Chapter 32

(Listen, everyone lend me a few tickets, and I can rise three ranks!)

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In an ordinary restaurant, it ultimately comes down to the dishes. To make Chuanfu a hit, Chen Ke put a lot of thought into it. Besides ensuring the freshness and quality of the ingredients, he carefully planned the menu... Apart from home-style stir-fries like liver stir-fry and green vegetables, there needed to be some classic dishes to elevate the atmosphere.

In Sichuan, naturally, Sichuan cuisine would be the main focus. Although he couldn't get chili peppers, this wasn't a problem. Chili peppers were only introduced to China at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Did Sichuan people not eat spicy food before that?

Obviously not. The humid climate in Sichuan made the locals instinctively crave spicy flavors. Before chili peppers entered Sichuan cuisine, the locals relied on the "three spices" to satisfy their craving for spiciness. The "three spices" are Sichuan pepper, ginger, and Evodia. Among these, Evodia is the main source of spiciness.

Over the past two months, to understand the local taste, Chen Ke used his precious free time to try all the restaurants and eateries in Qingcheng County... It was for research, absolutely not because he was a glutton, he always told Liulang. He found that in the fish, meat soups, and noodles that the locals loved, there was always a bright red oil, with a spicy and fragrant taste, not much different from the red oil made from chili peppers in later times.

He noticed that many kitchen doors had strings of small red beads hanging from them. Upon inquiry, he learned that these were Evodia, which, though not chili peppers, played a similar role in providing spiciness.

After that, he focused on studying Evodia and found that it was suitable for stewing, but when used in stir-fries, it had a bitter taste in addition to the spiciness, making it not a great choice. However, the locals crushed and filtered Evodia to extract its juice, processed it, and made it into a bright red spicy oil, which removed the bitterness and produced a purer and more intense spiciness than chili oil.

This discovery greatly relieved Chen Ke. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to let Chuanfu open after just two months of training... It's very difficult to become a master of Sichuan cuisine, but there is a shortcut, and the secret lies in using aromatic spices to mask the shortcomings!

Indeed, since Chen Ke used his secret method to make the red oil, the dishes cooked by Chuanfu became extremely popular. It was just a matter of adding a spoon of red oil.

Moreover, people in later times misunderstood Sichuan cuisine. The soul of Sichuan cuisine is not chili peppers or red oil, but rather Pixian broad bean paste and the unique use of ginger and garlic. This might be hard for many to understand, but just think of the four signature dishes of Sichuan cuisine—Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Yu Xiang Rousi, and Twice-Cooked Pork—the most classic versions of these dishes do not use chili peppers, which makes it clear.

The use of spiciness makes Sichuan cuisine bright and fiery, but it also masks its pure flavors. Now, due to limited conditions, Chen Ke had to reduce the use of spiciness, but this inadvertently restored the true nature of Sichuan cuisine.

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Chen Ke's efforts were not in vain. The Sichuan people and Sichuan cuisine, though they met centuries earlier, fell in love at first sight, just like a bolt of lightning striking the earth...

The Mapo Tofu, with its spicy, fresh, tender, and fragrant flavors, is like a fiery Sichuan girl, making people's blood boil and willing to die without regret...

The Kung Pao Chicken, with its tender and lychee-like aroma, is like a delicate jade, making people feel comfortable and unable to stop eating...

The Yu Xiang Rousi, with its salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, is like a versatile and understanding courtesan, giving you everything you want and making you unable to stop...

The Twice-Cooked Pork, with its bright red color and rich, non-greasy texture, is like a mature and charming woman, looking seductive and tasting even better...

"Absolutely delicious!" The diners feasted and couldn't help but shout, "Heaven, how can there be such delicious food in the world!"

"Wah, what if I can't eat it again?" Some people even cried while eating, "I will be heartbroken..."

"As if..." The boss Lu pursed his lips,不服气地说道: "It's just a few dishes, what's the big deal..."

But his idle men were too busy to respond. At such a time, every second counted, and every word meant less food. They all focused on eating quickly, leading to intense competition:

"This is mine!"

"Mine!"

"Let go, or I'll beat you up!"

"Who's afraid of who! Let me finish this piece of meat first..."

Seeing his subordinates' lack of composure, Boss Lu sighed heavily. When someone reached for his chopsticks, he angrily protected his dish: "Don't grab, don't grab, this plate is mine!"

In the afternoon, those who were thoroughly conquered by the food brought their friends and flocked to the restaurant. Fortunately, Chen Ke had a plan. He sent people to guard the entrance and issued number plates to the later arrivals, allowing one table to enter only after another left.

In less than fifteen minutes, all one hundred number plates were claimed. The people who arrived later were not happy and started to make a fuss at the entrance. Many shouted that they were willing to pay to eat, and those who had the number plates were not pleased: "Do you think we don't have money? We're willing to pay for this meal!"

Some were even willing to buy the number plates from those who had them, but most were refused. However, some were willing to pay a high price... Seeing people willing to pay hundreds of coins for a number plate, some idle men began to queue up at Lai Fu's door every day to get the number plates and resell them. Chen Ke's unintentional action inadvertently created the earliest scalpers, showing that where there is demand, there is supply, though this is a story for later.

But most people did not get the number plates. The waiters advised them to come back another day. They were worried that it would be the same the next day, so some suggested getting the number plates for the next day.

The waiters, not daring to make the decision, quickly went inside to ask for instructions. A moment later, they came out and said, "Tomorrow is half price."

"Stop making noise, give us the number plates!" The people saw the diners leaving the restaurant, all looking as if they were in a state of bliss, and they were eager to go in. Many asked, "Waiter, if I pay full price, can I get the number plate now?"

"Our restaurant operates with integrity," the waiter shook his head. "A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

The people had no choice but to queue up obediently to get the number plates. Among them were many who had just left the restaurant. Some protested, but they received disapproving looks: "Do you not have enough to eat at home?"

After less than half an hour, the waiter had to stop issuing number plates: "Sorry, everyone, we're out of number plates." He marveled, "A thousand number plates, all claimed!" He had been a waiter for many years and had never seen such a scene.

Even with the fast cooking speed and only serving over a hundred tables, Chen Ke and Chuanfu were busy until midnight. By then, all the shops in the county had been closed for two hours.

Watching the last group of diners leave satisfied, Chen Xiliang and Chen Chen, who had come to help, were already exhausted. Thinking about how tired they were after just one evening, they quickly went to the kitchen to find Sanlang.

They saw the curtain lift, and Chuanfu carried Sanlang out and gently handed him to Chen Xiliang: "The master is so tired that he fell asleep..."

Chen Xiliang took Sanlang, and when he was asleep, his handsome face lost its cunning and maturity. His eyelashes fluttered, and his nose twitched, reminding everyone that he was still a ten-year-old child.

Chen Xiliang put Sanlang on his back and asked Chuanfu, "Can you manage tomorrow?"

"Yes." Chuanfu knew that his master was worried about his son, so he nodded firmly: "On the first day, we lacked experience, were disorganized, and cooked too slowly. We also let in too many people. It will be better tomorrow."

"Okay." Chen Xiliang nodded. "I'll come to help you tomorrow."

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In one night, Lai Fu's reputation surpassed the other two restaurants, becoming the only choice in the eyes of the people of Qingcheng. Even the county magistrate, after tasting Chuanfu's cooking, became a loyal customer... He originally wanted Lai Fu to deliver meals daily, but upon learning that the dishes must be served hot, and would lose their appeal when cold, he decided to come to Lai Fu after work every day, not minding the simplicity of the place.

Of course, this was also related to the people-friendly officials of the Song Dynasty, who enjoyed mingling with the common people, unlike the county magistrates of later times.

Soon, Lai Fu's fame spread to neighboring counties, and people from other counties came to visit. The number plates were issued up to three months in advance. The number plates for the next three days were even sold for over one guan (a unit of currency).

One guan, even in Chengdu, could buy a decent banquet at a high-end restaurant, but in this small town, it was just the entry price. This absurd story actually happened.

With Lai Fu's rise, the business of Lu's restaurant plummeted. Dishes that were once popular now seemed bland, and people preferred to queue up at Lai Fu rather than eat the tasteless food at Lu's.

After several days of mental struggle, Boss Lu, Yueyu, finally made up his mind. He brought gifts like pork, tea, silk, and ginseng to Lai Fu's house to apologize. He had a bit of a businessman's shrewdness, knowing that he had offended Chuanfu deeply, so he visited under the pretext of visiting Chuanfu's mother... He knew that Chuanfu was filial, and if he could win over Chuanfu's mother, there would be a chance for a turnaround.

Originally, he and Chuanfu's father had a good relationship, and the two families had a connection. So when he entered, he called Chuanfu's mother "Old Sister" and flattered her. When Chuanfu returned, his mother indeed urged him to help Boss Lu.

Seeing Boss Lu's pleading face, Chuanfu sneered, "Why didn't you teach me when I came to you for help?"

"I..." Boss Lu was ashamed. "I was greedy for your family's shop, so I lost my mind." He bowed and said, "Chuanfu, please, I have an eighty-year-old mother and an eight-year-old child..."

"I also have a mother and a child. Why don't you pity me?" Chuanfu shook his head. "Go back, I won't teach you."

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The pitiful person who doesn't rest on weekends is asking for your votes...

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