Chapter 132

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lu Feng

"Disappointed?" Xiao Feilong froze for a moment, his eyes full of surprise.

As a Jiangcheng local, Xiao Feilong also knew these two restaurants; they counted as relatively high-end in Jiang City.

Especially Hong'an Restaurant — Xiao Feilong had been there a few times too. Although he felt their prices leaned expensive, a few dishes had flavors that were still passable.

He knew An Liang had picky tastes, but it shouldn't be to the point of being as terrible as he described.

"Brother An Liang, I've eaten at both places you mentioned. Yu Jin Lou... honestly, it's indeed mediocre. But Hong'an Restaurant, I felt it was alright?"

Xiao Feilong scratched the back of his head, recalling the scene when he ate at Hong'an Restaurant: "Their White Cut Chicken, Beer Duck, and Braised Carp — these few dishes all tasted pretty good, and also..."

Xiao Feilong hadn't finished speaking when he saw An Liang couldn't help but shake his head, so he hurriedly added: "Of course, Brother An Liang, you've seen the world and eaten many good things. Hong'an Restaurant's dishes definitely fall a bit short compared to those old brands, but in our city they indeed count as pretty good."

"And I heard their waiters say their restaurant's master chef was hired by the boss from a five-star hotel. Brother An Liang, haven't you tasted that master chef's cooking?"

"Five-star master chef?"

An Liang sneered, shook his head, and said: "The plating is passable, but the flavor... I'm not nitpicking, but that master chef's culinary skill, compared to the delicacies I've eaten before, falls short by miles. I trust my tongue — a five-star chef's skill absolutely wouldn't be that bad."

An Liang paused, then continued with a trace of mockery in his eyes: "And I've never seen any five-star chef who would attempt to bribe me with a red packet."

"Exactly exactly! When we came I clearly told them many times already, didn't expect they..." Bringing this up, Xiao Yue, who had been burying her head picking fish bones, instantly perked up. *Pa! * She slammed down her chopsticks and began accusing them with righteous indignation.

Then she couldn't be bothered to keep eating, and started vividly recounting to Xiao Feilong their experience at Hong'an Restaurant that day.

After hearing the whole story, Xiao Feilong was speechless for a long while, then finally said: "This shop's guts are too big, right? Who in the industry doesn't know Brother An Liang is famously impartial? Isn't this walking straight into the muzzle?"

"All gimmick, no substance."

An Liang shook his head, his tone carrying deep disappointment: "I originally thought Jiangcheng's cuisine might give me some different discoveries. Didn't expect..."

Listening to the two, Xiao Feilong also understood why An Liang's face turned black as a pot bottom the moment Hong'an Restaurant was mentioned.

Originally, the day before returning, Xiao Feilong had received an invitation from Hong'an Restaurant to film a store-exploration video.

Looks like there's no need to go anymore; this kind of shop is better blocked early.

This idiot boss, thanks to him, made An Liang lose all hope in Jiangcheng's cuisine.

But as a Jiangcheng person, Xiao Feilong felt he had the obligation to salvage An Liang's impression of Jiangcheng's cuisine a bit.

In his many years in Jiangcheng, he'd eaten at countless large and small shops. Some unknown little shops had flavors not one bit inferior to high-end restaurants.

"Brother An Liang, Sister Xiao Yue, you guys just didn't find the right place. You should've asked me before coming. I know Jiangcheng still has quite a few good food shops — on this point I still have plenty of say."

Xiao Feilong shook his head, expressing disagreement with An Liang's view.

"Xiao Long, since you put it that way, recommend me a few places. I'll go taste them before I leave."

Hearing Xiao Feilong say this, An Liang actually roused some interest, smiling as he spoke.

"Brother An Liang, you should've asked me ages ago!"

The moment Xiao Feilong mentioned this, he instantly energized, recommending excitedly: "I know a shop in Jiangcheng that just opened not long ago. Though the shop isn't big, I'd stake my head on it — the flavor is absolutely flawless. Compared to that place, Hong'an Restaurant, Yu Jin Lou, all of them have to step aside!"

"Oh? A shop you rate this highly, I absolutely must taste it. What's it called?"

An Liang raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious, sitting up straight as he spoke.

He knew Xiao Feilong's palate wasn't as picky as his own, but in the past when they discussed other foods, Xiao Feilong's evaluations were usually quite conservative.

A shop that could make him praise so unreservedly today — the flavor was definitely not ordinary.

"Called Lu Family Restaurant."

Xiao Feilong spoke while recalling the taste of the xiaolongbao he'd eaten at Lu Feng's place, his face involuntarily showing deep nostalgia.

"Lu Family Restaurant?"

An Liang frowned, pondered a while, and felt the name sounded a bit familiar.

Xiao Feilong continued: "Brother An Liang, don't look at this shop's name — it's rustic to the point of shedding dirt. But that shop boss's culinary skill... *tsk tsk tsk*, I can only use two words to describe it: f*cking awesome!"

An Liang then remembered; he'd seen the short video Xiao Feilong posted before, so he asked uncertainly: "This shop I have a bit of an impression of — wasn't it the one you filmed a short video for a while back?"

"Right! That one!"

Xiao Feilong nodded vigorously, his tone full of affirmation for Lu Feng's skill: "I'm telling you, Brother An Liang, if you come to Jiangcheng this time and leave without eating Boss Lu's cooking, you might as well say you came for nothing!"

Hearing Xiao Feilong's words, the interest in An Liang's eyes grew stronger.

He rarely played with short video platforms normally, but after knowing Xiao Feilong, he'd watch every short video he posted.

After Xiao Feilong's viral short video came out, An Liang also grew interested in Lu Feng's shop, originally planning to go taste it when he came to Jiangcheng this time.

Who knew after they arrived in Jiangcheng, they ran into that Hong'an Restaurant mess and temporarily forgot about it.

Now that Xiao Feilong brought up that shop, An Liang instantly remembered.

He raised his wrist to check the time: "It's not even eight-thirty yet. Going now should still catch them. How about you take us there right now to taste?"

An Liang spoke and prepared to stand up, looking a bit impatient.

Hearing this, Xiao Yue, who was eating heartily, couldn't help but put down her chopsticks.

She touched her somewhat full belly, a trace of annoyance on her face.

Had she known there was even better food, she wouldn't have eaten so much just now.

Xiao Feilong hurriedly waved his hand, signaling An Liang to hold his horses: "Brother An Liang, if we go now they're already closed. It'll have to be tomorrow."

"Closed? This early?"

An Liang was a bit surprised. It hadn't even passed the dinner peak yet; he'd rarely heard of food shops closing this early.

"That shop's business hours... how to put it? A bit... special."

Xiao Feilong originally wanted to say weird, but thought better of it and switched to a gentler phrasing: "That shop's boss seems to run the place on a whim. When I went the week before last, he only opened from nine to eleven at night."

"Last week I was out of town and had no time to go there. I heard from my fans who had been that last week he opened at three o'clock—oh right, it was three in the morning."

"The other day my fans said again that this week the hours were more normal: open every evening at six, but only for one hour, closing right on time, not waiting even an extra minute!"