After downing a bowl of buddha jumps over the wall, Old Tang felt as if his meridians had been unblocked.
His entire body felt warm and cozy, every pore relaxed, with 'satisfaction' practically written all over his face.
His professional foodie's discerning palate had been completely conquered.
After a brief moment of savoring the aftertaste.
His gaze quickly locked onto that bowl of clear-as-water 'boiled cabbage in clear broth'.
Due to the shock brought by the buddha jumps over the wall just now.
His expectations for this boiled cabbage in clear broth had now been raised to who knows how high.
Facing the camera, he said with a serious expression, "Let me take back what I said earlier."
"I originally thought this meal was just for fun, but now it seems I'm here for a lesson."
"Since the buddha jumps over the wall can reach this level, then this seemingly simple bowl of boiled cabbage in clear broth surely can't be far off."
He carefully scooped up a spoonful of soup with a spoon.
The soup was crystal clear, without a single trace of oil or impurities, only a refreshing meaty aroma.
As soon as the soup entered his mouth, Old Tang's eyes widened again.
If the deliciousness of the buddha jumps over the wall was domineering and intense.
Then the soup of this boiled cabbage in clear broth was restrained and mellow.
Its umami was hidden beneath its light appearance.
You needed to savor it carefully with your entire mouth to feel that ultimate freshness and richness, extracted from top-tier ingredients like old hen, old duck, ham, dried scallops, and more, through repeated filtering and purification.
"Great soup!" Old Tang couldn't help but exclaim.
After drinking it, his eyes were practically glowing.
"This bowl of soup is clear but not bland, fresh but not bitter."
"After drinking it, there's a lingering sweetness in the entire mouth, without any sense of burden."
His face showed an indescribable expression of enjoyment, and as he spoke, his hands couldn't stop gesturing.
Then he picked up a piece of cabbage with chopsticks.
"Now let's look at this cabbage—only the most tender heart is used, blanched in the broth just right."
"This way, it retains the cabbage's natural sweetness while absorbing the soup's umami. This dish returns to simplicity, where great flavor lies in subtlety, truly showcasing the chef's skill!"
As a food exploration blogger, he naturally couldn't just say whether it's delicious or not.
He could still easily explain a thing or two about the cooking methods and craftsmanship.
He gave a general critique.
Finally, all the praise and analysis were condensed into one word:
"Good!"
One word, yet heavier than a thousand pounds.
Representing the highest recognition from a professional chef for this dish.
The two peaks of Chinese cuisine had been successfully conquered.
The remaining two Western dishes, Old Tang couldn't wait to taste them either.
He cut a small piece of Escargot, along with the Truffle Foie Gras Sauce on top, and put it in his mouth.
The chewiness of the snail, the richness of the foie gras sauce, the unique exotic aroma of Black Truffle.
These three perfectly blended in the mouth, bringing an ultimate luxurious enjoyment.
And that piece of Beef Wellington made him find no flaws whatsoever.
The outer Puff Pastry was golden and crispy, the Mushroom Paste in the middle was delicate and savory.
And the Filet Mignon inside was cooked to a perfect Medium-Rare.
When cut, it was juicy, tender upon entry, and full of meaty flavor.
Old Tang ate while facing the camera, so excited he blurted out national expletives.
"Oh my god, this is so damn delicious!"
The Cameraman hurriedly stopped him, "Take it easy! We'll have to censor it later!"
Then he quickly waved his hand, "Without exaggeration, I'm not bragging, their... no, this Hardware Store's Western food is really—damn—good!"
He had already lost count of how many times he'd said 'damn'.
But no amount could hide his excited heart.
Fans who often watch Old Tang's videos know,
Whenever he shows that 'blissfully eating' intoxicated expression.
Plus that not-so-elegant catchphrase.
It means the deliciousness of the dish has already exceeded what his language can describe.
He put down the knife and fork, as if thinking of something.
Then he said to the camera again, "Hey, at this point, fans are definitely going to ask me, 'Old Tang, between the Western food made by this store and what you make yourself, which is better?'"
He chuckled lightly, a self-mocking yet sincerely convinced expression on his face.
"Comparing me to this place, that's really flattering me. What I make is restaurant food; what's here is art."
Finally, Old Tang stood up, faced the camera, and delivered his final summary for this exploration.
"Alright, today's exploration is about done here."
"To sum up, this store... no, this 'Old Lu Hardware Store' has given me the biggest shock in my career."
"I don't even know how to define it, but its dishes, whether Chinese or Western, have reached a very high level. So, my suggestion is—"
He paused, then said in an extremely solemn tone:
"Friends who don't care about the price can come give it a try. Highly recommended! This... Old Lu Hardware Store."
After saying that, he turned to Lu You behind the counter and called out, "Boss, check please!"
Lu You had already seen the price given by the system in his mind.
He didn't ask for more, just charged whatever the system said.
After all, the final business points difference and cash were all his!
Lu You stepped forward, "That'll be 1799 yuan."
When Old Tang heard the total price, he was still a bit surprised.
Because this price really wasn't expensive!
You could even say it was very cheap!
He had eaten dishes at many luxurious high-end restaurants that were much more expensive but far less tasty than here.
The value for money was ridiculously high!
This Hardware Store's status was directly deified in his heart!
He paid promptly.
Before leaving, Old Tang meaningfully scanned this somewhat crowded shop once more.
Finally, looking at Lu You, he said seriously,
"Little brother, take my advice, expand if you need to."
"I estimate once this video is released, the threshold of your store might get trampled flat."
Lu You certainly understood what Old Tang meant.
Given Old Tang's influence in the foodie circle, once this video was released.
Countless food enthusiasts, internet celebrities, and even professional chefs would surely come seeking it out.
By then, his small Hardware Store would definitely be packed.
However, he wouldn't expand for now.
Are you kidding?
Just dealing with these customers alone every day was tiring enough.
If dozens or hundreds more people came queuing to order, wouldn't that work him to death?!
Just thinking about it was terrifying!
As for hiring employees? That was even more impossible!
In his back kitchen, forget cooking tools, there wasn't even a single scallion.
Everything was generated out of thin air by the system.
If he hired someone and accidentally got discovered by an employee that the boss could use magic.
Then it would be completely over.
So he had already made plans in his mind, keeping a backup.
In case his little shop really blew up because of Old Tang's video.
Then he'd go with the flow 'Hunger Marketing'.
Limit daily reception, or why not just switch to an appointment system?
He certainly wanted to work hard to earn money, but he absolutely couldn't risk his life!
Money can't be earned all at once, but life is only one.
The development of events As Lu You predicted.
Old Tang's team was extremely efficient.
The day after returning, a video titled "Eating Michelin Three-Star Food in a Hardware Store? Am I Crazy or Is the Boss Crazy?!" was uploaded to Major short video platforms.
The video, with its highly conflicting theme, Old Tang's Brilliant live response.
And those four top-tier dishes that looked mouthwatering, quickly caused a massive and heated discussion online.
"Holy crap! Eating buddha jumps over the wall in a Hardware Store? What kind of divine plot is this?"
"Looking at Brother Tang's expression, it's definitely not acted! How delicious must it be?!"
"I've already booked a high-speed train ticket to Yangcheng! Don't anyone stop me! I just want to know what it feels like to eat Beef Wellington in a Hardware Store!"
"The boss is so handsome and calm! This is truly a great hermit hidden in the City!"
Just a few hours after the video was released, the likes broke through several hundred thousand.
The comment section was Completely fallen, and the name 'Old Lu Hardware Store'.
Along with the video's viral spread, truly broke out of its circle for the first time.
From originally being a Hardware Store to be exposed, it One leap became a Check-in point in the hearts of Food lovers across the country.