CHAPTER 706: CHAPTER 705: FOOD TYRANT’S STOMACH 4

"I have to say, the ’Shuangjiang Magical Mapo Tofu’ in front of me," Shigong Xiaoci Lang thought to himself, "appears to deviate significantly from my memory."

The most striking difference was the color of the dish!

"Could it be because of the sauce..." Shigong pondered.

The ’Shuangjiang Tofu’ was still as beautiful as ever, the snowflake patterns delicately intricate, with no major changes. However, the sauce draped over the tofu was red like fire, and as his gaze fell upon it, it was as though the scattered white mist was baking his eyes, conveying a burning spiciness.

He blinked several times, and the hot and spicy feeling became increasingly evident, almost to the point that tears formed like those caused by onions; Shigong quickly turned his head, daring not to stare at the sauce any longer.

"If only I could have a taste," he wished, but then he remembered his assistant role and stood aside to watch the three Lin Giant heads enjoy their meal.

Qian Rixiangzi shortly served three bowls of steaming rice.

Lei Zhe and Andrea, although Westerners, showed ease with chopsticks, their perfect technique enough to make many natives blush.

Rice, paired with mapo tofu.

The two of them ate with joy.

The third giant, ’The Cultivated Witch’ Catherine, disregarded the rice entirely. She picked up thin slices of blood sausage with wooden chopsticks, carefully putting it into her mouth, and chewed slowly.

The surrounding cameras and smartphones captured every change in facial expression of the three giants as they dined.

First came a mouthful of mapo tofu.

Lei Zhe and Andrea’s eyes widened slightly, revealing a hint of surprise.

The tofu, made of Big Tuna Belly Soybeans, was impeccable in texture and flavor, a fact already memorized by their taste buds.

But now, as the ’Shuangjiang Tofu’ mixed with red oil sauce and soy minced meat entered their mouths, nearly melting, the scent of soybeans seemed about to burst forth; they had no choice but to clamp their teeth shut, like closing doors, trapping the flavors in their mouths and savoring them repeatedly.

At last, as the robust impact of the bean flavor subsided, Andrea, with food in her mouth, decided to bite down!

"Crunch!"

Many tiny fried particles snapped under the pressure of her teeth, and instantly another burst of flavor spread, making Andrea’s fur stand on end. In a reflex, she exclaimed, "So crunchy, what’s this? Garnish made from soybean residue? Such intense flavor, with the aroma of beef juice, and the symphony of various spices... What an incredible flavor structure, who would’ve thought something so small could hold so much detail! It’s like a work of magic!"

She was not stingy with her praise, even using the Chinese expression "like a work of magic" to describe it.

That pronunciation, akin to the strangeness of plastic-level Mandarin, drew everyone’s focus toward her.

In astonishment!

Guests and media alike observed in shock.

Andrea ate, her fair cheeks puffing up, as rice and the delicious tofu with sauce rolled around in her mouth; not until the flavor subsided did she reluctantly swallow.

Bite after bite.

In the blink of an eye, the female giant deftly wiped her lips with the back of her hand, clearing away any grains of rice or traces of oil, "Another bowl of rice!"

She shook her empty porcelain bowl, not a single grain left.

"Ah!"

Qian Rixiangzi rushed over promptly, "Please wait a moment!"

As she turned to go, another deep voice called to her, "I want a bowl too... no, I want even more rice!"

Everyone knew the speaker and were momentarily stunned.

Lei Zhe looked displeased as he carefully chewed; it was his last mouthful.

"You want more rice?" Qian Rixiangzi stood still, puzzled.

"Yes!"

As hands pointed, media cameras focused on the open-air kitchen, where several stoves resembling heaps of rocks stood, with large iron pots atop them, water boiling inside with steam billowing out.

These pots were arranged with several wooden casks, at least six or seven.

"Are those ’rice steamers’?"

Spectators, having watched the Sapporo competition highlights more than once, immediately recognized these barrels and their culinary uses.

Back then, Xia Yu’s scene of simmering star rice with a special ’rice steamer’ was fresh in everyone’s minds.

With the help of Shigong Xiaoci Lang, Qian Rixiangzi worked together to bring over a wooden cask with steam rolling from it.

As the lid was lifted, the aroma of rice instantly filled the whole building.

Even those in line outside waiting for a meal caught whiff of the rice scent, swallowing saliva, clutching their stomachs, and their eyes revealed an even stronger yearning.

Lei Zhe and Andrea split the bucket of rice, continuing their previous binge-eating frenzy.

...

Open-air kitchen.

"This is the dish for table 112." Xia Yu finished cooking and plating in one breath, too rushed to wipe his sweat, he hastily signaled for two servants from the Tiqie family to serve the dish.

"Table 1 is almost done with the first dish."

Yuchuan Ayaka quietly reminded him from the side.

Table 1 was where Lei Zhe, Catherine, and Andrea were seated.

"Has it been about 10 minutes?"

Xia Yu took the damp towel offered by Hozoi Midori, wiped his sweat and face, and then glanced sideways at table 1.

It was quite lively over there; reporters took the opportunity to swarm around the table for interviews.

"Look—"

Yuchuan Meisha suddenly exclaimed.

At the entrance, several distinguished guests arrived arm in arm.

The guests outside spontaneously made way, as Shinohara Shigetaro led the three-person Neon Department of IGO to the scene.

"A set meal of just tofu dishes?"

The Ghost-faced Monk, Aoki Motota, sniffed the air upon entering, then looked past the crowd at the empty large plate on table 1 and sighed with regret, "Has the first tofu dish already been served? Too late!"

"What about the remaining two tofu dishes?"

Aoki Motota’s gaze was piercing.

"Hey!"

Xia Yu said with a laugh, "Did you come here to support me or to join the crowd?"

"The crowd must be joined; the support must be given." Aoki Motota patted his shoulder, nodding towards the rowdy media crowd, "Thanks to these folks, the ’trio of tofu dishes’ spread like wildfire online; everyone must be discussing it by now. I’m sure the ’Shuangjiang Magical Mapo Tofu’ is one of them. What about the other two?"

"Actually, ’Shuangjiang Magical Mapo Tofu,’ as the first-grade tofu dish, has already been served..."

Xia Yu finished speaking when Lei Zhe, with half his body, also suddenly emerged from the crowd.

He stood up, towering above those around him, and cast a restrained and intense look towards the kitchen, raising his voice with a muffled sound, "What about the second dish?"

Shush.

The atmosphere quieted down again.

"It’s been about 10 minutes, hasn’t it? Haven’t you prepared the second dish in this time?" Andrea complained dissatisfiedly. With sweat on her cheeks, she spoke between light pants, exhaling the accumulated spicy heat from her mouth.

Apparently, the first-grade ’Shuangjiang Magical Mapo Tofu’ not only whetted the appetites of the two Lin Giants but even managed to capture their tongues with its spiciness.

If Koga Shoji had been there, he would have been profoundly shocked.

Lei Zhe had shown no reaction to his Mapo tofu, as indifferent as if he was chewing on peonies.

"The second dish?"

Xia Yu nodded to Hozoi Midori.

"Uh-huh!"

Hozoi Midori understood the meaning in his eyes, bent down, and took a cleverly crafted wooden box from underneath the cooking table, and then carried it straight to table 1.

Huh!

Instantly, everyone’s eyes were involuntarily drawn to the wooden box.

"This is..." Shinohara Shigetaro recognized it and was stunned, "Great Magic Panda Tofu?"

"Eh?! I almost forgot about this dish!"

Aoki Motota slapped his thigh.

The main hostess, however, raised her eyes towards the young head chef inside the kitchen and saw a faint wildness in his expression, which was rare for him, and she said in surprise, "Is this time’s ’Great Magic Panda Tofu’ different from the past?"

"Of course... it’s different!"

Xia Yu couldn’t help but smile widely.

Hearing this, the trio’s gaze intensified, and they turned their heads to watch table 1 with interest, only to feel as if headlights of oncoming cars were shining straight at them the moment they looked over, the blinding light was rather overwhelming.