Chapter 475 - 226: Brave People Enjoy the World First

Chapter 475: Chapter 226: Brave People Enjoy the World First

"He Zhiyuan, the deputy editor-in-chief of *Sichuan Cuisine Magazine*, is a college classmate of mine. The last time he passed through Suji to visit, I brought him here to Zhou Yan Restaurant for a meal. He’s always been a picky eater, but he was completely blown away by the Kneeling Beef. He was also captivated by Zhou Yan’s dedication to reviving traditional delicacies, which is how that feature article and the cover photo came to be."

"So there’s a story like that behind it. I was wondering how a Kneeling Beef dish that even I, a Jiazhou local, didn’t know about, managed to reach the editors at *Sichuan Cuisine*," Wu Liwei said with a smile. "Huang, you’re quite the talent scout, then."

Huang Chen waved his hand. "I wouldn’t dare call myself a talent scout. But making Suji’s cuisine famous and creating more opportunities for private business owners to make money is part of my job. The Kneeling Beef getting into the magazine was just a happy accident."

Shen Shaohua listened from the side, occasionally jotting down a few notes in his notebook.

On the way here, Huang Chen had already spoken with him about promoting Suji’s Kneeling Beef. He had studied the feature on Zhou Yan and felt it was a topic worth exploring further, so he chimed in with a question or two from time to time.

As they chatted, the Kneeling Beef was the first dish to arrive.

Two earthenware bowls arrived. The broth was crystal clear, with a base of cabbage. Beef tendon, intestines, and tripe were topped with a few thin slices of beef, which had a faint pinkish hue, looking exceptionally tender at a glance.

Wu Liwei stared at it and said, "This broth smells amazing. I caught a whiff of it when we were standing at the door. But the soup itself looks much lighter than I expected, almost as if there’s nothing in it."

"Have a bowl of the soup while it’s hot, then try the offal and beef inside. I guarantee the flavor is nothing like you’re imagining," Huang Chen said confidently.

"Seeing your confidence, I really have to try it now." Wu Liwei picked up his spoon and ladled half a bowl of soup for himself. He scooped some up, blew on it gently, and brought it to his lips. His eyes instantly lit up.

"Wow, that’s savory! It’s so good my eyebrows are about to fall off!"

The seemingly clear broth exploded with an astonishingly savory and delicious flavor the moment it entered his mouth.

Fresh beef bones simmered for over six hours, along with beef intestines and tendons—all the savory essence and richness of the beef had completely merged into this one pot of stock.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of gaminess. The presence of spices and medicinal herbs was not overpowering—they worked their magic subtly, but the gamey taste from the intestines and bones had clearly been perfectly neutralized and eliminated.

Beef offal is usually cooked in a spicy red broth.

For instance, in hot pot, spicy blood curd stew, or red-braised offal.

This pot of clear broth completely subverted his expectations.

It could be summed up in one word: stunning.

Shen Shaohua and the other staff member also tried the soup and were full of praise.

Beaming, Huang Chen then recommended, "When you eat the ingredients inside, try dipping them in this chili powder. The flavor is fantastic."

Wu Liwei picked up a slice of beef, dipped it into the small saucer full of chili powder until it was coated, and then put it in his mouth.

The large, thin, and soft slice of beef was exceptionally fresh and tender. The fragrant, spicy chili powder was the perfect finishing touch, making the delicate beef even more delicious.

The crisp tripe, the soft and glutinous tendon, and the tender, yielding intestines all had vastly different textures, but each was impeccably delicious.

Even the cabbage at the bottom, having soaked up the savory broth, became exceptionally sweet and refreshing.

"The flavor of this Kneeling Beef is truly a pleasant surprise. No wonder it made the magazine cover and got a feature," Wu Liwei said, nodding repeatedly at Huang Chen. "Huang, I think your judgment was correct. If you in Suji had a group of private vendors who could make Kneeling Beef this good, it could definitely become a culinary calling card for Suji—and maybe even for all of Jiazhou."

"Right now, only Zhou Yan and his cousin, Zhou Jie, can achieve this level of flavor. But with them as role models and leaders, I believe the other private vendors selling soup pots will soon follow suit and improve their skills, promoting the growth of Suji’s Kneeling Beef industry," Huang Chen said. "Of course, this will require support and promotion from higher-up authorities, to give Suji a new, revenue-generating industry beyond its slaughterhouse business."

Wu Liwei nodded. "Alright. I’ll write up a report when I get back, and we can discuss it further at the next meeting."

"Sounds good," Huang Chen said with a smiling nod.

’Treating the leaders at Zhou Yan Restaurant today wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. He had planned it all in advance, including scheduling it at an impossible-to-refuse lunchtime.’

’For Suji to develop its Kneeling Beef industry, it needed the support of the higher-ups.’

’And as for just how good Kneeling Beef could be, letting the leaders taste it for themselves was far more persuasive than any words.’

...

The braised pork intestines Lin Zhiqiang had ordered arrived at the table, drawing the gazes of all three.

The braising liquid had thoroughly soaked the intestines, giving them a glossy, agate-like reddish-brown sheen. They were cut into small, diagonal pieces. A generous portion was arranged on a small plate, drizzled with a spoonful of the braising sauce. Steam rose from the dish, accompanied by a small saucer of dry chili powder, and the rich, savory aroma of the marinade filled the air.

Hot braised intestines, like the braised pig’s trotters, were a specialty only available when dining in.

Fresh out of the pot, the braised intestines were undoubtedly at their most tempting.

Drizzled with the glistening red sauce, they shone with an oily sheen that made even the workers at the next table gulp.

"It looks pretty good, and it doesn’t have any strange smell," Meng Anhe said, studying the dish with a curious expression.

"I’ll try it first." Lin Zhiqiang was already eagerly picking up his chopsticks. He grabbed a piece of the braised intestine and put it straight into his mouth.

As he took a bite, the braising liquid burst in his mouth. The intestines were soft and tender yet had a pleasant chewiness; they were rich but not the least bit greasy.

’These hot braised intestines were just so incredibly fragrant!’

"Mmm, delicious! You guys have to try this. There’s no weird taste at all. They’re washed perfectly clean. It’s rich without being greasy, tender with a bit of a springy texture, and effortless to chew." Lin Zhiqiang recommended it enthusiastically, his chopsticks already picking up a second piece. He dipped it in the chili powder, added a slice of garlic, and put the whole thing in his mouth.