Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 66 How to know the intention
The nobleman, accompanied by two followers, sat at a table and ordered Chamagu mutton soup, pepper chicken, spicy lamb trotters, meat noodles, samsa, etc. He ordered almost all the specialty dishes in the restaurant, and also ordered two bottles of wine, which included the opening gift, making a total of four bottles. It was obvious that he was very interested in tasting fine wine and delicious food.

When he asked about the meaning of the restaurant's name, Tan Huaike explained, "Excuse me, sir. It doesn't really have any special meaning. It's just derived from the taste of the new knowledge in the western region beyond the Yanzhi Mountains."

The nobleman nodded. "Well, the taste of the dishes, and the dance that just happened to liven things up, are indeed from outside Yanzhi Mountain, and are quite different from the exotic customs of Daxuan. With all due respect, judging by the host's appearance, does he look like a Hu person?"

"My lord, you have a good eye. I am half Mohe."

"Are all the dishes in your restaurant Mo He's style?"

"That's not the case. Our chef is from Wuxu, and he's been in the borderlands for many years. He was once the head chef at the Yuefu in this county. But our dishes can't be called Wuxu or Mohe cuisine. Instead, they're a fusion of various Western Border dishes, adapted to the preferences of the people of Daxuan, and with some minor improvements."

"Is the so-called taste of the new knowledge of the Western Territory the taste of this kind of fusion and improvement?"

"Exactly."

"Then I've come here for nothing?" The young master said with regret. "This is my first time traveling to the border, and I originally wanted to taste authentic Western cuisine. Today just happened to coincide with your restaurant's opening, and I thought these dishes were the most authentic. But the owner told me that these are all made to suit the tastes of the people of Daxuan."

A customer was dissatisfied, and Tan Huaike immediately took it seriously and asked, "Let me ask first, sir, do you think the dishes you ordered today are delicious?"

"It's delicious, sure. Look, we're almost done." He nodded at his follower, who was feasting beside him. "And there's something so new and unique that I can't stop eating. But I didn't come here for the food; I wanted to try some authentic Western cuisine."

"So that's how it is. We misunderstood your intentions and didn't ask you clearly." Tan Huaike gestured for them to look at the menu and explained, "The flavors of our dishes are not fixed. Each dish is divided into three categories. The descriptions of these three categories are marked at the bottom of each dish: Authentic Original Flavor, New and Fresh Flavor, and Special Flavor.

"Authentic flavor refers to the way this dish is eaten in its place of origin, with no changes to the seasoning to satisfy the needs of locals or guests like you who are open to experimentation. Tasting new flavors refers to flavors we've modified based on the preferences of the people living along the border. Young Master, you may not know that the tastes of the people of Daxuan differ greatly from those of the Western Border, and sometimes they can't adapt to the most authentic ways of eating. Since our restaurant is located within Daxuan, we must adapt to local customs."

"That makes sense." The nobleman listened with great interest. "Then what do you mean by special flavors?"

"Although the first two flavors can generally cover the needs of customers, if customers have special requests, we will specifically mark them so that the chef can prepare the dishes to the customer's requirements. For example, some people ask for more pepper, some ask for no shrimp, some ask for the naan to be made very thick or very thin, and so on."

"I see. Your restaurant is very thoughtful," the young master said. "But when I ordered today, I didn't pay attention to the flavor options at the bottom of the menu, and the waiter didn't specifically ask what flavor I wanted. As a result, I didn't taste the flavor I wanted. Boss, what do you think..."

"This was indeed an oversight on our part. On our first day, the staff were probably too busy to remember. They immediately assumed you were from Daxuan and presumptuously ordered you a modified version of the new dishes," Tan Huaike apologized sincerely. "I'm sorry, but how about this? I'll make you a new portion of the authentic Western Territory dishes you'd like to try."

"I'm almost full this time..." Glancing at the attendant who had cleared his plate but was still not satisfied, the noble young master said helplessly, "Master, please give us another serving of barbecue." "Okay, an authentic barbecue. Please wait a moment, young master."
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Tan Huaike passed on the instructions and repeatedly reminded the waiters to make sure to ask the customers about their food preferences and not to be careless again. The biggest difference between their restaurant and other places was that they could choose their own flavors. This was a gimmick, and it was also the experience she had gained from observing other restaurants in the Western Territory.

There are numerous restaurants on Xiangling Street. Some offer authentic cuisine, popular with Westerners, but their business isn't particularly booming. The busiest is Hu Ji Restaurant, which has tweaked the original flavors to appeal to the Daxuan crowd. However, this overly accommodating approach has made the dishes feel a bit out of place.

So, after much deliberation, Tan Huaike decided to give the diners the choice. The early stages might be hectic, and the demands on the chef and waiters would be high. Uncle Zhali, who had a short temper, was so angry at her request that he nearly hit her on the head with a spatula, but she eventually convinced him otherwise.

Tan Huaike believes that doing so will not only attract more customers, but also make it easier for them to summarize newer and more distinctive flavors through more attempts, which is a win-win situation.

After a while, Tan Huaike personally brought the barbecue.

Seeing the sizzling barbecue, the greedy follower was eager to try it. He waited anxiously until the young master picked up a skewer first. Then he couldn't wait to put two big pieces of meat into his mouth. After chewing for a few times, he suddenly froze, and then began to hiss, his face turned red, and big beads of sweat condensed on his forehead.

Noticing his reaction, the nobleman became cautious and asked Tan Huaike, "Boss, what's wrong with him?"

Tan Huaike said, "This is authentic Wuxu barbecue. The Wuxu people love spicy food and like to add a lot of spices and pepper. The ingredients used are probably more than double the barbecue you just had."

"Oh, I thought it tasted quite strong just now..." The young master tasted a piece slowly, swallowed it with difficulty, and then drank two cups of tea as if nothing had happened. He coughed lightly and said, "It's just as the boss said. We really have trouble adapting to the authentic dishes. I'm afraid we'll have to eat the improved ones in the future."

"That's fine, if you come again, you can take turns ordering the authentic original flavor."

Even so, the follower still gritted his teeth and finished the barbecue. His face turned red and he was sweating profusely from the spiciness. Tan Huaike was very perceptive and waved to the waiter to add another pot of tea for them.

The noble young man said casually, "By the way, may I ask if this restaurant has any connection with the second son of the Shentu family?"

"Well..." Tan Huaike didn't answer directly, "He is my uncle. Are you familiar with my uncle?"

"We have some friendship, I guess."
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　Next chapter: The new bride who married into the family after Shentu Heng died in battle... is quite interesting.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)