Chapter 746 - 469: The Restaurant (2)

Chapter 746: Chapter 469: The Restaurant (2)

With things said so plainly, anyone with half a brain could get the gist of it.

Feng Mountain understood, of course. He stopped making things difficult for Jeff and let a smile return to his face.

"Sorry about that, pal. I get really curious."

’It’s more than just curiosity, you’re deeply suspicious.’

Jeff grumbled to himself, but he quickly replied aloud, "It’s no problem, really. If it were me, I’d be just as curious."

At the same time, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

’Even though I revealed a little, it shouldn’t count as betraying Chief Welta.’

Soon, the food they ordered began to arrive at the table.

First came the appetizers: a vegetable salad, some small bread rolls, jam, and the like.

The vegetable salad was vibrant, with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and other vegetables arranged exquisitely.

Then, the main event made its grand entrance.

Three bowls of Emperor Crab cream soup were set on the table. The rising steam carried a rich aroma that instantly filled the air.

A layer of delicate cream foam floated on the soup’s surface, shimmering with a tempting luster that hinted at its richness and flavor.

To be honest, the signature dish was nothing like what Feng Mountain had imagined.

He’d imagined he would at least be able to see the Emperor Crab, but the actual dish was just a goopy, sticky mess of who-knows-what. And yet, the waiter looked so proud of it.

The soup’s texture was as thick as glue, and its color wasn’t the vibrant hue he’d expected but a murky beige. A few unidentifiable objects were scattered throughout, with no visible trace of the Emperor Crab.

’This is it?’

’The famous signature dish?’

’Where the Nima does this sense of superiority come from?’

Feng Mountain couldn’t help but roast it in his mind.

But since he’d ordered it, he had no choice but to pick up his spoon, dip it into the bowl, and gently scoop some up.

’Not bad,’ he thought. ’I can actually find chunks of crab in here.’

Feng Mountain put the crab meat in his mouth and chewed a few times.

The flavor was a bit overpowering. A spicy taste spread aggressively through his mouth, masking the natural, delicate sweetness the Emperor Crab should have had and leaving his taste buds momentarily confused.

This was a world away from the deliciousness he had anticipated.

Spending 200 US Dollar on this, Feng Mountain felt like a total sucker, like he’d just been completely ripped off.

However, the cream soup did have one redeeming quality.

The Emperor Crab meat itself.

As he chewed the crab meat, he could indeed feel a faint trace of Soul Power. Though weak, it left a unique sensation on the tip of his tongue.

It seemed the waiter was right; this was indeed Emperor Crab caught by the *River Beach*.

Only the bait in the *River Beach*’s Crab Traps contained Soul Power, making this unique energy the key to identifying the crab’s origin.

"Feng, not bad, right? This Emperor Crab cream soup is the star dish at Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos. If you come too late, you can’t get it at all."

Jeff savored it with an ecstatic expression, as if he were eating the rarest of delicacies.

He kept making satisfied sounds of praise. After every swallow, he would smack his lips lightly, savoring the rich flavor. His adoration for the dish was written all over his face.

Nash took two bites, then put down his spoon, a look of undisguised disgust on his face.

It was no wonder.

Emperor Crabs caught by the *River Beach* were rare in Alaska, but that didn’t mean they were nonexistent.

The cold storage at Crown Territory held over a dozen boxes of Emperor Crabs sent by Alvin.

Feng Mountain was sick to death of the things.

For a while there, they had Emperor Crab almost every day, prepared in every conceivable way.

’Oh, right.’ When the Emperor Crabs had been delivered to Crown Territory, Jeff happened to be away.

That explained why he was treating the Emperor Crab in the cream soup as such a treasure.

At this thought, Feng Mountain immediately pushed his bowl, of which he’d only had a few bites, over to Jeff. He smiled and said, "Since you like it so much, you can have mine. When you have some free time, come with me to the *River Beach*. We’ll eat Emperor Crabs straight from the Bering Sea, right after they’re caught. The flavor is way better than this!"

Seeing Khilla push his bowl over to Jeff,

Nash didn’t hesitate to push his own bowl of Emperor Crab cream soup over as well.

His face showed an expression of immense relief, as if he’d just been freed from an unwanted burden.

"Well, don’t mind if I do."

Jeff chuckled, not standing on ceremony in the slightest.

He swiftly pulled both bowls in front of him, picked up his spoon, and began to dig in with gusto.

He chewed each spoonful with vigor, making satisfied noises as his expression grew even more ecstatic.

Just then, the sailor waiter returned with the rest of their order. Cod fish tacos, smoked salmon, reindeer sausage, sticky rice balls, and wild blueberry muffins were placed on the table one by one, their tempting aromas wafting through the air.

When he saw all three bowls of Emperor Crab cream soup placed in front of Jeff,

the sailor waiter froze for a second. A hint of curiosity appeared on his face as his eyes darted between Feng Mountain, Nash, and Jeff before he asked,

"Gentlemen, is there a problem with the Emperor Crab cream soup?"

"No problem. It’s... all right," Feng Mountain replied with a friendly smile. As he spoke, he reached for a cod fish taco, placed it gently on his plate, and prepared to try the recommended dish.

However, the sailor waiter could hear the distinct note of someone just being polite in the customer’s words.

It was obvious the man was not satisfied with the restaurant’s signature dish.

An unsatisfied customer was a serious matter for any restaurant.

This was especially true for a long-established place like Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos.

The employees had immense pride in the restaurant; every signature dish was a point of personal honor.

To say the dish was just "all right" was like a slap in the face.

Although the waiter was a little offended, his professionalism still had him give a slight bow. His tone, however, had become a bit stiff. "Well, enjoy your meal."

With that, he turned to leave.

Jeff smiled faintly and gestured toward the bowls with his spoon. "Pal, your review made that kid a little unhappy. He’s probably on his way to the kitchen right now to tell the chef a customer isn’t satisfied."

"I can’t tell the truth?" Feng Mountain raised an eyebrow, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes.

As a chef himself, he believed food critiques should be honest. If it’s good, it’s good; if it’s bad, it’s bad.

Take this Emperor Crab cream soup, for instance. If it weren’t for the fact that it used Emperor Crabs from the *River Beach*, he wouldn’t have even bothered to give it a rating as high as "all right."

"Of course you can tell the truth," Jeff said with a shrug, sensing that Feng Mountain was starting to get annoyed.

In this situation, the wisest choice was to remain silent. He quickly lowered his head and focused on eating the Emperor Crab cream soup in front of him, using it to escape the awkward atmosphere.

Feng Mountain picked up a cod fish taco and took a bite.

He was actually quite surprised.

The Emperor Crab cream soup had been a real letdown, but this taco was actually quite good.

The tender chunks of cod released a faint scent of the ocean, and the tortilla was perfectly crispy yet pliable. The combination of crisp lettuce, tangy tomatoes, rich cheese, and a uniquely flavorful salsa created a surprisingly complex and delightful texture in a single bite.

The delicate flavor of the cod blended perfectly with the Mexican spices, creating a truly unique taste.

It made Feng Mountain’s eyes light up.

"Nash, this taco is pretty good. Try it." Feng Mountain then reached his fork over to the reindeer sausage on a nearby plate.

He speared a piece of reindeer sausage and some vegetables, put it in his mouth, and after a few chews, found it somewhat lacking.

The way the reindeer sausage was made was no different from how they made it at Crown Territory: the reindeer meat was finely minced, mixed with various herbs and spices, and then stuffed into casings.

Yet, while the method was similar, there was a noticeable difference in taste.

After a moment’s thought, Feng Mountain realized what it was.

The only difference had to be the vegetables.

The vegetables from the Crown Colony Plantation had been enhanced by the Fire Seed, making their flavor richer and sweeter.

Feng Mountain frowned slightly.

He put down his fork, a look of disappointment on his face.

...