Lin Lang's family knew about his professional habits, so they were quite supportive of his way of ordering. After all, it was their first time here, and being able to taste a variety of dishes was a good experience.
As for sharing dishes among the family, they naturally didn't mind.
The first dish that arrived was the Xiaolongbao, a type of steamed bun that could be made in advance, so it was served quickly.
"Xiaolongbao, please enjoy," Qin Yue said, knowing that Lin Lang's family would be tasting this dish. She placed the basket of Xiaolongbao in the middle of the table for the four of them, then spoke again.
"These Xiaolongbao are a specialty of our restaurant. When eating them, please use chopsticks to pick them up, then take a small bite from the top to release the soup inside. Blow gently on the opening to cool the soup, then sip it out. Finally, dip the soup dumpling into the vinegar."
"Oh?" Lin Lang carefully examined the basket of Xiaolongbao in front of him. They were small and delicate, each one round and adorable. They resembled buns but were obviously more than just smaller buns.
"What are chopsticks?" Lin Lang discovered something new again.
Even the tableware in this small restaurant was different?
"It's this." Qin Yue brought over a pair of chopsticks and demonstrated how to use them in front of the family, instantly brightening Lin Lang's eyes.
"What a brilliant design." Lin Lang couldn't help but praise. With his profession, he could tell at a glance that these chopsticks were much more convenient for picking up food than forks. "Was this also invented by your boss?"
"Yes." Qin Yue's eyes showed a hint of pride.
After getting a little familiar with how to use the chopsticks, Lin Lang carefully picked up one of the adorable Xiaolongbao. Remembering Qin Yue's instructions, he took a small bite.
After a brief chew, the delicious taste of the dumpling skin, with a slight chewiness and a hint of soup, made Lin Lang's eyes light up.
This dish was definitely not lacking in flavor.
He instantly made this judgment and then carefully blew on the opening before bringing it to his mouth, sucking out the soup from the dumpling.
The delicious taste of the soup exploded on Lin Lang's taste buds, widening his eyes.
This–This kind of deliciousness is simply unbelievable.
As a food critic, Lin Lang had an excellent sense of taste. His martial soul enhanced his taste buds, giving him an advantage in his work as a critic.
Therefore, unlike other diners, he could easily distinguish many ingredients and components in dishes. However, at this moment, he felt a sense of bewilderment.
The taste of the soup in the Xiaolongbao was almost indistinguishable. He couldn't even identify any of the ingredients, which was an experience he had never had before.
"Incredible." Lin Lang took a deep breath, dipped the soup dumpling into the vinegar dish, and its surface gained a tempting reddish-brown color. When he took a bite, a completely new taste, different from but still connected to the soup, emerged.
Chewy and elastic dough skin, tender and juicy meat filling, and the appetizing sourness of the divine vinegar; these three distinct elements completely merged during chewing, creating an even more wonderful taste experience.
"My goodness," Lin Lang couldn't help but marvel. Just this one dish of Xiaolongbao almost surpassed all the previous delicacies in the last issue of Food Critique Magazine.
This dish would definitely make it into Food Critique Magazine.
Could this be the most delicious dish of the Small Shop?
But looking at the price, it was clearly one of the cheapest options.
In an instant, Lin Lang was full of anticipation for the next dishes.
Seeing the curious yet expectant expressions on his family's faces, Lin Lang smiled.
He knew that his wife and children wanted him to better evaluate the food, so they hadn't started eating yet. "Come on, everyone, try it. These Xiaolongbao are delicious."
The family began to share the Xiaolongbao. Lin Lang and his wife tacitly only ate 2 each, leaving the remaining 6 for their children.
As expected, the Xiaolongbao received high praise from the family. These Xiaolongbao, filled with soup, were incredibly delicious, and Lin Lang's family loved them. If there weren't more dishes to come, he might have ordered another serving.
Looking at the empty steamer, Lin Lang fell into thought.
His palate could distinguish various delicacies, and his culinary skills weren't bad either. People like Qi Han from his previous life, with a gourmet palate but unable to cook, were in the minority.
At this moment, Lin Lang's question was how these Xiaolongbao were made.
There were steamers in Douluo Continent, used for steaming buns, but the one in front of him was smaller and more exquisite, which wasn't a big issue.
Lin Lang already had an idea of how to make the dough skin, which probably involved not adding yeast during the dough-making process. He could also make the meat filling, although the probability of making it as delicious was low.
But how to stuff soup into the dumplings was something Lin Lang couldn't figure out no matter how hard he tried.
It was truly miraculous.
However, his contemplation was quickly interrupted by the second dish, "Smashed Cucumber, please enjoy."
Smashed Cucumber?
Lin Lang looked at the small plate of cucumbers covered in brown sauce, garnished with red peppers and cilantro, and his curiosity was piqued.
Was this an appetizer?
He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth. After a chew, Lin Lang's face showed a hint of surprise.
Spicy with a hint of sourness, the spicy and sour taste, along with the cucumber's natural sweetness, should have clashed, but at this moment, they blended together slowly during chewing. With each bite, Lin Lang felt his appetite increasing.
"This is also very good, appetizingly spicy and sour. Try it," Lin Lang rubbed his stomach after taking a bite, feeling a bit hungry again, and cheerfully invited his wife and children to taste the smashed cucumber.
After the smashed cucumber, Qin Yue appeared again with two dishes, "Braised Pork Stomach with Chicken and Dongpo Pork Knuckle, please enjoy."
If the Xiaolongbao were considered the main course, and the smashed cucumber was the appetizer, then these two dishes, Braised Pork Stomach with Chicken and Dongpo Pork Knuckle, were undoubtedly the real dishes.
Lin Lang carefully observed the appearance of the two dishes and nodded.
There were no overly extravagant decorations; these two dishes appeared plain and simple. However, the tempting color and texture of the ingredients were clearly visible, tempting diners to taste them.
He first picked up a spoon and scooped up some of the Braised Pork Stomach with Chicken soup with a few pieces of pork stomach and chicken, placed them in a small bowl, and began to taste it slowly.
Soup dishes were quite niche in Douluo Continent, but as a professional food critic, Lin Lang knew about them.
However, so far, no soup dish had qualified for Food Critique Magazine. Compared to other cooking methods, this method had a significant disadvantage. It couldn't fully bring out the deliciousness of the ingredients; everything cooked together was like a hodgepodge.
After taking a sip of the soup, Lin Lang fell into silence.
A significant disadvantage?
Lin Lang used to think so too, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. It's just that the previous soup dishes didn't capture the essence of soup dishes.
Looking down at the small bowl of Braised Pork Stomach with Chicken in his hand, Lin Lang knew one thing for sure.
The first soup dish qualified for Food Critique Magazine had appeared.
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