Chapter 141: Nitpicking?

Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Nitpicking?

Although Zhu Jin had only been here once before, he had quickly picked up the ropes by talking with other diners.

He wasn’t surprised to see Nan Yi come to take their order. He took the menu with a practiced air and asked as he flipped through it:

"Xiao Nan, are there any new dishes today?"

Nan Yi, expertly holding his notepad, answered:

"We just added Four-Joy Meatballs. Want some?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Zhu Jin replied in a hurry, swallowing hard.

Nan Yi was already used to this. He took his pen and jotted down a number in his little notebook.

When he looked up again, he noticed someone was staring at him.

It was the person with Zhu Jin.

Nan Yi explained with a deadpan expression:

"I don’t get paid. I’m just helping out. It’s not child labor."

His tone was so flat and straightforward it was practically a monotone.

It was clear how many times he had repeated a similar answer.

Fu Chao, who happened to be passing by: ...

’My dear Yiyi! You can’t talk to Director Zhong like that!’

Fu Chao hesitated, wondering if he should just send Nan Yi away and take over himself.

But he was afraid the move would be too obvious, which might annoy Director Zhong and pique the audience’s curiosity.

He hesitated for a moment, then could only pretend nothing was wrong and walk away.

He just didn’t dare to go too far.

Then, he heard Zhong Yu say:

"Sorry, I was just curious."

Fu Chao tilted his head, curious.

He’d heard some rumors about Zhong Yu, that she had a bad temper and a legendary track record that included once smashing a teacup on a station head’s forehead.

’Looks like... the rumors were wrong!’

Soon, Zhu Jin and Zhong Yu finished ordering, and Nan Yi left, holding the menu.

Zhu Jin said to Zhong Yu:

"I ordered the Yan Du Xian, Texas Roasted Chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, and Kung Pao Chicken. I had them all yesterday, and I guarantee the flavor won’t disappoint you! Hmm, I just don’t know how the Four-Joy Meatballs will taste today."

"Kung Pao Chicken?"

Zhong Yu sharply caught the name.

She thought of the surname "Nan," then of certain things from the past, and a sense of anticipation immediately grew within her.

This change, however, was misinterpreted by Zhu Jin.

Zhu Jin waved a hand, full of confidence:

"I told you, my tongue is never wrong!"

Zhong Yu shot him a glance but didn’t reply.

The food arrived quickly.

They were sitting at a small table in the corner, which was relatively cramped. The few dishes filled the tabletop completely, so much so that Zhu Jin and Zhong Yu had to hold their rice bowls in their hands to eat.

Having frequented major restaurants for years, they were used to special treatment from owners. Experiencing this was suddenly quite novel.

Zhu Jin managed to free up a hand with some difficulty and quickly ladled a bowl of Yan Du Xian.

With one sip, the warmth spread straight to his heart.

"Mmm! This is the stuff! You’ve got to try it!"

Zhong Yu, however, still hadn’t picked up her chopsticks.

She looked at the plate of Kung Pao Chicken, a flash of disappointment crossing her eyes.

"It’s the Sichuan version."

Zhu Jin found this amusing:

"What else would it be? This place is positioned as a small, home-style eatery. The Sichuan version of Kung Pao Chicken is the most widespread, so it’s not surprising the owner would choose to make it that way. What style were you expecting? Lu Cuisine? This isn’t an orthodox Lu Cuisine restaurant!"

Kung Pao Chicken first emerged in Guisheng Province, originated in Shan Province, and became famous in Sichuan Province. It has ties to Qian, Lu, and Sichuan cuisines, and its preparation differs slightly among the various culinary styles.

To gourmands like Zhu Jin and Zhong Yu, the two versions of Kung Pao Chicken were worlds apart.

No wonder Zhu Jin made such a teasing remark.

Zhong Yu didn’t explain further.

She followed Zhu Jin’s suggestion and first ladled a small bowl of the Yan Du Xian.

The soup was slightly hot to the taste, yet exquisitely savory.

Even though Zhong Yu had eaten Yan Du Xian countless times, she was still moved by the flavor of the bowl before her.

"I can see why you were so excited."

Zhong Yu thought about the information she had gathered on Nan Zhi before coming, and her heart filled with emotion.

But she wasn’t the type to be ostentatious, so she kept her feelings to herself.

She only added a final comment:

"It’s a pity the ingredients are a bit lacking."

Zhong Yu’s casual yet pointed critique happened to reach the audience’s ears.

They were instantly displeased.

As if their own darling had been bullied, they immediately retorted in the bullet comments:

[Who is this person? Talk about nitpicking!]

Zhong Yu, however, was completely unaware of this.

Or rather, she wouldn’t have cared even if she did know.

At that moment, her attention was drawn to a newly arrived dish—

"These Four-Joy Meatballs look very authentic. Was the chef trained in Lu Cuisine?"

Zhu Jin shook his head, indicating he didn’t know.

He was just a diner who purely loved to eat; the pleasure of his taste buds was his primary concern.

So, he cheerfully stuck his chopsticks into a meatball the size of a baby’s fist and scooped it into his bowl.

Taking a huge bite, Zhu Jin exclaimed in satisfaction:

"It didn’t let me down!"

Seeing this, Zhong Yu also scooped up a meatball.

In Lu Cuisine, Four-Joy Meatballs are prepared similarly to Lion’s Head Meatballs, but with subtle differences—

Pork belly is selected, finely chopped and roughly minced into small granules, then seasoned with egg, minced ginger, soy sauce, salt, and dry starch.

After mixing evenly, it’s formed into four equally-sized meatballs, which are deep-fried until the surface is golden brown.

Then, a rich broth is seasoned, the fried meatballs are added, and they are simmered over low heat until they are cooked through and have absorbed the flavors.

Finally, the sauce is thickened and drizzled over the surface of the meatballs, ensuring an even, glossy, reddish coating.

The method isn’t particularly difficult; the difficulty lies in the details.

Zhong Yu took a bite and immediately commented:

"The frying is exquisite."

The audience, who had been listening intently to this picky diner, were a bit baffled.

’Exquisite frying? How can frying be exquisite?’

But Zhu Jin understood immediately:

"Right? I told you, Boss Nan’s techniques have a classic foundation, but she’s also highly innovative with the details. She’s not one of those rigid types who just follows the book!"

"Yes. The crust on her Four-Joy Meatballs is crispy without being greasy, and it’s covered in tiny pores—traces left after the pork fat rendered at high temperature. This technique is a bit like the dry-fried small meatballs in imperial court cuisine. But the key is that she managed to keep the inside of the pork tender and juicy while ensuring the outside was crispy and fragrant. This must have been done over high heat to maintain that balance between crispness and tenderness. The difficulty is akin to a master walking a tightrope; one small misstep and the entire dish is ruined. It seems this Boss Nan is not only highly skilled but also incredibly confident!"

Zhong Yu’s tone was full of admiration.

The audience, who had been ready to counterattack, were instead stunned.

Huh?

’There’s no criticism?’

Then they heard Zhu Jin nod in agreement:

"Yes, Boss Nan’s cooking always makes me feel like she’s proficient in more than one type of cuisine. It’s just that she only makes home-style dishes, so it’s not immediately obvious. I’d love to try a dish that truly showcases the full extent of her skills."

The dishes Nan Zhi had been making these past few days were all popular, well-known dishes commonly found on an ordinary person’s dinner table.

Everyone found them familiar, but they also couldn’t perceive the difficulty involved.

Only gourmands like Zhu Jin and Zhong Yu, who had tasted the creations of top chefs, could glimpse the subtle differences.

As for what kind of dish could showcase the full extent of one’s skills...

Something like chicken bean flower, a top-tier clear soup dish.