I Have a Countryside Gourmet Restaurant

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: I’ve Really Come to Love This Place

Soon, the Agastache Crucian Carp was also served.

Each person received their own serving.

”Come on, everyone, try the owner’s Agastache Crucian Carp,” Zhao Yanglin urged.

But even without Zhao Yanglin’s prompting, Wei Yang and the other three were already bursting with anticipation.

After the spicy crawfish, their expectations for the food here were already sky-high.

They each took a bite of the fish.

The moment the fish entered their mouths, they were once again completely stunned.

This was, without a doubt, the best crucian carp they had ever eaten in their lives.

It wasn’t just the best Agastache Crucian Carp.

All the other crucian carp dishes they had ever eaten—whether with broad bean paste, braised, or steamed with chopped chili—couldn’t hold a candle to the Agastache Crucian Carp before them now.

Not only was the fish meat exquisite, but the sauce was also incredible.

The owner’s culinary skills were truly on another level.

At this point, Wei Yang, his three companions, and of course, their driver Xiaodai, were all complete believers in what Zhao Yanglin had said earlier.

They finally understood why Zhao Yanglin could never stop thinking about this remote little eatery.

It was truly a magical place; anyone who came once would never be able to forget it.

Perhaps, from this day forward, they too would find themselves forever thinking of this place.

Wei Yang, his companions, and Xiaodai were all sighing with emotion in their hearts.

At the same time, their anticipation for the upcoming Boiled Cabbage, Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts, and Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes grew even stronger!

And soon enough, these four dishes arrived at their table one by one.

First came two servings of Mapo Tofu.

Upon seeing the Mapo Tofu, Zhao Yanglin, who was still savoring the Agastache Crucian Carp, eagerly exclaimed, ”It’s here! The Mapo Tofu is here! Just look at it. Doesn’t it look more delicious than any Mapo Tofu you’ve ever had before?”

The faces of Wei Yang, his companions, and Xiaodai all lit up with delight.

Because, just as Zhao Yanglin had said, this Mapo Tofu already looked more delicious than any version they had ever eaten before.

That included Mapo Tofu made by the hands of a Special Chef.

They had to try it at once.

Eagerly, they all picked up their spoons, scooped up a mouthful, and dug in.

An explosion of sensations—numbing, spicy, fragrant, tender, and piping hot—erupted in their mouths. It was an indescribably delicious and addictive experience.

After just one spoonful, Wei Yang, wanting more, said, ”This dish perfectly embodies the eight pillars of a great Mapo Tofu. The quality is simply sublime. This might just be the best Mapo Tofu in the entire country.”

The other three, and the driver Xiaodai, all nodded in agreement.

They completely agreed with Wei Yang’s assessment.

Hearing this, Ye Shengge broke into a smile, his mood clearly one of extreme delight.

Zhao Yanglin, on the other hand, felt an overwhelming urge to burst into laughter.

’Now these guys finally know where to find the best Mapo Tofu in the country, don’t they?’

’So what if it’s remote? So what if it’s out in the sticks? A place like this will still have countless people flocking to it.’

’And it’s not over yet. There’s still the Boiled Cabbage, Twice-Cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts, and Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes to come.’

’If we hadn’t ordered so much food, I’d have them try the Yangchun Noodles and beef noodles too.’

’I’ll wait until this afternoon. After they’ve rested for a few hours, I’ll have them try the Yangchun Noodles and beef noodles then.’

The other customers in the restaurant had also overheard Wei Yang’s words.

This filled all of them with a sense of pride.

’See that? Even a nationally famous director says the Mapo Tofu here is the best in the country!’

’How awesome is that?’

’And this place is in our Wenxian Town! The owner is from our Wenxian Town, too! I ask you, how awesome is that?’

’Talk about sharing in the glory!’

’This is exactly what it feels like to share in the glory!’

’Owner Li You is destined to become the pride of our entire Wenxian Town.’

The more the customers thought about it, the more excited they became.

Meanwhile, Wei Yang and his group were devouring the Mapo Tofu, spoonful after spoonful.

It seemed to get more delicious with every bite; they simply couldn’t stop.

Taking a sip of wine between bites was an indescribable pleasure.

They had eaten countless exotic delicacies and drunk their fill of famous wines, but they had never experienced enjoyment like this.

As they were reveling in the moment, two servings of Twice-Cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts were brought to the table.

Zhao Yanglin quickly piped up again, ”The Twice-Cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts is here! It’s one of the most iconic dishes in Sichuan cuisine; some even call it the king of Sichuan dishes. Go on, hurry up and try it.”

Wei Yang, his companions, and Xiaodai all nodded, then each picked up a slice of pork and put it in their mouths.

It was rich without being greasy, its fragrance flooding their senses.

They had never tasted such a satisfying, such a delicious twice-cooked pork.

’This dish could also probably be called the best twice-cooked pork in the entire country.’

The group was becoming emotional from the sheer deliciousness of the food.

The two servings of Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes that arrived next left them sighing with even deeper emotion.

’To think that even an ordinary, common dish like stir-fried shredded potatoes can be this delicious... the owner’s skill is truly out of this world.’

’His culinary skill has undoubtedly surpassed that of a Special Chef.’

’At least, that’s the conclusion based on the dishes on the table so far.’

’To think there’s such an incredible chef in this tiny Wenxian Town.’

’Remarkable!’

Next up was the final dish: Boiled Cabbage.

Seven servings of Boiled Cabbage were placed on the table.

This was the dish Zhao Yanglin had been most eager for Wei Yang and the others to try.

Therefore, Zhao Yanglin said with excitement, ”You all are always talking about how you’ve had the most authentic and delicious Boiled Cabbage. Now, I’m going to show you what the *truly* most authentic and delicious Boiled Cabbage is. Go on, try it!”

Meanwhile, Wei Yang and his companions were staring at the Boiled Cabbage before them, utterly dumbfounded.

The supreme broth was so clear it looked exactly like plain boiled water.

And yet, the aroma wafting from it was incredibly rich and complex.

’It’s simply unbelievable!’

’Perhaps this really is the most authentic, most delicious Boiled Cabbage in existence.’

After a moment of shock, all four of them picked up their spoons and took a sip of the broth.

The moment the broth touched their lips, a thrill shot through them.

Even for them, who had tasted every exotic delicacy imaginable, this moment was thrilling.

This broth surpassed all those delicacies, and it certainly surpassed every other version of Boiled Cabbage they had ever tasted.

This, without a doubt, was the one true, most authentic, and most delicious Boiled Cabbage.

Next, they tried a piece of the cabbage.

The moment the cabbage entered their mouths, all four of them were absolutely certain. There was no mistake; this was the best Boiled Cabbage in the entire country.

It might have been an absolute statement, but Wei Yang and his companions felt it was an accurate one.

’Who would have thought that the best Boiled Cabbage in the entire country could be found in a remote little eatery in the middle of nowhere?’

It was unbelievable, yet it was undeniably true.

From the most common, everyday home-style dishes that many can cook, to high-end, famous state banquet fare that few can master, this owner could bring out the ultimate flavor in everything. He was just that good.

Driving for several hours for food like this was absolutely worth it.

In fact, it was more than worth it!

Previously, Wei Yang and his companions had thought that the nearly six-hour drive was worth it for the wine alone.

Now, they felt that even if there were no wine, just the food, the nearly six-hour drive would still be absolutely worth it.

But since there was both food *and* wine, this trip had become something truly special.

This really was an amazing place.

Zhao Yanglin had told them they would fall in love with this place, and they hadn’t believed him.

Now, they finally did.

They had truly fallen in love with it.

...