Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

The restaurant opened at noon, and customers were still observing the new dishes.

Back in 07, hot and sour noodles were only popular in the Sichuan and Chongqing areas. There might be a few shops in other places, but whether they tasted authentic or flavorful was another matter.

It's estimated that it will take several more years for Sichuan cuisine and hot pot to spread further across the country, and for a large number of people to migrate for work and study, before these kinds of foods become popular.

However, at a price of six yuan a bowl, it quickly attracted customers to try it.

When the first bowl of hot and sour noodles was served, the aroma of vinegar filling the air drew the attention of other diners.

The customer who ordered the hot and sour noodles was a local.

Looking at the pink noodles glistening with red oil, I swallowed hard.

People who grew up in Fujian and held high-ranking positions have never seen such bright red, incredibly spicy noodles.

After a mental negotiation, you pick up the slippery noodles coated in red oil with chopsticks.

The first bite of noodles was an instant explosion of spiciness, sourness, and aroma in my mouth.

Soon came the second bite, then the third bite...

My mouth started to feel numb, but I couldn't stop eating.

He slurped the noodles one mouthful after another, the sound of slurping accompanied by hissing noises.

Even though tears were welling up in her eyes, she still forced herself to drink a sip of soup.

It was sour and spicy, I almost choked, and the tears and snot that had been swirling in finally flowed out uncontrollably.

Seeing this "disastrous" scene, the other diners suddenly became interested in the hot and sour noodles.

Some customers who had just arrived at the store said to Shi Ying, "I want a bowl of those bright red noodles that look really spicy."

"Please also add an extra portion of minced meat sauce."

"I'd like to add a side of minced meat sauce."

"Zha jiang (mixed sauce), and a fried egg too."

Soon, the aroma of hot and sour noodles filled the entire front hall, and some diners who had ordered tomato and egg noodles suddenly felt that their noodles didn't taste as good anymore.

But looking at it, he still shook his head; he still preferred this kind of spicy and sour food.

Hot and sour rice noodles with minced meat sauce are simply doubly delicious.

Adding the minced meat sauce instantly makes it rich and flavorful, with the aroma of minced meat coating every strand of rice noodle.

The minced meat sauce is savory and delicious, and each bite of noodles paired with the meat becomes more and more fragrant.

……

This situation continued into the night.

"What's that smell in the shop? It smells so good!" Customers who had just entered the shop smelled the aroma of hot and sour noodles.

"It's a newly launched hot and sour rice noodle dish, six yuan a bowl."

The diner licked his lips and said, "Give me a bowl."

"Fried eggs and minced meat sauce are available, both costing two dollars."

"No need for the fried egg, just add some minced meat sauce for me."

"This is a clean napkin to prevent oil from splashing onto your clothes."

Just as Zhou Wen said before, no matter how fancy the store's advertising is, it won't have much effect.

The real key lies with these diners.

Every customer who comes to the store, even those who don't particularly like spicy food but prefer rice noodles, will think about giving it a try after seeing so many people choosing hot and sour rice noodles.

The day after the hot and sour noodles were launched, the store became even busier.

The diners inside the restaurant were all enjoying their food with great enthusiasm.

Some diners kept blowing their noses, making hissing noises, or wiping their noses with the back of their hands; some even ate until tears streamed down their faces.

Some diners who add fried eggs will dip the fried eggs placed on top of the hot and sour noodles into the soup of the noodles. When they take the fried eggs out, they will already be covered with red oil.

One bite, and your mouth is filled with oil; the runny yolk, along with the red oil, enters your mouth.

"Boss, three bowls of hot and sour noodles, one with all the sauce, and the other two with an extra serving of minced meat sauce," Shi Ying said, standing at the door.

Zhou Wen, sweating profusely in the kitchen, kept working non-stop: "Shi Ying, tell the diners outside that there's only enough minced meat sauce for one bowl."

This is the first time in half a month since the business opened that we've run out of ingredients.

"Okay, I'll go tell them!"

Shi Ying quickly returned to the kitchen: "Boss, those two customers who ordered the mixed sauce said they wanted fried eggs instead."

……

That evening, while waiting for dinner, Shi Ying even fell asleep on the table.

Zhou Wen gently woke Shi Ying: "The tomato noodles are ready, get up and eat first."

Shi Ying nodded and didn't say anything more. A day of intense work had left her extremely hungry.

But this kind of exhaustion is completely different from what I felt a few days ago.

At that time, cold noodles were not selling well, and we had to rack our brains every day to promote them, which was both mentally and physically exhausting.

The reason I'm tired these past two days is because the store is doing so well.

Shi Ying is currently experiencing a bittersweet feeling.

Soon, a bowl of tomato and egg noodles was gone.

"The store has been quite busy these past few days, so please make sure to get some rest on weekdays and don't come in too early in the afternoon."

Zhou Wen stipulated that he should arrive at the store at 4:30 pm, but Shi Ying had been arriving at the store at 4 pm every day since the first day.

Shi Ying nodded and said, "Okay, boss."

After spending about ten days with Shi Ying, Zhou Wen gained a much better understanding of her and realized that the girl hadn't listened to him at all.

In the past, Zhou Wen would have let Shi Ying do as she pleased, but things are different now.

Zhou Wenzheng straightened his face and said, "The shop is quite busy right now. The workload these past two days has been much heavier than before. Even if I come in half an hour early, I just sit there doing nothing."

"Boss, if anything happens, just give me a call and I'll come to the store."

With the addition of hot and sour noodles, the store's revenue also broke through and reached just over a thousand yuan.

……

"Kangzi, Zhouji Restaurant seems to serve hot and sour noodles. I heard it's really good."

"Really? Where is it?"

"Zhongshan Street, Zhou's Restaurant."

The workers who came from Sichuan and Chongqing all expressed their desire to try Zhouji Restaurant to see if it was authentic after hearing that it served hot and sour noodles.

During the diners' post-meal chatter, the surrounding residents also learned that Zhouji Restaurant had launched a sour and spicy noodle dish that was so addictive.

"Zhouji Restaurant seems to have a dish called hot and sour noodles, which I heard can make people cry from the spiciness."

"So spicy it makes people cry? Really?"

"Of course it's true, and let me tell you, even if it's so spicy it makes your eyes water, you'll still keep eating it."

"Then let's find an opportunity to give it a try."

Some diners who prefer a lighter diet also want to try this spicy and sour rice noodle dish that can make people cry from the spiciness.

The restaurant's booming business continues, and more and more diners with Sichuan and Chongqing accents are starting to appear.

"Boss, I thought you were from Sichuan or Chongqing and came here to open a shop," a customer from the Sichuan-Chongqing region said with a smile.

Zhou Wen smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'm a local, and I've had the privilege of visiting the Sichuan and Chongqing areas."

"How's the taste? Is it authentic?"

The diner exclaimed in Sichuan and Chongqing dialect, "The taste is absolutely fantastic!"

After saying that, he gave Zhou Wen a thumbs up.

Zhou Wen felt a sense of pride in gaining the approval of these diners.