Chapter 204: Chapter 204: The Endless Aftertaste of Tripe Hot Pot!
The restaurant was bustling on its second day of opening. People came for Jiang Feng’s reputation. Everyone knew Jiang Feng was an executive chef and wanted to taste his culinary skills. After taking a number, patrons sat on chairs outside to rest.
A group of six sat chatting and laughing.
"No changes allowed! Let’s guess what Executive Chef Jiang is cooking today?"
"I bet it’s Yu Xiang Pork, $50 on it!"
"I’m betting on Kung Pao Chicken!"
"I think it’s time for Twice-Cooked Pork!"
"Could it possibly be Ants Climbing a Tree, or Mapo Tofu?"
The group discussed the delicacies Jiang Feng would prepare, their anticipation running high. Others nearby overheard their conversation and also grew expectant. What would Jiang Feng make today?
Sichuan cuisine boasts a particularly wide variety, including banquet dishes, home-style dishes, triple-steamed and nine-simmered dishes, popular meals, and specialty snacks—five major categories. The variety is countless. China’s food culture is truly developed, with so many types of dishes. Diners were very much looking forward to Jiang Feng’s offerings for the day.
In fact, what Jiang Feng was preparing today was not a single dish, but a hot pot: Tripe Hot Pot, to be precise!
Tripe Hot Pot is a Sichuan dish primarily featuring tripe, beef liver, and beef kidney. It’s flavorful, numbingly spicy, and has a rich broth. Enjoying a hot and spicy Tripe Hot Pot is a local favorite, especially in the freezing winter. Moreover, preparing hot pot is relatively simple, focusing on two key aspects: concocting the base and selecting high-quality ingredients. If the hot pot broth is tasty and the ingredients are good, it’s sure to be delicious.
In front of Jiang Feng were several basins filled with meticulously cleaned strips of black and white tripe; an apprentice responsible for washing ingredients had already ensured they were spotless. Jiang Feng picked up a long knife, fished out a large piece of tripe from a basin, and began slicing it vertically, creating a layered texture before personally arranging it on plates. Stacks of tripe piled up, filling each plate entirely. Jiang Feng was very honest with his portions; the tripe was displayed directly on the plate without any ice underneath, unlike some establishments that use a thick bed of ice with very little meat on top.
The Tripe Hot Pot Jiang Feng was making naturally had to be different from the ordinary. All ingredients were carefully chosen and combined by him.
Next, he took cleaned and peeled shrimp, chopped them finely on a cutting board, and placed them in a basin. He added some starch, a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, cracked an egg, and mixed everything thoroughly. Then, he arranged the resulting shrimp paste neatly on a plate.
Jiang Feng then found a long wooden platter and arranged freshly cut beef slices on it. The beef was a brilliant red with clear white marbling, indicative of high-quality meat.
Two plates of tripe, one plate of shrimp paste, and one plate of beef—and that wasn’t all. There was also a nine-grid dish of accompaniments. Each of the nine compartments in the dish held a small porcelain bowl lined with a piece of lettuce. The compartments were sequentially filled with pork aorta, scored duck gizzards, marinated pork intestines, two portions of fresh brain flowers, fresh duck intestines, small chicken gizzards, rocket squid, and small sausages.
With this, the hot pot accompaniments were complete.
Then came the soup base, which Jiang Feng had personally concocted, using a rich stock. The base ingredients—hot pot seasonings, beef tallow, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns, along with duck blood, old tofu, sliced green onion and ginger, and rock sugar—were all boiled in the rich stock. A pot of fragrant, spicy broth, shimmering with red oil and dotted with floating peppers, was ready.
Hot pot is really convenient, Jiang Feng mused sincerely. It’s convenient for the cook and the customers. Compared to other Sichuan dishes, making hot pot only requires a good soup base and well-prepared ingredients. It truly saves effort. Being responsible for the Tripe Hot Pot today is like giving myself a break.
Around 11:00 AM, Jiangyue Terrace began its business for the day. Many customers, upon entering, looked first towards the "Today’s Chef" board.
"Executive Chef Jiang, Signature Dish: Tripe Hot Pot."
Seeing this, many diners were somewhat surprised.
"Ah? Tripe Hot Pot! We all guessed wrong."
"It seems no one got it right!"
"Who would have thought the chef would switch from cooking individual dishes to making hot pot!"
"That’s great! I was really hoping for hot pot!"
"Me too! Eating hot pot is so satisfying!"
The customers were very excited. Jiangyue Terrace offered all kinds of Sichuan cuisine, so naturally, delicious hot pot was available. But a hot pot personally made by the executive chef was a rare treat.
At this moment, Shen Hai walked into Jiangyue Terrace with his wife, Zhu Hong. Shen Hai was the owner of Taste of Yore Sichuan Restaurant, where Jiang Feng had previously cooked Sichuan dishes. At that time, Jiang Feng’s Sichuan dishes were incredibly popular, with one named "Executive Chef Jiang’s Limited Edition Delicious Fish in Hot Chili Oil That Won’t Make You Jump Off a Building" being a particular bestseller. Having heard about the opening of Jiang Feng’s new restaurant, Shen Hai had specifically brought his wife to show support.
Upon entering Jiangyue Terrace and seeing the understated yet luxurious decor, Shen Hai’s face filled with wonder. "Look at this place! So imposing. It must’ve cost tens of millions, at least!" he exclaimed.
His own Taste of Yore Sichuan Restaurant was just a small eatery, contracted for a few hundred thousand. Now, its business was doing fairly well; with the previously hospitalized chef back at work, things had stabilized. They were all people hustling for a living. Today, Shen Hai had come with no other intention than to support Jiangyue Terrace’s business and savor the taste of Sichuan cuisine.
Zhu Hong remarked with emotion, "Boss Jiang really is our benefactor. Who would have thought that such a prominent boss, with such a high net worth, would come to our little eatery to cook Sichuan food?"
At that time, both of them had been worried about finding a suitable chef when Jiang Feng suddenly walked in, like a godsend. Afterward, the two truly experienced what a booming business felt like. Both were kind-hearted people who often worshipped and offered incense, so perhaps it was natural they received such blessings.
Shen Hai nodded. "We should worship the gods more. They protected me; it wasn’t my time to die."
Zhu Hong laughed. "You should come to Jiangyue Terrace more often to support Boss Jiang’s business."
The two entered the restaurant and saw the information on the "Today’s Chef" board, learning that Jiang Feng was preparing Tripe Hot Pot.
"This is perfect! I’ve been craving hot pot!" Zhu Hong’s eyes lit up at the word "hot pot." My luck is in today!
The two walked further inside. Ahead, they saw many people gathered around a display case, looking at something, so they squeezed over to join the excitement. Inside the display case was a pagoda made of gold and a serpent carved from white jade. The pagoda’s grandeur was brilliant and luxurious, and the white serpent was exceptionally lively—a work of incredible craftsmanship.
Shen Hai, feeling like a villager in the city for the first time, stared in awe. "This pagoda can’t be made of real gold, can it?"
Zhu Hong nodded. "It should be. I think I’ve heard that another Jiangyue Terrace has one too. Boss Jiang is incredibly wealthy."
"No doubt about that."
Then, a waiter led them to a table. They looked at the menu. The restaurant’s dishes were a bit more expensive than those at a small eatery, but the prices were still fair. Today’s Tripe Hot Pot was 138 per serving. It included two plates of fresh tripe, a plate of shrimp paste, and a plate of freshly sliced beef. Additionally, there was a plate of assorted items in a nine-grid dish, two vegetable side dishes of their choice, and a small plate of fresh fruit. It was quite a good deal. For two people, one pot would be more than enough.
"One Tripe Hot Pot, please," Zhu Hong ordered immediately. "And add two spicy oil dipping sauces. Also, an extra plate of pork trotters, and a plate of celtuce. Another cold dish—chilled cucumber and yuba salad. And two bowls of handmade shaved ice with tangyuan."
Shen Hai didn’t say a word, just waited quietly.
It wasn’t long before the Tripe Hot Pot was served. The waiter explained, "The soup base is personally prepared by our boss, and all the ingredients are also freshly cut by him. This week, as part of our opening promotion, every table will receive a complimentary plate of Tiger Skin Duck Feet."
As he spoke, the waiter laid out the dishes one by one. The first to be presented were two large plates of tripe: one black, the other white, both piled high in several layers. Every strip of tripe was long and connected. Just looking at them was enough to make one’s mouth water.
Tripe holds a special place in hot pot. Its texture is crisp and its flavor savory. It fully absorbs the taste of the soup base; dipped in sauce and eaten, it’s simply exquisite.
"They’ve given such a generous amount!" Shen Hai exclaimed with amazement.
Then, the waiter laid out the shrimp paste, beef, the nine-grid dish of assorted items, and the two vegetable side dishes. Next came the melt-in-your-mouth tender pork trotters, the complimentary plate of Tiger Skin Duck Feet, and the plate of celtuce.
The table instantly looked bountiful. Many new customers, glancing around as they entered, were immediately drawn in upon seeing the Tripe Hot Pot set on a table.
This Tripe Hot Pot was something Jiang Feng intended to establish as a signature dish of Jiangyue Terrace. In Chengdu, there were countless delicious hot pots, and just as many people who loved to eat them. As long as the Tripe Hot Pot’s flavor was ensured, Jiangyue Terrace’s business wouldn’t suffer.
In front of Shen Hai and Zhu Hong, the broth in the pot began to boil. The two immediately started to add the ingredients from the plates into the boiling broth. Pork trotters and duck feet went in early to stew longer. The remaining tripe, shrimp paste, and freshly sliced beef only needed to be blanched in the broth for a moment. People here were very experienced with hot pot.
Shen Hai, timing it perfectly, added some black tripe to the pot. Before long, they began scooping up the tripe, placing it into their oil-based dipping sauce, which was filled with coriander and chili. They let the tripe soak up the seasoning, then popped it into their mouths. The spiciness spread from the tip of the tongue throughout the body, a delightful sensation that seemed to open every pore.
The white tripe was more tender, while the black tripe was chewier, producing a CRUNCH, CRUNCH sound as they ate. Each bite, once swallowed, left a lingering, satisfying aftertaste.