Chapter 287: Next Time, For Sure
The moment the food entered his mouth, Mu Liufeng was immediately greeted by the tangy and appetizing tomato-based sauce coating the fish strands.
Tomatoes could be this rich and delicious?
This completely exceeded Mu Liufeng's expectations. The tomatoes he had tasted before were far inferior in flavor.
The last time he had such delicious tomatoes was when he enjoyed tomato-braised beef brisket.
Clearly, Boss Qi's tomatoes were of exceptional quality, far surpassing ordinary ones. Where did he even source them?
But the sweet and tangy tomato flavor was only the beginning.
As Mu Liufeng chewed, the crispy-yet-tender fish strands began to reveal their true charm.
Beneath the crispy golden crust, infused with the rich aroma of deep-frying and eggs, lay tender, succulent mandarin fish. As his teeth sank into it, the fish's delicate flavors burst forth as if an invisible seal had been broken.
To his astonishment, juices even seeped out with each chew.
Unbelievable!
Mu Liufeng had a rough understanding of the deep-frying process—once a dish was fried to such a crisp degree, the interior typically wouldn't retain much moisture.
And yet, how could the inside remain so incredibly tender and juicy?
This contradiction left him both baffled and deeply amazed.
The mandarin fish meat, as plump and juicy as if it had been steamed, contained no bones whatsoever. Mu Liufeng could chew freely without worrying about any stray bones pricking his mouth—a feature he greatly appreciated.
After all, 60% of people who dislike fish do so because of the hassle of picking out bones, while the other 40% avoid it due to poorly handled fish that tastes overly fishy.
So, who could possibly resist a fish dish that was both bone-free and free of any fishy odor?
As he chewed, the savory fish meat, crispy crust, and the sweet and tangy tomato sauce melded together in his mouth, creating a one-of-a-kind harmony unique to Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish. The flavors and textures combined into a masterpiece that left him utterly impressed.
"This is truly delicious."
After swallowing a bite, Mu Liufeng couldn't help but express his amazement aloud.
For a moment, he even felt an impulse to immediately cast one of his three votes for this dish.
However, his professional judgment quickly overrode his emotions.
The food festival had just begun. He hadn't even sampled all eight new dishes at Han Shi, let alone those from other vendors. Voting now would be premature and unwise.
Holding himself back from eating too much of the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, Mu Liufeng turned his gaze toward the Swallow-Skin Dumplings sitting beside it.
Compared to the vibrant and striking appearance of the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, the Swallow-Skin Dumplings looked rather plain.
But as a long-time Han Shi patron, Mu Liufeng would never underestimate a dish based solely on appearance.
Gently stirring the clear broth with his spoon, he could immediately identify the simple ingredients floating within.
Seaweed, tiny dried shrimp, and…
The star of the dish, a unique food known as Swallow-Skin Dumplings.
Thinking about this, Mu Liufeng carefully scooped up one dumpling, bringing it closer for closer examination.
According to the menu's description, dumplings were traditionally made by wrapping meat filling inside a thin dough skin and boiling them until fully cooked.
But Swallow-Skin Dumplings featured a revolutionary twist—instead of flour-based dough, the dumpling wrappers were made entirely from lean meat.
Meat turned into dumpling wrappers?
Mu Liufeng couldn't even begin to imagine how that was possible.
Looking at the thin, almost translucent wrapper in his spoon—something that barely resembled meat at all—he found himself swallowing hard in astonishment.
This was just as mind-blowing as Dragon Whisker Noodles!
I have no idea how Boss Qi did it
Though the Swallow-Skin Dumpling in Mu Liufeng's spoon appeared ordinary at first glance, its slightly translucent wrapper glistened under the light, revealing a faint outline of the meat filling within.
The filling had a light pink hue, making it look incredibly tender and juicy—so much so that Mu Liufeng unconsciously swallowed his saliva again.
"Ahh—"
Each Swallow-Skin Dumpling was only about the size of a quail egg, making it easy for Mu Liufeng to pop a whole one into his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, the seemingly simple broth unfolded its delicate yet rich flavors, playing a beautiful prelude across his taste buds.
During the cooking process, the pork's natural umami had already seeped into the soup, blending with the savory essence of seaweed and dried shrimp.
Two distinct types of umami intertwined, forming a harmonious and deeply satisfying taste.
The broth wasn't overpowering, yet every sip seemed to perfectly embody the true essence of umami.
If the supporting role—the broth—was already this delicious, then what about the star of the dish—the Swallow-Skin Dumpling itself?
Mu Liufeng couldn't wait any longer.
As he bit down, the springy texture of the Yanpi wrapper was immediately evident.
He closed his eyes and slowly nodded in satisfaction.
The delightful chewiness of the wrapper alone was impressive, but the real surprise came when it burst open—releasing a rush of succulent, flavorful meat juices that filled his mouth with pure joy.
The filling was even more delicious than he had imagined.
It carried a delicate hint of osmanthus, an incredibly subtle touch, yet one that elevated the entire dish, adding layers of depth and vibrancy.
Perfection.
Mu Liufeng nodded lightly, his expression growing more and more pleased.
—
Reluctantly, he set his empty spoon back into the bowl and looked at his now completely clean plates.
A bright smile spread across his face.
This had been a truly exceptional dining experience.
Both Swallow-Skin Dumplings and Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish had provided unique and novel textures and flavors that left him utterly satisfied.
Leaving a generous payment for the meal, Mu Liufeng was just about to stand up when Fu Ya hurried over.
"Sir, starting today, every customer who dines in will receive a recommendation vote. The vote is valid for one week."
"Recommendation vote?"
Mu Liufeng took the elegantly designed vote from Fu Ya and examined it with curiosity.
"What's this for?"
Fu Ya smiled and explained, "Guests can use the recommendation vote to vote for their favorite dish. After one week, our restaurant will select the top 20 dishes with the most votes and display them on our menu wall, replacing the current menu board."
This…
Mu Liufeng was instantly intrigued by this novel idea.
A menu determined by customer votes?
As expected of Boss Qi—only he could come up with such an interesting concept.
"Where do I cast my vote?"
"Over here."
Fu Ya gestured toward a wall opposite the menu, where several ballot boxes were neatly arranged.
Mu Liufeng nodded and walked over, but as he stood in front of the voting wall, a conflicted expression crossed his face.
He had to choose one dish to vote for from the two he had just enjoyed.
But… which one?
He hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and slipped his vote into the box labeled "Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish."
Both dishes were delicious, but he had found the uniqueness of the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish just a bit more fascinating.
'Sorry, Swallow-Skin Dumpling— Next time, I promise I'll vote for you!'
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