I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

While waiting for his meal, Li Zhibai flipped through the newly prepared menu that Su Su had given him.

[Spring Tidings from Jiangnan] [Spring Mud] [Between Mountains and Seas]........

The names of the dishes are quite interesting, sounding like they were taken from Song Dynasty poems, which fits well with Su Su's positioning as a fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine.

There is one drawback: just by looking at the name of the dish, he has no idea what it is.

Fortunately, he scrolled down and found detailed ingredient and cooking instructions under each dish name, which cleared up his confusion.

This new menu appears to be a set meal, consisting of seven dishes: three appetizers, two main courses, a soup, and a dessert.

The single-person premium package is 988, and the double-person light luxury package is 1888.

Li Zhibai couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement at the price.

Honestly, this price would be outrageous in a regular restaurant, but in a Black Pearl restaurant, it's excellent value for money.

However, it still falls short compared to his Shaxian snacks. After all, the most expensive egg fried rice in his shop costs 1288 yuan, and the whole set costs several thousand yuan.

In comparison, it seems that his Shaxian County is more impressive.

About ten minutes later, the first appetizer was served.

Su Su brought the dish over herself. After placing it in front of him, she sat down opposite him and began to explain the dish in detail.

The dish on the plate looked very refreshing: thinly sliced ​​scallop sashimi laid on crushed ice, garnished with a few edible flower petals and a touch of caviar, and served with a small dish of sauce that was a pale orange color.

"Master, this dish is called Prologue of the Sea. The scallops were just air-freighted over this morning, and the sauce is made with grapefruit vinegar and citrus. Please try it."

"good!"

Li Zhibai picked up a slice of scallop sashimi with his chopsticks, dipped it lightly in the sauce, put it in his mouth, closed his eyes, and slowly savored it.

The scallops were very fresh, with firm and chewy flesh and a natural sweetness.

The acidity of the grapefruit vinegar is perfectly controlled, enhancing the freshness without overpowering the scallop's natural flavor, while the citrus aroma effectively neutralizes any slight fishy taste that raw seafood might have.

Overall, it's an excellent appetizer, refreshing and simple, without any fancy techniques. After eating it, you can clearly feel your appetite being awakened.

"It's good. The ingredients are fresh, and the seasoning is very restrained, with a good balance of acidity and sweetness."

Hearing her master give such high praise, Su Su smiled sweetly: "Really, Master? Is there anything that needs to be changed?"

"have."

Su Su pouted slightly, realizing she had been too happy too soon.

"Did you prepare that sauce in advance and keep it in the refrigerator?" Li Zhibai asked.

Su Su nodded: "Yes, because there will be many guests on the day of the tasting event, and we are worried that we won't have enough time to prepare the sauce on the spot, so we want to try preparing the ingredients in advance so that we are less likely to make mistakes."

"Preparing in advance is fine, but you can't just put it in the refrigerator after you've prepared it. The aroma of pomelo is very volatile, and the flavor will fade if it's left for too long. When you serve it, all your guests will taste is sourness and no aroma."

"The people who came to the tasting event were all experts. They could definitely taste these details with their palates. I suggest that you prepare the sauce base in advance, but the grapefruit juice and citrus zest must be added fresh. Just add them in one minute before serving so that the aroma can be locked in."

"Yes, Master, I'll change it right away!" Su Su nodded seriously and immediately took out paper and pen to write it down.

Li Zhibai ate two more scallops, emptied the plate, rinsed his mouth with water, and waited for the next dish.

The second appetizer was served shortly afterward.

This dish is called "Spring Mud," and its appearance is very poetic.

A piece of crispy rye bread, spread with a layer of bright green sauce, topped with a few thin slices of pickled radish and garnished with a few edible flowers, does indeed look quite appealing.

Li Zhibai picked up a slice of bread and took a bite.

The bread has a crispy and crunchy texture, followed by the smoothness of broad bean paste and the coolness of mint. Pickled radish slices provide a slight sour and crunchy texture in the middle, and finally, a subtle hint of honey sweetness finishes the meal.

"This dish is also good."

Su Su's big eyes lit up again.

"There's just one small problem."

Su Su's big eyes dimmed again.

"You didn't blend your broad bean paste finely enough. I tasted some bean skins that weren't completely blended, which affected the overall texture. This dish is all about the delicate texture of spring, and the presence of bean skins greatly diminishes that texture. You should sieve it one more time."

"Yes, Master."

"Also, the proportion of mint could be reduced a bit. The current mint flavor is overpowering the original flavor of the broad beans. Reducing it by about 10% should be just right."

"OK."

The third appetizer, which is also the most complex one in this set meal, is "Between Mountains and Seas".

The main ingredient of this dish is foie gras mousse with caramelized figs, served on a bed of crispy puff pastry, and garnished with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

From a plating perspective alone, it is indeed very exquisite.

Li Zhibai picked up a knife and fork, cut off a small piece, and put it in his mouth. The foie gras mousse melted almost instantly on his tongue, with a very delicate and smooth texture.

The sweetness of the caramelized fig and the rich aroma of the foie gras create a wonderful contrast, while the acidity of the balsamic vinegar perfectly balances the richness that might otherwise result from combining the two.

"This dish is more complete than the previous two. The combination of ingredients, the contrast of layers, and the transition of taste are all done very well."

"So, there's nothing to change about this dish, right?"

"There's a small problem."

Su Su: "..."

Master, did you come here today specifically to find fault? How come you can find fault with every single dish?

If things continue like this, she'll lose all confidence.

Of course, she only complained to herself, thinking that the purpose of inviting her master was to fill in any gaps in her knowledge.

"The thickness of your puff pastry is not uniform. I found that the edges were slightly burnt while the middle was slightly undercooked. This is probably due to uneven oven temperature. It's not a problem with your chef's skills, but with the oven in your kitchen. The edges are heated more than the middle, so the thickness is uneven."

Li Zhibai pointed with his fork to the slightly darker part around the edge of the puff pastry and said, "Either you change your oven, or you can increase the overall thickness of the puff pastry by half a millimeter, lower the temperature by about five degrees, and extend the baking time by about two minutes. That should solve the problem of uneven heating."

Su Su carefully wrote down her master's advice once again, and admired him even more.

To be able to detect even uneven oven temperatures, this tongue is simply not human.

"Master, is there any more?"

"That's all. This dish was already very well made."

Su Su breathed a sigh of relief. To be recognized by a chef of her master's caliber meant that the dish was truly perfect.

"Master, please wait a moment while I go prepare the main course."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Li Zhibai then slowly ate the remaining appetizers by himself. Because the portions were small, he finished them in a few bites.

Just as he was about to call the waiter to remove the plate, he suddenly noticed two staff members dressed in chef's uniforms talking anxiously in the distance.

He didn't pay much attention. Even in such a high-end restaurant, unexpected situations occasionally arise in the kitchen, and Su Su should be able to handle them.