1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

How did Chapter 21 taste?

“Wang Laowu’s noodles cost three cents a bowl, but I still managed to bankrupt him by selling them for six cents a bowl,” Zhou Yan said with a smile as he placed the oxtail bones at the bottom of the pot. “Moreover, our soup pot is made with plenty of ingredients. It not only has offal but also beef, and the Chinese herbs we add are quite expensive.”

"Of course, the most important thing is that it tastes good and is worth six cents."

"Exactly! Zhou Yan's soup pot tastes amazing, I'm sure lots of people will want to eat it!" Zhao Hong said as she poured two buckets of well water into the large pot.

These past two days, Zhao Tieying has been learning how to make braised beef with ribs, and Zhao Hong has been eating it for two days, so she has a lot to say about it.

Zhao Tieying smiled upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "Okay, whatever you say. You're the boss, so you make the decisions."

When the store opened for business in the morning, the beef bone soup in the large pot had been simmering for two hours. The aroma of the beef bone soup, mixed with the fragrance of spices and Chinese medicine, seeped out from the gaps in the wooden lid and wafted into the flow of bicycles going to work at the entrance of the textile factory.

"It smells so good! Is this beef soup simmering so early in the morning?"

"It smells like beef soup, but the aroma is so unique. It's making me hungry so early in the morning."

The workers, following the smell, all looked toward Zhou Erwa's restaurant.

There's a large, eye-catching pot standing in front of Zhou Erwa's restaurant these past two days, but today, several large characters have been painted in red on the side facing outwards.

"Qiaojiao Beef? What's that?"

"It's probably the soup pot from Zhoucun. Many cattle slaughterhouses in Zhoucun sell offal soup, but it smells a little different. It doesn't have the fishy smell I had last time."

"It says below that it's a beef offal soup made with Chinese herbs, and it's a family secret recipe."

Some workers came over to take a closer look, while others came to eat noodles.

"Aunt Zhao, what exactly is this 'Qiaojiao Beef'? Can we eat it this morning?" a female worker asked Zhao Tieying, who was standing at the door.

The workers all looked at Zhao Tieying.

"Qiaojiao Beef is a medicinal dish passed down from our ancestors in Sha Niu Zhou Village. It is not only delicious, but also has the effect of dispelling cold and dampness." Zhao Tieying said with a smile, "You can't eat it this morning. This pot of soup needs to be simmered for eight hours. When you come over after get off work today at noon, you can have the first soup, which is the most delicious time. It's very good. You'll know once you taste it."

"Staying up for eight hours?"

The workers were all taken aback when they heard this.

However, I was indeed intrigued by Aunt Zhao.

Medicinal cuisine sounds quite high-end.

Customers who come to the shop to eat noodles will casually ask a couple of questions.

Aunt Zhao answered every question, following the script Zhou Yan had trained her on over the past two days, only mentioning the braised beef and omitting the soup pot.

It piqued the guests' curiosity.

Tuesday, the news that Wa's restaurant was selling "Qiaojiao Beef" (a type of beef dish) gained its first wave of publicity.

After closing in the morning, they begin preparing for the midday business.

"Aunt Zhao, well said." Zhou Yan came out of the kitchen and gave Comrade Zhao Tieying a thumbs up.

"Get up!" Zhao Tieying glared at him, her upturned lips revealing a smug look.

……

"Deputy Factory Director Lin, are you feeling unwell? I've noticed you've been sneezing a lot." Outside the textile factory's conference room, Zhao Dong quickly caught up with Lin Zhiqiang and asked with concern.

Lin Zhiqiang sniffed, his nose red from being rubbed with toilet paper, and his face showed signs of exhaustion. He forced a smile and said, "I've been traveling all over the province these past few days, and then I had two days of meetings in Chengdu. I'm really tired. I caught a bit of a chill last night, but it's nothing serious."

As he spoke, he turned his back and sneezed, covering his mouth and nose.

"You don't look like you're alright. Go to the infirmary and get some medicine. Go back and get some rest. Your health is important," Zhao Dong said quickly.

"No, there's a technical sharing session this afternoon, and I can't let it interfere with this." Lin Zhiqiang shook his head and said with a smile, "Come on, let's go to Zhou Yan's place for noodles. I haven't had his noodles for several days, and I'm really craving them. Let's eat first, and then we'll go get the medicine."

As he spoke, he patted his black briefcase: "I brought some good stuff."

Zhao Dong's eyes lit up upon hearing this, but he looked troubled and said in a low voice, "Isn't it inappropriate during work hours?"

"What did you think it was?" Lin Zhiqiang laughed, taking out a glass bottle from his briefcase with the words 'Donghu Vinegar' written on it.

"Vinegar?" Zhao Dong scratched his head awkwardly. "I thought it was wine."

"This is genuine Shanxi aged vinegar. A fellow villager brought it for me. It's said that this is the vinegar used at state banquets." Lin Zhiqiang carefully put the vinegar back into his briefcase.

"I just can't stand this sour taste. I need chili peppers to really enjoy it. I get really anxious if I don't eat spicy food for a day," Zhao Dong said, shaking his head.

“I’m the complete opposite of you. If I don’t get jealous for a day, I get really anxious,” Lin Zhiqiang said with a laugh.

The two chatted and laughed as they walked toward the main gate. It was lunchtime, and many workers were heading toward the factory gate to grab something to eat at the stalls there.

"Why is there a stove at the entrance?" Lin Zhiqiang noticed the stove at the restaurant entrance at a glance, and his gaze moved down, somewhat surprised, "Beef with Pork Knuckle? A new dish?"

"Looks like they've got new dishes. Zhoucun's hot pot has always been quite famous. There's a Zhouji Hot Pot place near the dock that's pretty good. Zhou Yan is from Zhoucun, and it smells really good." Zhao Dong had a bowl of noodles there the day before yesterday, but there wasn't a sign on the stove then. The broth, simmered for eight hours, wafted with the aroma of meat, making one's mouth water.

"This is a traditional Chinese medicine recipe passed down through generations. It can even dispel cold and dampness. That's interesting." Lin Zhiqiang carefully read the small print below and teased, "I'll order one to try later and see if it really works. If it's effective, I won't even need to go to the hospital."

Zhao Tieying, who was standing behind the stove, had already spotted the two men and greeted them with a smile, "Please come in and have a seat, leaders."

"Okay." Lin Zhiqiang replied, and entered the room with Zhao Dong, finding an empty table to sit down.

The workers sitting in the shop greeted them one after another.

Lin Zhiqiang is the factory's technical leader. Although he is the deputy factory director, he has no airs of a leader and is highly respected by the workers.

"What would you two leaders like to eat today?" Zhao Tieying stepped forward and, seeing Lin Zhiqiang's red nose and pale complexion, asked with concern, "Have you caught a cold?"

Zhao Tieying had a very good impression of Xia Yao. The Lin family was approachable, grateful, and easy to get along with.

"It's nothing, I just caught a bit of a cold." Lin Zhiqiang forced a smile. "I saw that your store's new 'Qiaojiao Beef' is supposed to ward off the cold? Give me a bowl, and a bowl of braised pork rib noodles too."

"I'd like a bowl of beef and chili noodles," Zhao Dong said.

He wasn't in a hurry to order the braised beef. He'd had hot pot before; the Zhou Ji restaurant at the dock was only four or six cents a bowl, which was much more expensive than other places. It was really good.

Let Lin Zhiqiang try it first; if he likes it, he can order more later.

“Okay, I’ll make it for you right away.” Zhao Tieying walked towards the big pot, saying, “Speaking of warding off the cold, my husband caught a chill a couple of days ago. He ate a bowl of braised beef and sweated it out, and he was better that day. It works really well.”

The menu on the wall has a new dish: Braised Beef with Pork Knuckle, which costs six cents a bowl.

The price is comparable to a bowl of noodles.

If you want to eat, you have to pay an extra 10 cents.

This price is not cheap.

So none of the customers in the shop have ordered anything yet; they've all ordered noodles.

Upon hearing that Lin Zhiqiang had ordered braised beef, everyone looked at him with expectant expressions.

There has to be a brave soul who gets to try it first.

Lin Zhiqiang noticed everyone's gaze and said with a smile, "I see that you guys don't have much confidence in this new dish, so I'll try it for you. If you like it, then you can order it."

“Okay!” the workers replied with smiles.

Zhao Tieying was initially quite happy to have opened her shop, but upon hearing this, she became a little nervous. This was a chance to open up sales channels!
Pick up the tongs and grab a handful of cabbage to blanch in the strainer. Then, scoop out a beef intestine and a piece of beef tendon from the bubbling broth, chop them into small pieces, and once the cabbage is just cooked, take it out and place it at the bottom of the earthenware bowl. Cover it with the beef intestine and beef tendon.

Pick up a handful of tripe, blanch it briefly in the broth, and then scoop it into a ceramic bowl. Take three thin slices of the hanging tenderloin, blanch them in the broth for a few seconds, and then serve.

Scoop a spoonful of broth into an earthenware bowl, sprinkle some chopped green onions on top, place a soup spoon in the bowl, and serve it directly to the table.

"This is a dipping sauce. The beef 'Qiaojiao' tastes even better when dipped in it." Zhao Tieying served a dipping sauce and stepped aside with a smile.

The guests craned their necks to look, their eyes lighting up.

"This bowl of 'Qiaojiao Beef' looks like it has quite a lot of meat! It looks like it weighs at least three ounces."

"Other restaurants mainly use cheap offal like beef liver and lungs, but they use beef intestines, tripe, tendon, and even brisket!"

"I don't know what it tastes like, but it smells very good."

Lin Zhiqiang also examined the bowl of braised beef in front of him. The broth was clear and bright, without any extra impurities. The thinly sliced ​​beef was pink and visibly tender. The aroma was irresistible, a mixture of spices and Chinese herbs, quite enticing.

He picked up the spoon, took a sip of soup, and his eyes lit up as soon as it entered his mouth.

This soup is so delicious!
The beef bones and offal are stewed together, and the flavor is perfectly blended with spices and Chinese herbs, resulting in no gamey taste at all, only an extremely delicious flavor.

This is different from the umami flavor created by MSG. The broth made by simmering beef bones for a long time has a refreshing aftertaste.

He drank several mouthfuls in a row, and his body warmed up immediately. A light sweat appeared on his forehead, and his previously tired spirit was greatly boosted.

"This soup is so delicious!"

Lin Zhiqiang exclaimed in admiration, picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of tender pink beef. The beef was sliced ​​very thinly, comparable to the beef in Lanzhou noodles he had eaten during his business trip.

He dipped it into the dipping saucer, and it was immediately coated with a thick layer of chili powder. He was astonished when he tasted it.

The beef slices are large, thin, and tender—they're incredibly juicy!
The chili powder is the perfect finishing touch, adding layers of spiciness, but the aroma is the main attraction, making it an absolute perfect match for beef.

He tasted beef intestines, tripe, and beef tendon one piece after another, and drank several large mouthfuls of soup.

Zhao Dong, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but swallow his saliva several times. Lin Zhiqiang was eating so deliciously that he couldn't help but ask, "How does it taste?"

(End of this chapter)