Hearing Wenchu People’s words, a look of panic flashed across Wen Yaqian’s face.
She quickly reached out to cover her cousin’s mouth to prevent her embarrassing past from being exposed. However, Wenchu People obviously knew her cousin too well. Before Wen Yaqian’s slender hand could reach her, she nimbly dodged out of the way.
"You silly girl, the last time you pan-fried a fish for me, you didn’t even cut open the belly to clean it. You wasted my hundred-yuan fish!
"With your cooking skills, even if you caught a fish straight out of the sea, you probably still wouldn’t be able to make a decent fish soup."
Hearing her cousin expose her embarrassing past in public, Wen Yaqian quickly explained:
"When I usually go buy fish, the boss always has it prepped and cleaned!
"How was I supposed to know people bring whole fish home to process themselves?
"How can you blame me for that?"
Zhou Shishi covered her mouth, holding back a laugh. Although her own cooking skills were average, at least she wouldn’t make such an amateur mistake. However, she still smiled and helped smooth things over.
"Yaqian is just used to a certain way of thinking. Cooking is something that just takes practice.
"She’s already much better than me. At home, my mom does all the cooking.
"My culinary skills are still stuck at successfully boiling instant noodles.
"The fact that she can pan-fry a fish and make fish soup is already really impressive."
Beside them, Li Xiao also smiled wryly and shook his head; he had fallen into the same fixed mindset. In his opinion, making fish soup was indeed very easy. Even a complete beginner in the kitchen could easily do it. That was why he had been thinking earlier that if the fish soup wasn’t good, it must be a problem with the fish itself. He had completely forgotten that the chef making the soup was also a crucial factor.
Amidst the laughter and joking, Li Xiao finished the fish soup in his hands. After discarding the dregs from his bowl, he looked at the stir-fried three-spot crabs next to him.
Before going into the wok, the crabs had been coated in flour and deep-fried by the chef. This allowed the flour to form a layer of armor on the outside of the crab, ensuring that the meat wouldn’t fall apart during the subsequent cooking process while also locking in its moisture. Under the chef’s skillful techniques, the bright red crab shells were stir-fried to a slight golden brown. The crab meat was tightly packed by the high heat, as if ready to burst with its savory flavor at any moment.
He reached out with his chopsticks and gently picked up a piece of crab meat. The golden and glossy crab roe could be seen flowing along the edge of the shell. The savory aroma of ginger and scallions permeated the air, making one’s mouth water.
Li Xiao carefully peeled off the crab shell, revealing the meat inside. The meat was firm, as white as jade, and exuded a natural scent of the ocean. He took a gentle bite. The fresh sweetness of the crab meat immediately exploded in his mouth, perfectly blending with the spicy tang of the ginger and scallions. It not only stimulated his taste buds but also brought an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Every piece of crab meat was cooked to perfection, retaining its natural umami while absorbing the fragrance of the ginger and scallions. The aroma of the aromatics not only enhanced the flavor of the crab meat but also effectively eliminated any potential fishiness, making the entire dish incredibly delicious. The slight heat of the ginger and scallions cleverly merged with the crab’s freshness, adding flavor and perfectly balancing out any oceanic odors. This spiciness wasn’t overpowering; rather, it brought out a deeper level of taste from the crab meat, making the dish rich and vibrant.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 54th entry.]
[The delicacy entry you have unlocked is: Stir-fried Three-Spot Crab with Ginger and Scallions.]
[Dish Rating: 90 Points (Excellent)]
[Because the dish’s rating is Excellent, Rewards x4.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a cash reward: 800,000 yuan.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a cash reward: 800,000 yuan.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a recipe reward: Recipe for Stir-fried Three-Spot Crab with Ginger and Scallions.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a special reward: When foraging in the wild, you will find it easier to discover sea crabs at the bottom of reefs.]
...
After eating two pieces of crab, his attention was soon drawn to the sizzling iron plate octopus.
Because some time had passed since it was served, the sizzling sound of the iron plate had completely disappeared, but a strong aroma still continuously wafted out. Under the high heat of the iron plate, the skin of the octopus had taken on an enticing golden color. The exterior was slightly crispy, while the meat inside remained tender and juicy.
Li Xiao used his chopsticks to gently pick up a tentacle. Taking a light bite, he instantly experienced the perfect texture—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Every segment of the tentacle was full of elasticity and vitality, releasing the fresh flavors of the ocean as he chewed. The texture of the octopus was excellent—after all, it had still been trying to figure out how to escape right before it was plated.
However, the seasoning for this dish left much to be desired.
There was nothing wrong with the combination of onions, garlic, and ginger slices. These side ingredients not only added color to the dish but also brought multiple layers of gustatory enjoyment to the overall flavor. The sweet crispness of the onions, the mild piquancy of the minced garlic, and the fiery heat of the small chili peppers intertwined with the umami of the octopus, resulting in a complex yet harmonious tasting experience. But there was a severe problem with the preparation of the sauce. The sauce was too thick, and the flavor was far too heavy.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 55th entry.]
[The delicacy entry you have unlocked is: Sizzling Iron Plate Octopus.]
[Dish Rating: 72 Points (Average)]
[Because the dish’s rating is Average, Rewards x2.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a cash reward: 100,000 yuan.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained a cash reward: 100,000 yuan.]
...
Seeing that the sizzling iron plate octopus only scored 72 points, Li Xiao wasn’t surprised at all. The sauce for this dish was made incredibly poorly. Salty. It was extremely salty—so salty that it even tasted a bit bitter.
Beside him, Xu frowned slightly and whispered, "It seems they ruined this dish.
"It’s so salty. Is salt free here or something?"
Zhou Shishi nodded repeatedly. "Indeed. I only ate one tentacle, but I had to take several sips of water right after.
"My tongue even feels a little numb."
Wenchu People agreed. "I thought it was just the chef failing to stir the salt evenly, but I didn’t expect you all to find it salty too. It seems it really wasn’t cooked well."
Xu quickly looked at Li Xiao. "Mr. Li, how about I go report this to the manager? It’s definitely unacceptable for a dish to be served like this."
Li Xiao made no move to stop him. If the dish was just a little salty, it could be chalked up to personal preference. However, since everyone found it too salty, it was undoubtedly a problem with the chef. Xu promptly reported the issue to the restaurant manager.
Upon hearing this, the manager picked up a pair of chopsticks, tasted a piece, and immediately frowned.
An apologetic look appeared on his face. "This is our fault. I will definitely have to criticize the chefs in the back kitchen later. Xu, I’ll go with you to apologize to the guests."
Xu felt a bit helpless. He had been the one to recommend this restaurant, yet a problem had unexpectedly occurred. However, he also felt slightly relieved that he was familiar with the place and the manager was easy to talk to. He quickly returned to the table with the manager.
"We are incredibly sorry. This is clearly our mistake. I’ll have the chef prepare a new serving of sizzling iron plate octopus for you right away.
"Additionally, we will waive the charge for the stir-fried choy sum you ordered earlier as a token of our meager apology."
The manager said this respectfully while gesturing for a waiter to take away the overly salty dish.
Li Xiao had no major objections to how the manager handled the situation. It wasn’t a huge issue—just too much salt. Since the restaurant was willing to fix the mistake, he was willing to give them a second chance.
Shortly after, a freshly cooked plate of sizzling iron plate octopus was brought to the table. This time, the octopus looked much more enticing in color. The aroma was rich and mouth-watering.
Li Xiao once again picked up a tentacle with his chopsticks and took a light bite, immediately experiencing a completely different taste profile. The seasoning this time was clearly much more appropriate. It preserved the fresh umami of the octopus without losing the distinctiveness of the spices, and the saltiness was just right.
"This is how it should be. The flavor is much better," Li Xiao said, nodding in satisfaction.
Looking at the delicious food on the table, his mood improved accordingly.