Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

Actually, besides cold dishes, the sales of shrimp and mushroom noodles have been quite good recently.

The seafood flavor is something that local diners are also used to.

Then everyone likes hot dry noodles, of course, it's the improved version of hot dry noodles.

With the addition of peanut butter, the taste and color become more like the local peanut butter noodles, which is why many diners are willing to buy it.

"Boss, how about we make some more rice bowls?" Shi Ying suggested.

Zhou Wen frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "A rice bowl with toppings?"

Shi Ying nodded and then explained her reasoning: "Ever since the Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl and the Minced Meat and Eggplant Rice Bowl, the restaurant hasn't served any rice bowls with toppings."

"And these past few days, many construction workers have asked me why the store doesn't offer staple dishes like rice bowls."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wen realized that it was indeed the case.

The average spending per person in the restaurant is around ten yuan, and the main customers are still workers.

Especially around noon, which is the best time of day for rice bowls to sell, as is the recently introduced cold shredded vegetables salad.

This gave these workers a great option.

Although many of the cold dishes and noodles in the store taste good, they are not very appealing to the workers.

Those cold meat dishes might be quite expensive, and the noodles themselves aren't very filling.

Foods like rice bowls, which include rice, oil, salt, and meat, and are served in generous portions, are naturally popular among these workers.

Zhou Wen nodded and said, "Okay, then we'll serve the rice bowl tomorrow."

"What kind of rice bowl does the boss serve?" Shi Ying asked, her eyes lighting up.

"I'll have to think about this carefully," Zhou Wen said with a smile.

It wasn't that Zhou Wen was trying to keep anything a secret; he genuinely hadn't decided what kind of rice bowl to make.

After all, there are indeed many types of rice bowls.

……

The next day, Zhou Wen did not rush to produce it, intending to wait another day.

By the third day, everything was ready.

The first thing Shi Ying said when she arrived at the shop was, "Boss, what kind of rice bowl do you want to make today?"

"Braised pork and potato rice bowl".

This was the rice bowl dish that Zhou Wen thought of and finally decided on.

To make braised pork cubes well, a certain amount of sweetness is needed, and eating something sweet on such a hot day can stimulate the appetite.

This is also why Zhou Wen wanted to make braised pork diced rice.

There's no need to go to the market to buy any additional ingredients.

At ten o'clock, Zhou Wen prepared to start making it.

Before making braised pork, Zhou Wen first prepared a bowl of sauce that would be used later.

Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, and rock sugar are the seasonings needed to make the sauce. Zhou Wen added just a little bit of rock sugar, not daring to add too much.

Otherwise, like last time when I made braised pork trotters rice, it would be too greasy because I put in too much sugar, which would be bad.

Then cut the pork belly into cubes and stir-fry it directly in the pan without adding oil.

Once the surface is golden brown, add scallions, ginger, star anise, and other ingredients and stir-fry together.

After about a minute, pour in the sauce, then add three bowls of hot water and cover with the lid.

Then add the potatoes and some salt, and reduce the sauce over high heat.

To achieve the best flavor, you should simmer the sauce over low heat for about half an hour.

But after all, it's a restaurant. How could a rice bowl take half an hour to cook and serve?

"The color is not bad," Zhou Wen said, lifting the lid of the pot.

The braised pork cubes have a deep jujube color and are coated with a thin layer of oily sugar coating.

The potatoes were also fully cooked; they could be easily pierced with chopsticks.

Zhou Wen gave Shi Ying a small bowl, scooped some rice into it, and then poured a spoonful of braised pork and potatoes on top.

It was also a way of earning a living for myself.

Zhou Wen was still somewhat worried.

I wanted to increase the sweetness level a little bit, but I was afraid that this would make the rice bowl too sweet.

However, after taking one bite, Zhou Wen's concerns were dispelled.

The first bite of rock sugar brings out its sweetness, but it's not cloying or overpowering.

After the sweetness comes the salty and savory flavor of soy sauce, which balances the two flavors.

Most importantly, the sweetness doesn't mask the natural aroma of the meat's fat; the overall flavor of the pork belly is still quite pronounced.

"It's sweet and delicious." Shi Ying quite liked the sweetness of this braised pork and potato rice bowl.

Even if you eat a lot, the sweetness won't feel cloying.

The potatoes were cooked until they were very soft and mushy; you could mash them completely with a spoon if you pressed them down a little.

Mix the rice with the broth, and the braised pork and potato rice becomes braised pork and potato rice, which also adds a sticky texture.

With a bowl of seaweed soup and a bowl of braised pork and potato rice, I ate my fill.

……

"Sit down for a bit, I'll make you a bowl of braised pork and potato rice." Zhou Wen said to Shan Wei, who was sitting in the front hall.

Before long, Shan Wei also got to eat braised pork and potato rice.

After taking the first bite, Shan Wei felt that the taste was somewhat different from the braised pork he had ever eaten; it seemed sweeter.

Furthermore, the juice seeped into the rice, giving it a sweet flavor.

Although it's sweet, it's not cloying at all.

The sweetness doesn't last long; it's quickly overwhelmed by the meaty aroma.

"Delicious, goes well with rice," Shan Wei said with a puffed-out mouth, then took a sip of soup to smooth his mouth.

Shan Wei, who never eats breakfast, wolfed down the bowl of braised pork and potato rice.

When Shan Wei entered the kitchen with bowls and chopsticks, Zhou Wen was somewhat stunned.

He asked with a smile, "Did you finish eating so quickly?"

Dan Wei smiled sheepishly: "Boss, if there's nothing else, I'll head out now."

Zhou Wen waved his hand and then got back to work.

……

"Does the restaurant have a new braised pork and potato rice bowl?"

The diner took off his helmet, pulled out a tissue, and wiped his sweat.

The customer who came to the restaurant was the same coworker who had asked Shi Ying about the restaurant a few days ago. He had also seen the notice on the signboard at the entrance when he came to the restaurant.

"Yes, ten yuan a bowl."

Zhou Wen actually wanted to lower the price further, but there was simply no way to do so.

The price of pork has been rising steadily, and it has increased significantly since March.

"Alright, then bring me one bowl."

The price of ten yuan may be about two yuan more than my budget, but it is still acceptable.

After all, the portions at restaurants are always satisfying, especially for hearty dishes like braised pork.

I sat there for a while, enjoying the air conditioning, and waited a little while.

Shi Ying also served a rice bowl topped with braised pork and potatoes, leaving the diners somewhat dumbfounded.

Diced meat, diced meat.

What's in this bowl? That's not diced meat!