Chapter 293: Your Mount is All-Natural and Pollution-Free!
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Ran-ran approached Itori with a tray, serving the dishes onto the table one by one, introducing them with a smile:
"This is the Knocked Fish Noodles made from the 'Blue Butterfly Fish' you provided, along with the braised lion's head meatballs, braised pork chops, and soy-braised eggs you ordered separately. Please enjoy!"
"Mmh... wait a minute! Where's the fish?"
Itori responded, looking expectantly at the steaming Knocked Fish Noodles, but for a moment, she didn't see where the fish was.
She paused, subconsciously poking at the noodles with her chopsticks, but still saw no trace of fish meat.
In the bowl, there was only a tangle of translucent noodles and a few crisp green vegetables, immersed in a pale golden broth...
Itori was stunned, raising her head strangely to look at Ran-ran—My huge fat-headed fish was knocked into nothingness by you guys?
Or did they forget to put it in?
"The fish is right in the bowl."
Itori wasn't the first person to ask this question. Ran-ran raised her small, pale hand, a serene smile on her face, and explained skillfully:
"These noodles are made from fish meat mixed with a tiny bit of sweet potato starch."
"Eating fish but seeing no fish, called noodles but aren't noodles—that is the so-called Knocked Fish Noodle!"
"Eh—! Is that so!?"
Itori's delicate body shook as she looked at the Knocked Fish Noodles again. This time, the noodles seemed different in her eyes!
The texture of the fish paste was faintly visible within the noodles, appearing incredibly light. The whole bowl actually exuded a kind of rustic simplicity, like a return to nature!
Before, she just thought it looked plain...
"..." Ran-ran smiled at the astonished guest, then left with the tray to continue her work.
"Itadakimasu!"
Itori said cheerfully, picked up her spoon, scooped up a spoonful of the pale golden broth dotted with oil flowers, and lowered her head to take a sip.
So fresh!
Under her sunglasses, her red and black kakugan instantly appeared and widened. But immediately after, her gaze softened.
This familiar savory taste... it's chicken soup!
Her brain worked automatically, analyzing—the broth for the Knocked Fish Noodles was prepared with a chicken soup base!
Just as this thought popped into her mind, her hand couldn't wait to pick up a chopstick-full of fish noodles.
And following the momentum, she lowered her head, opened her full, alluring red lips, and slurped the fish noodles into her mouth—this was entirely out of instinct!
And this mouthful of fish noodles amazed Itori!
The moment the fish noodles entered her mouth, an extremely smooth texture exploded in her oral cavity!
Her snow-white teeth closed, chewing gently, and she could clearly feel a pliable and elastic resistance.
The fish noodles were even more chewy and bouncy than Itori had imagined, and the texture was very fine and firm, completely lacking the fibrous feel of fish meat, nor was it mushy.
The thin fish noodles brought an unexpected solid chewiness. This contradictory texture—
Both 'crisp and tender' and 'pliable and tough,' both 'smooth' and 'bouncy'—formed a wonderfully miraculous experience in her mouth!
And as she chewed, a light and elegant fish savoriness also spread in her mouth.
This deliciousness wasn't as intense as drinking fish soup, but was released more purely and subtly, with the natural sweetness of the fish meat slowly emerging...
"Ooh ah—! This is too delicious!"
"Worthy of being a hidden delicacy!"
Itori unconsciously raised her fair, delicate chin, her mature and enchanting face full of enjoyment.
It was completely different from the steamed rice noodles she had eaten in restaurants before!
These fish noodles didn't taste like flour at all, nor did they have a hint of fishiness. There was only the most authentic, purest fresh sweetness of the fish meat!
"..."
"Ah—!"
In a trance, Itori seemed to return to the lakeside fishing in the afternoon.
The float suddenly sank downwards, and a clear pull came from the fishing rod. Her heart jumped, and she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"It's hooked!"
This was her first time fishing, and even more so, the first time she truly felt the moment a fish took the bait—
And judging by that heavy force, it was definitely a big one!
Itori hurriedly recalled the fishing techniques she had seen online earlier, how to walk the fish when a big one is hooked, how to reel in the line...
But before she could figure it out, she was dragged into the lake by a massive force.
The cold lake water instantly enveloped her whole body, and she subconsciously closed her eyes. And in that instant, it seemed something huge and soft gently patted her.
In the next second, her entire person was sent out of the water by this force, shocking her so much her kakugan popped out!
Looking down—
She saw a 'fat-headed fish' with a white belly, deep blue elsewhere, and surrounded by pale blue light butterflies, leaping out of the lake surface. Flapping its wide fins, it caught her steadily with its thick, soft back.
Then, it actually carried her, swimming freely in the breeze and sunlight.
"Your mount is all-natural and pollution-free!"
In her trance, she seemed to hear such a voice...
"..."
In the real world, inside the restaurant—
Itori ate with joy, a spoon in her left hand and chopsticks in her right, a mouthful of noodles, a mouthful of soup.
Occasionally tasting a bite of the separately ordered braised lion's head, braised pork chop, or soy-braised egg, she was unbelievably happy.
The other tourists were also full of joy.
Especially those tasting Ryohei Tanaka's cooking for the first time; they were incredibly excited!
"But I really didn't expect fish meat could be made into noodles, and the texture is so good, not mushy at all. It's truly incredible!"
Natsuki Suzuki slurped a mouthful of fish noodles, almost moved to tears.
Delicious! It was truly too delicious!
"The most incredible thing is that the cuisine glows, and that experience full of fantasy colors!" The girl sitting opposite took up the conversation with excitement.
She was now someone who had eaten glowing cuisine!
Ever since seeing glowing cuisine online, she had always wanted to try it, but unfortunately never had much of a chance.
After all, Tokyo is really quite far from Hokkaido!
"That's right. (´∀`)" Natsuki Suzuki nodded repeatedly, agreeing very much.
Takumi Ito picked up a chopstick-full of translucent fish noodles and suddenly asked: "I'm going to order another half portion of noodles later, do you guys want to add some?"
"Add—! I want to add half a portion too!"
"Emmm... aren't you on a diet recently? Adding half a portion straight away?"
"We're out having fun, what diet! Besides, with such delicious food in front of me, how could I resist? I plan to indulge tonight!"
"Ahaha—! Gain three pounds! (≧∀≦)"
"Gain it if I gain it!"
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