Watching Zhou Yan run his restaurant so successfully, making the small restaurant near the textile factory a success, Huang Ying felt a little envious, and everyday she would come up with many new ideas for running a restaurant.
Feiyan Restaurant is a century-old establishment in Jiazhou, passed down through four generations. Its foundation is far superior to Zhou Erwa Restaurant.
If she was to run it, she was confident she could do a good job.
In any case, she was definitely more reliable than Huang Bing.
She used to think of herself as still a child, spending her days eating and playing, always carrying a handful of candy and chocolate, living a quite happy life.
But Zhou Yan's appearance changed some of her thoughts.
Zhou Yan is only twenty years old.
She's eighteen, which isn't young anymore.
It's time for her to start her own career and do something!
This enthusiasm has even surpassed her attraction to Zhou Yan's looks.
Aside from visiting Zhou Erwa Restaurant, she spent the rest of her time at her family's restaurant, learning accounting from her mother and assisting her father in receiving VIP guests.
The more she interacted with them, the more she realized there were many intricacies involved, but also the more interesting it became.
She wasn't sure if it would work out, but she kept it in mind and planned to discuss it with her parents when she got back, to see what they thought.
In the kitchen, Zhou Yan could already hear Grandpa Wang's voice, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Wang Yu was also getting better, he was now occasionally able to meet up with Qiu Qi for meals, and they probably kept in close correspondence.
That's good.
Isn't the meaning of reunion to maintain regular contact?
As the bell rang at the textile factory, workers poured out of the factory, their eyes invariably drawn to the car parked at the gate, causing them to slow their pace.
Cars were a rarity these days.
Let alone a brand new imported car like this, with a black license plate.
"That black license plate belongs to a foreign businessman, right? Are they here to inspect the factory?"
"I don't think so. Foreign businessmen come to the factory for inspections, their cars always drive inside. They always park in the parking lot in front of the office building, not at the factory gate."
"May be they're here to eat at Zhou Erwa Restaurant. I heard yesterday that Zhou Yan's 'Cross-legged Beef' was on the cover of 'Sichuan Cuisine' magazine. They must be customers who came because of its reputation."
The guests chattered amongst themselves, their eyes turning towards the restaurant, finally settling on Duan Yuyan.
She wore a brown leather jacket over a beige wool sweater, paired with a black skirt and Mary Jane shoes. Her hair was slightly curled, and she wore a hat. Her diamond earrings and necklace sparkled, making her seem to radiate light as she sat there.
The women workers' eyes lit up.
In Suji Town, and even in Jiazhou, the women workers at the Jiazhou Textile Factory were always at the forefront of fashion.
Although they wore work clothes everyday, but on holidays or when there were group performances, they would all dress in bright colors, competing to be the most fashionable.
But their fashion sense paled in comparison to the woman in front them.
In the past two years, textile factory workers have successively bought televisions for their homes, and the outfits worn by Hong Kong and Japanese drama stars have become a trend.
Sachiko blouses, bell-bottoms… these were all fashionable looks they had learned from television.
The trendy clothes made by the local tailor looked somewhat clumsy compared to the leather jackets and skirts worn by the TV stars and this woman.
She looked like a star straight out of the TV show, with beautiful and fashionable clothes, curly hair, fair and smooth skin, an elegant and composed demeanor, and sparkling jewelry.
One glance was enough for everyone to be certain that the car outside belonged to this fashionable young woman.
On television, socialites and heiresses like her always travel by car.
That makes perfect sense.
The customers entered the restaurant one after another.
Many girls chose to sit at the table near Duan Yuyan and the others, wanting to get a closer look at her Hong Kong style outfits and learn from her.
Some people feel that this is a bourgeois invasion, and they avoid it and stay far away from it.
Duan Yuyan didn't mind. In Jiazhou, she was always surrounded by onlookers wherever she ate, she was used to it.
There's no way around it, being good-looking always has its troubles.
She knew that since she was a child.
"Mapo Tofu? They've got a new dish!"
"I saw it when I had noodles this morning! I was planning to eat at the cafeteria for lunch, but I wanted to try Boss Zhou's Mapo Tofu."
"Mapo Tofu is a famous dish in Rongcheng! Last year, my third uncle went to Chen Mapo Tofu and ate it. He bragged about it for half a year afterward, saying that the tofu was even better than meat, and the taste was absolutely amazing!"
"Is Boss Zhou's Mapo Tofu authentic? I've been eating at the cafeteria for years, and I've never seen Master Xiao make Mapo Tofu before."
"It's 80 cents a serving, not cheap at all. Tofu is only 20 cents a jin."
The customers looked at the newly added Mapo Tofu on the menu with great interest, and some were already preparing to order it.
Just then, Zhao Hong came out of the kitchen carrying two servings of Mapo Tofu and placed them on the table for Duan Yuyan and Huang Ying.
The guests' eyes immediately turned to them, their gazes lighting up.
Duan Yuyan's eyes were drawn to the bright red Mapo Tofu, and she whispered, "This Mapo Tofu looks really good!"
"The sauce is glossy and oily, white with a hint of red, and you can smell the spicy aroma. This Mapo Tofu really looks delicious." Grandpa Wang nodded in agreement.
At the next table, Huang Ying had already filled her bowl with rice, her eyes shining as she looked at the Mapo Tofu in front of her: "The thickening is just right! The tofu pieces are perfectly combined, not falling apart at all, and it's made with beef topping. It looks amazing!"
Every time she goes to Rongcheng, she makes sure to eat at Chen Mapo Tofu. Sometimes, even if her Dad has other plans, she'll still go eat there herself.
There's no way around it. She simply can't find that taste back in Jiazhou.
Although Li Laosan's Mapo Tofu also used beef topping, but his thickening technique was poor, and the tofu didn't stick to the broth, greatly diminishing the flavor.
The Mapo Tofu at Le Ming Restaurant is similar, even the topping is made with pork.
Zhou Yan's Mapo Tofu looks very similar to Chen Mapo Tofu.
The glistening sauce, the green garlic shoots, the red broad beans, and the white tofu create a visually appealing dish that looks incredibly appetizing.
The cornstarch slurry was thickened just right, evenly coating the tofu, in professional terms, it was "bundled"!
Like a shell, it bundles the tofu inside, providing the first layer of insulation. Then, a layer of oil is applied to the outside, making it difficult for the tofu to dissipate its heat.
Mapo Tofu is all about being piping hot.
As a dish served with a spoon, it's best eaten with rice.
Huang Ying picked up a spoon and scooped a spoonful into her bowl. The oil and broth quickly seeped into the white rice, giving it a glossy red sheen.
"Young lady, try this Mapo Tofu and see how it tastes." the uncle at the next table said with a smile.
The other customers also looked at Huang Ying, their faces showing the same anticipation.
Huang Ying's chubby figure and round face, besides exuding friendliness, clearly indicate a particular authority on food.
These days, achieving such a physique requires considerable wealth.
Just a couple of years ago, many people were still going hungry.
"Uncle, don't worry, this Mapo Tofu looks authentic." Huang Ying replied with a smile, picking up her chopsticks and taking a piece of tofu from the bowl.
The tender tofu sank into the chopsticks, trembling precariously, as if it might break at any moment.
Without over ten years of foodie experience, picking up this piece of tofu won't be easy.
This small piece of tofu, coated in a thick sauce and chili oil, topped with minced beef, and sprinkled with Sichuan peppercorn powder, was blown on lightly before being put directly into her mouth.
Hot!
That was the first sensation on her tongue.
Numbing, spicy, fresh, fragrant, crispy, tender, and richly flavored—it's all here!
Huang Ying raised an eyebrow, her eyebrows practically dancing.
Absolutely right!
That's the feeling!
This Mapo Tofu is so authentic!
Huang Ying shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth. The rice, soaked in the broth, was savory, fragrant, numbing, spicy, and incredibly delicious!
A sound of swallowing saliva rose from the side.
"Order it, don't hesitate! This tastes just as authentic as Chen Mapo Tofu! Numbing, spicy, fresh, fragrant, crispy, tender, and piping hot, the flavor is unbeatable!" Huang Ying turned to the uncle who had just asked the question and said, "Look at the amount of beef topping in this serving, it's at least one liang of beef, tender and incredibly fragrant! Is 80 cents a serving expensive? I don't think so! It's absolutely delicious with rice. If you don't like it, come find me, I'll reimburse you."
"Okay, I'll order one too!" The uncle nodded with a smile. The young girl was eating so heartily, and she was quite interesting to talk to.
Not only him, but the other customers who had been hesitant all rushed to order.
No wonder it costs eighty cents a serving.
A serving of Mapo Tofu with one liang of beef topping!
It's such a good deal.
"Your expression and evaluation are a bit exaggerated. Is it really that delicious?" Huang Bing had just ladled himself a bowl of Cross-legged Beef soup and, seeing Huang Ying eating with such gusto, asked casually.
"It's so delicious it'll make you fly!" Huang Ying nodded, extremely confidently stating, "Jiazhou's No. 1 Mapo Tofu! Without a doubt!"
"Didn't Dad say that the best Mapo Tofu in Jiazhou is at our Feiyan Restaurant?" Huang Bing didn't believe it.
"I blushed when I heard Dad say those words." Huang Ying pouted. "Of course, it wasn't wrong before Zhou Yan made this Mapo Tofu. But now, it's time to step aside."
"I don't believe it's really that delicious." Huang Bing picked up his chopsticks and was about to pick up some tofu.
"This is a dish served with a spoon, you have to use a spoon to scoop it into a bowl to eat it. If you pick it up and break it into tiny pieces, how are other people supposed to eat it?" Huang Ying glared at him.
Huang Bing's chopsticks were halfway in when he pulled them back. This wasn't Huang Ying's invention, their father had said it too.
Their family was very particular about food, and today, with their father not around, he actually felt a sense of pressure emanating from Huang Ying.
There was no other way but to drink the soup first.
At the next table, Duan Yuyan also eagerly scooped a spoonful of Mapo Tofu into her bowl.
When she first arrived in Rongcheng, she went to Chen Mapo Tofu with her father. There were leaders present, and she only ate one piece of tofu before feeling too embarrassed to take any more.
She only remembered that it was spicy and numbing, and tasted quite good.
One spoonful of tofu made her eat almost half a bowl of rice. It was very appetizing.
Today's Mapo Tofu was served in the same earthenware bowl as the "Cross-legged Beef", and the portion was quite generous, a full bowl, looking almost identical to the Mapo Tofu she remembered.
She had ordered it once before at Feiyan Restaurant, it was alright, but nothing quite as amazing as Chen Mapo Tofu.
It even made her feel like it wasn't the same dish.
She tried to pick up the tofu, but it was too tender and broke apart with her chopsticks. After two attempts, it shattered into pieces.
Duan Yuyan looked at the cracked tofu in the bowl, then at the chopsticks in her hand. It seemed a little different from what she had expected.
"Use a spoon, this is soft tofu, it's not easy to pick up with chopsticks." Grandpa Wang reminded her with a smile.
"Okay." Duan Yuyan took another spoon and scooped up the tofu from the bowl, feeding it to her mouth.
Hot!
The Mapo Tofu, freshly served, was so hot it startled her. If it weren't for the many people watching her, her first reaction would have been to spit it out.
Fortunately, the scalding sensation subsided quickly, followed by the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, then the spiciness of fermented broad bean paste, the umami flavor of minced beef and bone broth, and the aroma of green garlic sprouts.
The crispy beef topping was incredibly fragrant and tender, and the tofu was so soft it melted in her mouth!
All her expectations of Mapo Tofu were fulfilled in this one bite.
It was very similar to the Mapo Tofu she had at Chen Mapo Tofu, but with subtle differences.
It seemed…
This one tastes even better.
It must be the difference in seasoning, it's not as salty, just right.
Delicious!
The taste and texture are absolutely amazing.
"This Mapo Tofu is really good, but it definitely needs to be eaten with rice, it's a great dish to eat with rice!"
Putting down her spoon, Duan Yuyan ladled half a bowl of rice for herself and quickly shoveled a mouthful into her mouth.
The fragrant, fluffy rice balanced the numbing and spiciness on her tongue, neutralized the excess saltiness, and brought unparalleled satisfaction.
It turns out that rice tastes exceptionally good when paired with certain dishes.
She scooped a spoonful of Mapo Tofu onto the rice, pressed it down with the spoon, and the tofu crumbled, scattering like snowflakes into the rice. She then scooped up a spoonful of the tofu and broth mixed with the rice and fed it to her mouth.
Duan Yuyan's delicate eyebrows lifted, and her expression brightened.
Mapo Tofu with rice, this way of eating is absolutely amazing!