in a fine, smooth texture that is relatively gentle on the palate.
Minced garlic, on the other hand, is made by chopping garlic cloves, usually with seasonings like chili and salt, and then stir-frying it in oil, giving it a golden color and aroma.
If the goal was to highlight the original flavor of the ingredients, then garlic paste was the most suitable choice. Minced garlic, with its stronger spicy flavor, would compete with the ingredients for taste.
"I already have an answer in my heart about the result of the match. Before I announce the final answer, why don't you two taste each other's dishes."
Opening his eyes, having compared the tastes of the two dishes, Dylan already had an answer. He then spoke to them in a faint voice.
"Okay."
Having been eager to try Kikuchi Sonoka's dish for a while, Soma Yukihira nodded immediately after hearing Dylan's words.
He then picked up a shrimp cutlet from the plate, brought it to his mouth, and took a bite.
"Similar, yet I can feel a clear difference."
The moment the shrimp cutlet entered his mouth, this thought appeared in Soma Yukihira's mind.
The taste of this dish was very similar to the "Treasure Trove of Four Small Eats" that Dylan had made, but upon careful tasting, he could feel a clear difference.
The biggest difference was that this dish had integrated all the flavors.
"Have the scattered flavors been gathered into a whole? The chicken cutlet replaced with a shrimp cutlet, and the bread filled with chopped mango and black pepper beef..."
Soma Yukihira closed his eyes to savor it carefully, feeling the various flavors spread in his mouth and fuse together during the chewing process.
If Dylan's "Treasure Trove of Four Small Eats" was about creating four separate dishes with dispersed flavors, allowing diners to randomly combine them in their mouths according to their preferences, like opening a treasure chest to experience new tastes at any time.
Then Kikuchi Sonoka's dish was about unifying all these dispersed flavors, forming a lasting and stable unique taste!
"The flavors of the beef and shrimp combine, integrating freshness, tenderness, and smoothness into one. It's truly a great dish."
On the other side, holding the steamed tofu bowl made by Soma Yukihira, Kikuchi Sonoka also let out a sigh of admiration.
In the bowl was extremely tender tofu, combined with the slightly chewy beef and shrimp, and then drizzled with a carefully prepared seasoning sauce.
One bite was endlessly evocative. Both the texture and taste were interpreted very well, making the tofu's journey into this world worthwhile.
Soon, both parties had finished tasting each other's dishes and turned their gazes towards Dylan in unison.
"Soma, your dish has a very clever combination of ingredients, using tofu, beef, and shrimp. This gives the dish both the chewiness of meat, the umami of seafood, and the delicacy of tofu, forming a clear contrast and complementarity."
"Sonoka's dish was evolved from my own, so I have a deeper feeling for it. This innovative dish looks very similar to mine, but only after tasting it can one know how much innovation she has made."
Seeing the two finish each other's dishes and look over at him, Dylan couldn't help but start commenting on the taste of their cooking.
"What I just said was about the creativity of you two. If we're talking purely about taste, Soma, your dish can at best be considered a semi-finished product. There are still many areas that can be improved. And Sonoka's dish is a complete entity, with the flavors of each part already fully polished."
Looking at the two, whose eyes were now flickering, Dylan further commented.
The gap between these two was quite obvious. One was a semi-finished product, the other a complete product. There was a significant difference in the level of completion.
In terms of cooking rank, it was like one was approaching Special Grade, while the other was only at the peak of Second Grade.
And this was only achieved with Soma Yukihira performing beyond his usual level.
Looking at the empty plate before him, a wry smile appeared on Soma Yukihira's face. He had lost after all.
The moment he ate the dish, he understood the gap between them.
Although Kikuchi Sonoka wasn't as formidable as his old man, she was not someone he could contend with. Her control over every detail of the cooking was far more proficient than his.
Just by using a garlic paste and changing the proportions of a few seasonings, she unified the taste of the entire dish. This was something he was incapable of.
Nearby, a look of understanding also appeared on Joichiro Yukihira's face. In front of him was just an empty bowl. The companion of a monster, how could they be a simple character?
"It's getting late now. If there's nothing else, we'll be taking our leave."
Looking at the time on his watch, it was already eleven at night. He was usually asleep at this time, so Dylan spoke to Joichiro Yukihira.
The matter here was concluded.
It was time for them to head to the next place.
"Be careful on your way. I won't see you off."
Watching Dylan get up and take Kikuchi Sonoka's small hand, preparing to leave, Joichiro Yukihira walked with him to the door.
"Go back now."
Leaving the restaurant, Dylan waved at Joichiro Yukihira, his voice coming from a distance.
"What a pair of travelers, coming and going in a rush."
Watching the receding backs of Dylan and Kikuchi Sonoka, Joichiro Yukihira couldn't help but sigh softly, then looked at Soma Yukihira, who was sitting on a chair in the shop, lost in thought.
"Soma, clean up. Let's go home."
As he spoke, Joichiro Yukihira walked into the kitchen and began to tidy up the mess. Soma Yukihira, seeing this, said nothing and also went in.
For them, this was just another ordinary day.
Half an hour later, the father and son stood at the shop entrance.
Joichiro Yukihira bent down to close up the shop. Soma Yukihira stood to the side, his head slightly lowered, his hands clasped, lost in thought.
"What's wrong? Feeling lost about the future after seeing such a formidable chef in the world?"
Putting the key back in his pocket, patting it to confirm its presence, he turned around and looked at the downcast Soma Yukihira, speaking in a half-joking manner.
"No, I just feel that I'm so weak. To lose the match so easily. My opponent wasn't even much older than me."
Looking up at the sky, Soma Yukihira's voice was filled with emotion.
A father and son being defeated on the same day—it was, one had to admit, a very sad affair.
"That person should be his disciple. To have the strength of a peak first-grade head chef at that age, she can be considered a talented genius. You're not even 15 yet; this is a period of rapid growth in your culinary skills. You don't need to be discouraged."
Feeling the cool breeze on his face, Joichiro Yukihira opened his large hand and patted Soma Yukihira's head comfortingly.
"I know. I just didn't expect that even you would lose, Dad."
"As long as it's a competition, there's no such thing as never losing. Don't be fooled by how strong that guy is now; he must have experienced countless failures to get to this point. So, failure is not a scary thing. What's scary is not knowing how to face failure, giving up on yourself after just one failure. But you shouldn't have that problem."
Just as he was about to give Soma Yukihira some chicken soup for the soul, he suddenly remembered that his son had challenged him so many times, and even though he lost every time, he never gave up.
Such an unyielding spirit was an essential element for success in any industry.
"Don't worry, I just feel that losing so easily was too unsightly. I won't give up on myself because of this. Give me special training when we get back, Dad. The next time we meet, I will definitely defeat that girl, and then challenge that man!"
Shaking his head, thinking of the techniques Dylan displayed during his duel with Joichiro Yukihira, a flash of amazement appeared in Soma Yukihira's eyes.
Having such a person as an opponent was truly exhilarating!
"Then my goal will be to defeat him the next time we meet. Starting tomorrow, the shop will be temporarily closed. Let's start the special training, Soma."
"We're even closing the shop for this? Okay!"
Hearing Joichiro Yukihira's words, Soma Yukihira was first surprised, then came back to his senses, an excited expression appearing on his face.
In his memory, they hadn't closed the shop for renovations very often.
Only occasionally when they went on trips, or when his dad was going to teach him something new, would they temporarily close for a period.
It should be the same this time.
"Then let's rest early tonight. Get up at five tomorrow for special training!"
As he spoke, Soma Yukihira quickened his pace.
"Hey, hey, spare me from getting up at five. It's rare to have a day off, I wanted to rest a bit more."
"No slacking! Since it's special training, we have to train from morning till night! The taste of defeat is really not pleasant..."
Following behind Soma Yukihira and hearing his words, a wry smile appeared on Joichiro Yukihira's face. He had been planning to sleep in tomorrow.
As expected of a young man, so full of energy.
"After this training is over, I hope you can shine brightly at Tōtsuki."
Looking at Soma Yukihira's back, Joichiro Yukihira thought to himself.
He had long had the idea of letting Soma Yukihira go out and explore. Old man Nakiri had also been urging him. Dylan's appearance had just accelerated this process.
Coincidentally, he didn't know where to go after closing the shop.
Originally, he was planning to continue traveling, to re-walk the path he had taken in his youth, to see if he would have any new insights.
But now, since there was a better place to go, he certainly wouldn't stubbornly stick to his original idea.
The Dark Cooking Society, was it? Let him see just what kind of organization this was!
Night fell. Feeling the wind on his face, and seeing Kikuchi Sonoka's face turn a little red from the cold, Dylan took her hand and put it into his own coat pocket, bringing warmth to the young woman.
"Dylan Sensei?"
Feeling the warmth in her hand, Kikuchi Sonoka's expression was surprised. It seemed she hadn't expected Dylan to suddenly do this; it didn't fit his aloof persona.
Seeing Dylan look over, she immediately swallowed the words she was about to say. The young woman's face turned slightly red, but her heart warmed because her hand was warm.
"Are you wondering why I've suddenly become so considerate? It's actually very simple. Before, our relationship wasn't deep, so I was cold to you. But now we're a couple. Loving you, caring for you, has become a matter of course for me."
Although Kikuchi Sonoka didn't say it outright, Dylan still saw through her thoughts and explained softly.
Before, the two had no relationship at all. If he had been good to her one-sidedly, it would have been somewhat like a simp, and he didn't want to do that kind of thing.
But now that the two were together, except for the final step, all other positions had been unlocked. In Dylan's heart, the other person was already his.
Since she was his person, then there was no problem with caring for her wholeheartedly. He had always been the best to the people around him.
"I see. I feel... a little happy..."
Hearing Dylan's explanation, Kikuchi Sonoka finally reacted, a slight smile on her lips, clearly enjoying his explanation.
To change from an irrelevant person to someone on his mind, such a huge transformation, it was hard not to make her feel happy.
"Then you might be happy a little too early. Regarding your underestimation of your opponent just now, I'm going to give you some punishment when we get back to the hotel."
Looking at Kikuchi Sonoka's happy expression, Dylan unceremoniously threw a bucket of cold water, then gave a warning of the impending punishment.
Tremble in fear, young woman!
This is the punishment for disrespecting your opponent!
"That's right, a punishment that will make you feel incredibly ashamed. Prepare yourself!"
Hearing the young woman's puzzled question, Dylan said with his head held high, completely oblivious to the somewhat strange look she was giving him.
"Then I'm really looking forward to it."
"So you're scared now! Let's see if you dare to underestimate... wait? Looking forward to it?"
Hearing Kikuchi Sonoka's words, Dylan was just about to lecture her, but then he saw a look of anticipation on her face.
This couldn't help but leave him speechless.
Oh no, could this girl be a masochist?
After bidding farewell to Restaurant Yukihira, Dylan and Kikuchi Sonoka embarked on a month-long journey.
They roamed through various parts of Japan.
They watched the sunrise together, chased the sunset together, sang loudly at the edge of bottomless cliffs together, and played in hot springs together.
On this trip, they not only tasted the local delicacies, but their relationship also became much more intimate.
At least now, when Dylan held her hand or even did something more excessive, Kikuchi Sonoka wouldn't blush, but would just smile gently and accept him.
On this day.
The two arrived at a seaside hotel.
The owner brought their meal to their room. Kikuchi Sonoka, wearing a newly bought yukata, was planning to go to the surrounding fireworks festival with Dylan after dinner.
As the end of the year approached, festival activities in various places became more frequent.
They had participated in many along the way, eating many festival specialty foods. And this time, the seaside fireworks festival was something she had been looking forward to for a long time.
The fireworks blooming gorgeously in the sky.
It was enough to attract any girl who hadn't seen much of the world.
"Dylan Sensei, it's already started outside! Let's go out and see!"
Looking at the incredibly beautiful fireworks outside the window, Kikuchi Sonoka put down her bowl, took Dylan's hand, her eyes filled with an expression of anticipation.
"Don't be in such a hurry. The fireworks festival lasts for a full two hours. This is just the appetizer. We'll have the energy to play later after we've eaten our fill."
Reaching out to take the grain of rice from the corner of Kikuchi Sonoka's mouth and putting it into his own, he followed her gaze to the small fireworks blooming outside the window and said with a smile.
"That's true. It won't make a difference to wait a little while. I was being too hasty."
Hearing Dylan's words and understanding that she had been too eager, Kikuchi Sonoka smiled shyly, then picked up her bowl and began to eat with relish.
Ring-ring-ring.
Just then, Dylan's phone, which was placed nearby, rang, making him pause his hand that was about to pick up some food. He then picked up the phone and answered the call.
"Hello."
Dylan's voice wasn't loud.
"Dylan-nii! I did it!"
A young woman's excited, cracking voice came from the other end, making him involuntarily move the phone further away.
"Congratulations. You are now a glorious Special Grade Chef. From now on, you must strive forward with the goal of defeating me."
Bringing the phone back to his ear, a smile also appeared on Dylan's face.
That Alice Nakiri had passed the Special Grade Examination was within his expectations.
Having received strict training since she was a child, and her skills having reached that level, as long as there were no problems with her mentality, passing the examination was not difficult.
"Yeah! I'll tell you the specifics tomorrow. I'll rest tonight, and tomorrow I'll fly back. Remember to come pick me up then!"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely be there."
"Then I'll hang up first. I'll text you the arrival airport later. See you tomorrow!"
Although she had a lot to say to Dylan, thinking of meeting him tomorrow, Alice Nakiri clenched her fists and held back, planning to tell him in detail tomorrow.
Actually, her initial idea was to fly directly back to Japan, then use her family's influence to find out Dylan's location and give him a surprise.
But the excitement in her heart was too hard to suppress.
She had passed all the assessments for the Special Grade Chef examination in the early morning and obtained the qualification.
Because she had been exhausted all night, she went back to the hotel for a good sleep. After waking up, she couldn't suppress her excitement, so she called him.
"Dylan Sensei, is that Alice on the other end?"
Hanging up the phone, Dylan's face also showed a smile. That Alice was able to pass the Special Grade Examination made him even happier than if he had passed himself!
And Kikuchi Sonoka's voice rang out at this moment.
He turned his head.
What he saw was the young woman's slightly uneasy expression...
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