Wang Hongliang is a connoisseur and a chef, and his standards are always high.
The minced beef with double peppers dish, which had just been served, was visually impeccable.
The beef was finely minced but not mushy, with distinct granules. The green and red peppers made up about half of the dish, creating a vibrant and bright color contrast, glistening with oil. The aroma of the meat and the spiciness intertwined, making one involuntarily swallow.
"It smells so good!"
Even the children playing nearby were attracted by the aroma and climbed back onto their bench.
"This is made by my Guo Guo, it's super delicious!" Zhou Momo said proudly.
"Let me try it first." Wang Hongliang scooped half a spoonful of the minced beef into his bowl, then used his own spoon to put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully.
The beef was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a slightly chewy texture. The spiciness of the red peppers, the freshness of the green peppers, a hint of numbness, and the ultimate aroma all collided and blended perfectly on his tongue.
The more Wang Hongliang chewed, the brighter his eyes became, and he couldn't hide the look of amazement on his face.
Suji has a village called Sha Niu Zhou Village where cattle are slaughtered, so beef isn't a rare ingredient there. Wang Hongliang knows various ways to cook beef, and minced beef is one of the dishes he often makes.
But he had to admit that he couldn't achieve such perfection.
The key to minced beef lies in the cooking time. If the beef pieces, which are slightly larger than grains of rice, are undercooked, the beef won't be flavorful. If they're slightly overcooked, the beef will become tough and dry.
It seems simple, but it's extremely difficult.
The green and red peppers were stir-fried until the moisture was gone, and the fresh and spicy flavors were infused into the beef. The whole dish looked clean and refreshing, and tasted spicy, fragrant, and delicious.
"It's really good, even better than the minced beef at Rongleyuan."
Wang Hongliang put down his spoon and couldn't help but praise it.
Rongleyuan, founded in 1911, is widely recognized as the "Whampoa Military Academy of Sichuan Cuisine" with a concentration of top-tier and first level chefs, and their dishes are exceptionally good.
Wang Hongliang always went to eat there with a learning attitude, and even became friends with several of the master chefs.
This praise represented his highest compliment.
"It's rare to hear you praise a dish like this." Li Meilin said, somewhat surprised. She knew her husband well; whenever he encountered a chef whose skills weren't up to his level, he liked to act like an expert and offer some pointers.
"Try it." Wang Hongliang said, smiling as he scooped a spoonful into her bowl. "Eat it with a spoon; you have to eat the chili and beef together for the best flavor."
Li Meilin took a bite and nodded, saying, "It's good. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it's spicy but not overwhelmingly so, emphasizing the aroma. It would definitely go well with rice. However, your cooking also has its own unique flavor; I don't think it's any worse than this."
"We have to be realistic and acknowledge the differences." Wang Hongliang said with a smile, but he was still happy to hear his wife say that.
Lin Zhiqiang and Meng Anhe exchanged glances, their lips curving slightly upwards. Since both the factory director and his wife approved, this meal was definitely a success.
Lin Zhiqiang opened the Wuliangye liquor he brought, first pouring a glass for Wang Hongliang, and then one for himself.
While they were talking, the braised beef with bamboo shoots and braised pork ribs were served.
"Here, this isn't spicy, Hao Hao, try one first." Li Meilin said, picking up a piece of braised pork rib for Wang Hao.
Wang Hao picked up his chopsticks, somewhat awkwardly picked up the rib, and took a bite. His expression immediately brightened.
The ribs were delicious!
They were soft and tender, easily coming off the bone with just a light bite, and very easy to eat.
In no time, he had finished one rib, even sucking on the bone a couple of times, then turned to look at Zhou Momo, asking with a look of shock and envy, "Did... your brother make this?"
"Of course." Zhou Momo nodded.
"Your brother is amazing! These ribs are so delicious!" Wang Hao said, his face full of envy, "They're even better than the ones my grandpa makes!"
"Let me try some."
"Me too."
Hearing this, Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen couldn't resist and each grabbed a piece of rib and started eating.
"Wow! So fragrant, so delicious!"
"Dad, do you often come here to eat alone?"
The two of them were enjoying the food immensely, while Lin Jingxing was already starting to suspect his father.
"That's not true, don't talk nonsense." Lin Zhiqiang adamantly denied eating alone.
"Momo, you should sit down and eat with us too." Meng Anhe smiled at Zhou Momo.
"Yes, you come and eat with us too, see how deliciously the brothers are eating." Li Meilin said. This little girl was so endearing.
"Auntie, Grandma, you two eat first, I'm not hungry." Zhou Momo said obediently, and instead of standing there watching, she turned and ran to the kitchen to tend to the stove.
"This little girl is so well-behaved." Li Meilin said with a smile.
"Yes, she was so cute." Meng Anhe nodded in agreement.
The braised pork ribs became the children's favorite dish, while Wang Hongliang picked up a piece of dried bamboo shoots and put it in his mouth.
The dried bamboo shoots were soaked in the rich broth, with a slightly crisp texture. The more he chewed, the more flavorful it became, making him nod repeatedly in satisfaction.
The dried bamboo shoots were more flavorful than fresh bamboo shoots, and the broth was incredibly delicious, thick but not greasy, and perfectly seasoned.
He then tried a piece of beef, the brisket with a bit of tendon, which had the best texture when cooked.
The rich broth permeated the beef, the lean meat was tender but not mushy, and the tendons were soft and chewy. With one bite, the meat juices burst in his mouth, emphasizing the delicious flavor!
"This braised beef with dried bamboo shoots is perfect. The beef is cooked just right, and the dried bamboo shoots are even more fragrant than the meat. The seasoning is excellent." Wang Hongliang raised his glass and clinked it with Lin Zhiqiang's, taking a sip of wine. "With these two signature dishes, this restaurant can definitely thrive."
"We still have two dishes to try." Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.
"Be careful, kids, the cross-legged beef is here." Zhao Tieying said, bringing two bowls of cross-legged beef, reminding the children to be careful, and carefully placing the bowls down. She smiled and said, "If you need more soup or dipping sauce, just ask."
"Okay." Wang Hongliang nodded, taking a small bowl and filling it halfway with soup.
Zhou Village's soup pot was quite famous in Suji.
Wang Hongliang had tried it a few times before, but his impression wasn't very good.
Clear soup is harder to make than spicy soup, and since it contains beef offal with a strong gamey smell, if the flavor isn't balanced, the whole pot of soup is ruined.
Those butchers who sold soup pots from stalls had very crude skills; only the laborers near the docks ate it frequently because of the cheap price.
This soup was very clear, and the rich aroma from the long-simmered beef bones wafted up with the steam, with almost no gamey smell.
He took a spoonful of soup and tasted it.
Wang Hongliang raised his eyebrows.
Delicious!
The soup, just ladled out of the bubbling pot, was both scalding hot and incredibly flavorful.
There wasn't a single off-flavor; the aroma of the spices was very subtle, perfectly complementing the meaty flavor and enhancing its deliciousness.
Upon closer examination, you could even detect a hint of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, also very light in taste, interwoven with the spices, emphasizing the word "fresh"!
Wang Hongliang blew on the soup, then drank the entire bowl in two gulps, letting out a long sigh of satisfaction, and exclaimed:
"Delicious! It's so flavorful, it's making my eyebrows tingle!"
Saying this, he ladled half a bowl of soup for Li Meilin, "You try it."
"Is it really that delicious?" Li Meilin picked up her spoon, blew on it, and took a sip. Her eyes lit up as well, saying, "It's incredibly delicious! This soup is completely different from the Zhou Village soup I've had before."
"That's why it's called 'Cross-legged Beef,' not just 'soup pot'." Wang Hongliang chuckled, and then tasted the beef, tripe, tendons, and beef intestines in his bowl.
"The beef slices are large, thin, and tender, cooked to perfection. The tripe is crispy and springy, the tendons are soft and chewy, and the beef intestines are tender. Paired with this dry dipping sauce, the flavor is simply amazing!" Wang Hongliang pointed to the dry dipping sauce and said, "This dipping sauce is exceptionally well-made; it's spicy, salty, and fragrant – it's the finishing touch to this cross-legged beef dish."
"Comrade Little Zhou is highly skilled. This cross-legged beef soup is delicious and suitable for all ages. It might even become a famous dish in Suji in the future."
"Yes, possibly." Lin Zhiqiang nodded in agreement.
The three children were engrossed in drinking the soup, clearly enjoying it immensely.
Many customers were watching them, and upon hearing this, several immediately ordered a portion of the cross-legged beef, wanting to taste what the factory director had praised so highly.
Aunt Zhao had been listening attentively, her smile never leaving her face. Zhou Yan was such a promising young man; she felt proud and happy.
"Here, let me serve everyone the braised crucian carp with perilla leaves." Zhou Yan said, bringing out the final dish. Zhao Hong moved the other dishes on the table to make space for it in the center.
Many customers looked over; this dish had only been ordered by the factory director's table so far.
At two yuan a serving, everyone was curious to see if it was worth the price.
Sichuan people love to eat fish and are skilled at cooking it. Steaming, braising, boiling, dry-frying, cold dishes... there are countless ways to prepare it.
However, cooking a delicious fish dish requires considerable skill from the chef.
Zhou Yan's braised crucian carp with perilla leaves looked really good.
The thick sauce was poured over the golden-fried crucian carp, garnished with pickled chili peppers, pickled long beans, pickled ginger, and perilla leaves... the ingredients alone looked impressive. A faint sour and spicy aroma wafted through the air, making many people can't help but drool.
But the taste... that would have to wait for the old factory director to try it first.
The old factory director was experienced and discerning; if he said it was good, then it was definitely good.
"Little Zhou, each dish you make surprises me more than the last." Wang Hongliang said to Zhou Yan with a smile. "Let me try your braised crucian carp with perilla leaves. I've had this dish made by a top chef at a restaurant in Chengdu."
"Please." Zhou Yan said with a confident smile.
Whether or not the twenty crucian carp prepared today would sell out depended on the factory director's evaluation.