I Have a Countryside Gourmet Restaurant

Chapter 306: Chapter 290: I’m Interested in Rural Banquets

Afterward, everyone continued with the meal.

Luo Yunlin, Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others, of course, also continued to drink.

The last dish to be served was the Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup.

The moment the dish arrived, Luo Yunlin was the most excited of all. ’I can finally find out what this Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup really tastes like!’

The others were naturally just as expectant, though they couldn’t imagine how a dish that looked so plain—like a simple, watery soup—could possibly be that good.

But Luo Yunlin had mentioned that this dish cost at least a thousand yuan per serving in high-end hotels, which kept their expectations high.

Luo Yunlin knew everyone must be a little skeptical, so he said, ”I bet your first impression of this dish is that it looks a little plain and watery, right? Like it wouldn’t be very tasty? But let me tell you, the plainer and clearer the soup looks, the greater the chef’s skill. It might look simple, but take a sniff. Isn’t it incredibly fragrant?”

Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others all nodded. They could indeed smell a rich, enticing aroma.

It was hard to believe a soup that appeared so clear and simple could possess such a fragrance.

Luo Yunlin added, ”The real magic is when you taste it. Let’s all try the broth first, just the broth. You have to start with the broth for this dish.”

Everyone nodded, and they each picked up their spoons to scoop up the broth.

Luo Yunlin scooped up a spoonful as well. After blowing on it briefly to cool it down, he eagerly brought it to his lips.

Despite how authoritatively he had just spoken, this was actually his first time tasting the broth as well.

The moment the broth touched his tongue, Luo Yunlin was hit with an unprecedented wave of delightful surprise.

’This soup really lives up to its reputation! It’s so good, even better than I imagined. No wonder everyone rates it so highly.’

’So this is what the Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup here tastes like!’

Luo Yunlin was thrilled.

Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the other relatives were just as excited.

The broth looked just like plain boiled water, yet its flavor was so exquisite it defied description.

They had never tasted such a delicious soup in their lives.

This was a magical soup.

’No wonder Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup sells for over a thousand yuan a serving in high-end hotels. It’s truly a remarkable dish!’

This single dish had once again broadened their horizons.

Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others thanked Luo Yunlin once again for bringing them here, allowing them to witness such skill and taste a magical dish like the Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup.

Luo Yunlin was delighted. He told everyone not to stand on ceremony and added, ”And one last thing—this Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup is a famous dish served at state banquets. We’re incredibly lucky to be able to eat it.”

Hearing this, Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others grew even more excited.

’So it’s actually a famous dish from state banquets! No wonder it’s so extraordinary.’

’Boss Li You can even make famous state banquet dishes? How is that even possible? He’s incredible!’

Everyone was once again overcome with emotion. They truly couldn’t believe that the young Boss Li You was so incredibly skilled.

’He must be one of those legendary geniuses, right?’

Amid their sighs of wonder, they continued to eat and drink. Today’s meal was destined to be one they would never forget.

A short while later, every plate on the tables was empty, wiped clean.

Luo Yunlin sensed that everyone, though full, still seemed to be craving more, so he ordered another braised chicken—half for each table.

Although Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others all protested that they were full and he shouldn’t order more, their hands moved with surprising speed the moment the fresh braised chicken was placed on the table.

Since Luo Yunlin insisted, they had no choice but to keep eating, right?

After they finished off that half a chicken, they were truly stuffed. And yet, they still felt that familiar craving, wishing they could eat even more.

But this time, they really couldn’t let Luo Yunlin spend any more money.

So, this time, everyone did their best to persuade Luo Yunlin that it was really enough and that they were completely full.

Only then did Luo Yunlin relent. He then called Da Bai over to settle the bill.

After Da Bai calculated the bill, it came to 980 yuan per table, for a total of 1960 yuan.

Only 980 yuan per table—not even 1,000. Everyone, including Luo Yunlin, felt it was incredibly cheap.

At other restaurants, you could spend 1,000 yuan on a meal and be lucky to get one-tenth of the satisfaction they felt now.

Wang Pavilion said excitedly, ”In the future, if any of our families need to host a banquet, why bother with hotels or rural feasts? We should just come here!”

Xie Wanxiang said, ”That works for a small group, but it’s not convenient for a large one. I wonder if Boss Li You caters for rural feasts? If he does, we could just hire him to be the chef.”

Wang Pavilion shook his head. ”Uncle Xie, that’s wishful thinking. Why would Boss Li You ever agree to cater a rural feast? His restaurant is so successful. Besides, a chef of his caliber probably has no interest in that kind of work.”

Xie Wanxiang nodded. ”That’s a fair point.”

”No,” Luo Yunlin said. ”I think Boss Li You might actually be interested. I’ve asked him about catering rural feasts before. At the time, he said his repertoire of perfected dishes wasn’t extensive enough yet. But once it was, he’d consider it.”

”Really?” Wang Pavilion exclaimed. ”Then we should ask him again now! I think his menu is plenty extensive as it is.”

Luo Yunlin said, ”Boss Li You is busy right now. I’ll ask him later when he’s free. Let’s take a walk outside first. The scenery around his place is beautiful.”

”Alright, alright.”

The group walked out of the restaurant.

After wandering through the orchard and the wild fruit grove for a while, they arrived at the Tea Garden.

Luo Yunlin’s eyes lit up. ”These are tea trees, aren’t they?” he said.

Wang Pavilion replied, ”They are. These tea trees are beautiful.”

Luo Yunlin said, ”So Boss Li You has created a new Tea Garden. Is he planning to grow, pick, and process his own tea?”

Wang Pavilion remarked, ”Boss Li You certainly has a passion for the finer things in life.”

Luo Yunlin smiled. ”He certainly does.”

After spending some time in the Tea Garden, the group returned to the front of the restaurant.

Just then, Li You, having finished his work, walked out of the shop.

Luo Yunlin asked, ”Xiaoli, I asked you last time if you were interested in catering rural feasts, right? You said you’d consider it once your menu expanded. So, what about now? Are you interested?”

Li You smiled. ”I am interested. However, it would depend on the specific circumstances. I probably wouldn’t accept every single offer. It would really depend on the situation.”

Luo Yunlin said joyfully, ”Of course, that’s a given. As long as you’re interested in principle, Xiaoli, that’s what matters.”

Wang Pavilion, Xie Wanxiang, and the others were also pleasantly surprised. They hadn’t expected Boss Li You to actually be interested in catering rural feasts.

As for Li You’s stipulation that he would be selective and it would depend on the situation—that was only natural.

Even ordinary rural feast caterers didn’t accept every job that came their way, let alone a chef like Li You.

’If I ever need to host a banquet in the future, I might actually be able to hire Boss Li You as the head chef!’

’That would be incredibly impressive in front of all the guests.’

The mere thought was thrilling.

...