Chapter 326: Chef of the State-Owned Restaurant
While they were talking, Cuiping's husband slowly walked into the room, with a gentle smile on his face, and said to Cuiping:
"A Ping, I have prepared the food, we can eat now. You take the guests to wash their hands, and we will prepare to eat."
Na Cuiping responded, stood up and greeted everyone. The room was suddenly filled with a warm and harmonious atmosphere, as if all the sadness and helplessness in the previous conversation had been temporarily put aside.
Na Cuiping stood up with a smile and enthusiastically led a few people to the yard.
There is a small and exquisite washbasin in the yard. In the sunlight, the water in the basin is shimmering.
Several people came to the sink and washed their hands one by one. Then, led by Cuiping, they came to the kitchen table.
As soon as I approached the dining table, the tempting aroma hit my nose. On the quaint dining table, four dishes and a soup were neatly arranged.
Each dish is like a fine work of art, colorful and complementing each other.
The emerald green vegetables are as fresh as if they were just picked from the fields, with some sparkling water droplets hanging on them, as if telling of their freshness.
The braised meat has an attractive sheen, the reddish-brown skin is slightly charred, and the rich sauce forms a small "lake" around the meat, exuding a mellow aroma.
The steamed fish lay quietly on the plate, and the shredded green onion and ginger on the fish seemed to be wearing a gorgeous dress.
The fish has clear eyes, intact scales, and exudes a faint fresh fragrance, as if calling people to come and taste it.
There was also a plate of scrambled eggs, the golden color was like the sun's rays, fluffy and soft, exuding bursts of egg fragrance.
The bowl of soup in the middle is steaming, and the ingredients in the soup are faintly visible. The rich aroma is mixed with a hint of freshness, making people salivate.
This table of food is so delicious that it makes people drool just by looking at it.
Wang Jianguo had a deep love for food when he lived in the courtyard house. He is a real foodie.
At this moment, seeing these delicacies in front of me is like seeing rare treasures. My eyes light up and I can’t wait to feast on them.
But he was a polite man after all, and he tried hard to restrain his impulse and did not pick up the chopsticks directly.
The director was a thoughtful person. He immediately saw the urgency in Wang Jianguo's eyes, so he smiled and said:
"There are no outsiders among us. You are just like my brothers and sisters. Don't be polite. Hurry up and try these dishes to see if they suit your taste."
When Wang Jianguo and others heard what Cuiping said, they smiled at each other, picked up their chopsticks, picked up the food, put it in their mouths and tasted it carefully.
For a moment, the room was filled with the sound of chewing food and words of praise for the meal.
With full anticipation, Wang Jianguo carefully picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into his mouth.
As soon as he chewed, a look of doubt appeared on his face, his brows slightly frowned, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.
He subconsciously looked at Zhao Shuzhuo and He Yushui who were sitting next to him.
I saw that they both had the same expression, with confusion in their eyes, and they seemed to have noticed something special hidden in the food.
Wang Jianguo's doubts grew stronger and stronger, so he decided to take another bite.
This time, he picked up a piece of vegetable with chopsticks, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly.
However, that inexplicable feeling of familiarity surged into his heart again, and his brows were still tightly furrowed, as if he was lost in deep thought.
Na Cuiping had been paying attention to Wang Jianguo's expression. Seeing his puzzled expression, she felt a little worried, so she asked softly:
"Comrade Jianguo, what's wrong? Is the food not to your liking? If there is any problem, you must tell me."
When Wang Jianguo heard Cuiping's question, he quickly put down his chopsticks, waved his hands, and explained:
"That's not the case, Director. Please don't misunderstand me. It's just that... it's just that the taste of this dish is really weird."
"Why does it look so familiar? I feel like I've eaten it somewhere before, but I can't remember where."
As he spoke, he tried hard to search for clues of memory in his mind, trying to solve this taste mystery.
After hearing what Wang Jianguo said, Cuiping was stunned for a moment, with a hint of surprise in her eyes. But soon, she seemed to understand something, and then laughed and said:
"So that's how it is! You must have eaten at a state-owned restaurant before, right? To be honest, my wife is a chef at a state-owned restaurant!"
"His cooking skills are well-known here, and many people like to eat the dishes he cooks."
“Maybe you’ve tasted his food in a state-owned restaurant before, so it feels familiar to you.”
Speaking of this, Cuiping's face was filled with a proud smile, and she was proud of her lover's cooking skills.
Zhao Shuzhuo's eyes suddenly lit up, and a look of sudden enlightenment appeared on his face. He said excitedly:
"Yes, yes, it's the taste of the state-owned restaurant! I remember it now, especially the braised pork. I can't remember the taste wrong. It's exactly the same as what I ate in the state-owned restaurant!"
As he spoke, he nodded constantly, his eyes full of surprise. Wang Jianguo also said to Cuiping with a smile on his face:
"It's really unexpected. I didn't expect your wife is a chef in a state-owned restaurant. We are in for a treat today."
"Usually we have to wait in line for a long time to eat at state-owned restaurants, but today we can actually eat the food specially prepared for us by the chef of the state-owned restaurant. This is an extraordinary treatment!"
When Cuiping's husband heard these compliments, he scratched his head a little embarrassedly, smiled and said:
"Haha, as long as you like it, that's good. I'm just afraid it won't suit your taste."
Wang Jianguo's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and he continued to praise:
"I really didn't expect that. I heard that you are from Shanghai. Shanghai cuisine is delicate and exquisite, and it is very different from our Northeastern cuisine."
"But how come you cook this Northeastern cuisine so well? Whether it's the cooking time of the braised pork or the taste, it's absolutely amazing!"
The director's lover smiled slightly, her eyes full of love, and said:
"Actually, it's Ping who loves to eat these. When we first got together, she was busy with work, so I wanted to make something delicious for her."
"When I first started learning to cook, I cooked for her at home. As time went by, I became more and more skilled and experienced."
As he spoke, his eyes were always looking at Cuiping tenderly, as if he was recalling the warm past.
Na Cuiping also looked at her husband, her eyes full of happiness, and the love between the two filled the air.