Chapter 38: Ramen like a Treasure
In the large Restaurant, a strange harmony of sounds filled the air. On one side, there was Cerberus's occasional giggling, amused by the chaotic chat logs of a group of high school girls she had never met. On the other, there was the continuous, rhythmic slurping sound of the sturdy uncle eating his ramen.
Slurp. Slurp.
If it were other food, making such a loud noise would be considered inelegant and impolite. But in the culture of ramen, making noise signifies approval. It cools the noodles and aerates the broth, enhancing the flavor. The louder the slurp, the deeper the respect for the chef.
"Hoo..." The man exhaled, wiping steam from his face. "I really don't know what you used to make these noodles, Boss. They're so elastic. The texture... I almost thought they were fresh squid tentacles! Absolutely amazing~"
Hearing the man's praise, Ren smiled and nodded from behind the counter, then continued to read his book. He didn't need to explain his techniques; the food spoke for itself.
The man looked down at the bowl again. His eyes landed on the slices of Char Siu (Braised Pork Belly).
He licked a drop of broth from his lips and picked up a piece with his chopsticks.
But as soon as he touched it, he froze.
He poked it again.
Wobble.
What did he see?! This char siu actually moved?! It jiggled like pudding!
The man was a bit impatient now. He carefully picked up the slice. He could clearly see the slight indentation where the chopsticks held it, feeling as if the meat could break apart under its own weight at any moment.
With his left hand cupped underneath ready to catch any falling treasure, he brought the soft, jelly-like char siu, wobbling between his chopsticks, to his mouth.
Melt.
"Mmm! Is this really not cake?!"
The fat dissolved instantly upon contact with his tongue, coating his mouth in savory richness. But it definitely had the deep, complex aroma of slow-cooked meat—soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and pork essence.
"Oh! This char siu is incredible!"
This was the man's only thought at the moment. For him, a veteran chef who had traveled the world, this level of tenderness usually required sous-vide or pressure cooking, yet this felt... rustic. Magical.
"Hoo~ So next... the soft-boiled egg!"
The man was now completely on a treasure hunt, unaware of what culinary gem he would unearth next. He wasn't being directed by his conscious thoughts anymore. His hands, his stomach, his eyes, and his tongue were controlling his entire body in a primal dance of consumption.
He picked up the Ajitsuke Tamago (Seasoned Soft-Boiled Egg). He bit into it carefully.
The white was firm but tender, seasoned thoroughly. The yolk was a rich, dark orange, gooey and creamy.
"Hmm... Ho! Can the yolk of this halved egg really remain semi-liquid without flowing out into the soup? That's truly impressive temperature control."
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"Huh?! Boss!"
Ren looked up from his book. "What's wrong?"
The man pointed at the remaining half of the egg held by his chopsticks. "Why does this soft-boiled egg have a faint spicy taste inside the yolk? Did you inject it?"
Ren smiled mysteriously. "Because I added some white pepper powder to the curing marinade~ It cuts the richness of the yolk."
"How did you manage to prevent the yolk from flowing out while marinating it cut?"
"Ah, that. It's probably a matter of temperature control and speed. Flash-curing. Because if the speed isn't fast enough, the yolk will flow out from the sealed edge~"
The man nodded, impressed. He continued eating, occasionally letting out exclamations of "Ooh!" and "Aha!"
When he had eaten everything but the white block floating in the broth, the man paused. He was somewhat looking forward to this so-called 'little surprise.'
The Mochi (Rice Cake).
It was toasted on the outside, with grill marks. He bit into it.
Chew.
The mochi was chewy and stretchy. But then... his teeth hit something inside.
"Hmm? Rice cake with filling? Is this mushroom?"
He chewed again.
"No... it's Bamboo Shoots! Finely diced bamboo shoots and... Crab Roe! What a genius idea!"
The crunchy texture of the bamboo shoots contrasted perfectly with the soft, sticky mochi, and the rich, oceanic flavor of the crab roe added a burst of umami that elevated the entire experience.
The man declared mentally that he could eat a whole plate of this rice cake by himself. This was no longer a small surprise; it was a Christmas gift wrapped in rice flour!
Five minutes later.
The bowl was empty. Not a drop of broth remained. The plates for the tempura and spring rolls were clean.
"That's all? But I'm full... What a pity~"
The man called out to Ren, leaning back with a satisfied groan.
Ren looked up and smiled, closing his book. "How was it? Are you satisfied?"
The man nodded vigorously. "Extremely satisfied. This might be the first time in my life I've eaten such delicious ramen. Of course, the tempura and spring rolls were equally delicious—light, crispy, not oily. Truly terrifying culinary skill~ You are a monster, kid."
Ren smiled humbly. "It's alright. Not particularly amazing, just more suited to most people's palates. Here's your water~"
The man unceremoniously took the cup and drank more than half of the ice-cold water in one gulp, completely filling the last remaining space in his stomach.
He rubbed his belly. "What a satisfying meal~ So, how much is it?"
"Eight hundred yen in total~"
"In total?!" The man gasped. "Boss, don't you think you're losing money at this price? The crab roe alone costs more than that!"
Ren waved his hand dismissively. "I run a night Restaurant, so I'm not really trying to make a lot of money. It's just for satisfaction. And these ingredients aren't precious to me; I have sources. Even King Salmon isn't a rare species here. Only those with destiny can find my Restaurant, so naturally, everything is at a 'friend's price'~"
The man was stunned. Destiny, huh?
Then he smiled broadly. "No wonder it doesn't even have a name. But I've truly remembered your Restaurant~ I'll be a regular! Whenever I'm in Japan, I'm coming here."
He paused, looking at Ren's young face. "Oh, by the way, Boss... with your skill, why don't you go to Totsuki? You could teach the teachers."
Ren was surprised. "It seems you're also from Totsuki~ You recognized the style?"
The man waved his hand, a nostalgic look in his eyes. "I used to be. A long time ago. I dropped out before graduating. But I was still the Second Seat of the Elite Ten when I left."
Ren smiled and nodded, recognizing the formidable aura. "That's a very impressive achievement~"
The man laughed heartily. "You don't need to tease me about that! When I was your age, I couldn't even make those spring rolls with such precision! Hahaha!"
Ren softly said, "Perhaps the smaller the dish, the more carefully it needs to be handled, as there are already so few details that can be hidden. As for Totsuki... you're already the fifth customer from there to come here recently."
"Oh?" The man leaned forward, intrigued. "Who were they?"
Ren thought for a moment, counting on his fingers. "The current Tenth Seat, Nakiri Erina; her aide, Hisako Arato; the Second Seat, Kobayashi Rindou; the Fourth Seat, Akanegakubo Momo; and the Director of Totsuki himself, Senzaemon Nakiri~"
The man laughed loudly, slapping his knee. "Your Restaurant is really amazing! I know all those people you mentioned! But I didn't expect Erina and Old Man Senzaemon to have come here too! The Demon King himself!"
Ren smiled. "Yes. They're all regulars now. Every one of them has told me to go to Totsuki or join the culinary world, but I'm not very interested. It's more relaxing to meet fated people here, listen to some stories, and tell some stories. I won't teach students."
(Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, Erina and others sneezed: Yes, yes, yes. You won't teach students. You'll just destroy our confidence.)
The man nodded, understanding. "Hmm. A good idea. A very interesting way of living. Freedom is the best spice."
He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "But I didn't expect you, Boss, to be able to make that girl Erina a regular. That's truly impressive~ She has the God Tongue. She's notoriously difficult."
Ren nodded. "Yes. A developing God Tongue is quite troublesome. It's a curse as much as a gift. But it's not too big of a problem for my cooking. As for Erina, her grandfather probably asked me to help her with this matter. She needs to learn that expensive doesn't equal good."
Hearing this, the man nodded gravely.
Then, he seemed to think of something personal. His eyes darkened slightly.
"Shopkeeper... if it's a super taste bud that's already at a very high level... so high that one can't even eat normal food anymore without feeling sick... do you have a solution for that?"
Ren looked at him. He sensed the weight behind the question. Mana? No... despair.
Ren thought for a moment and said calmly, "Satisfying the appetite isn't a problem. And treatment isn't a problem either, though it might take a bit longer."
"Treatment?"
"Yes. Because no matter how developed a taste bud is, it still appears in an ordinary person, doesn't it? It's biological."
"What do you mean?"
"That means no matter how powerful it is, it won't exceed human limits. The collapse—the despair—is just because the food can no longer satisfy the taste buds, and it's mainly a mental inability to accept imperfection. Coupled with the super-sensory taste visualization ability, it becomes unbearable torture."
Ren leaned forward.
"There are still many ways to deal with it. For example: breaking the upper limit of flavor, eliminating the drawbacks through desensitization, getting rid of the Super Taste entirely (though that's extreme), or creating food that humans cannot taste or understand—food that bypasses the tongue and hits the soul—can all make the Super Taste ineffective."
He smiled confidently.
"Besides these, there are many other methods. Although this is a bit troublesome, it's a small problem for me."
The man's eyes lit up with hope. He thought of his wife.
He put down the money on the table.
"Boss, you really are an amazing guy. You give an old wanderer hope."
He picked up his bag.
"Well, I'll be back. This is truly a Restaurant one doesn't want to leave."
Ren said with a smile, "You're welcome anytime. But not during the day, because we're not usually open then. Tonight was an exception."
The man laughed as he opened the door. "Hahaha, got it! See you in a while, Boss! I'm Joichiro!"
[Akarin's Note: Joichiro refers to Joichiro Yukihira, the father of Soma from Food Wars!.]
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