Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 608 - 574: Alligator Feast and Bàbà Banquet

Sichuan has a place that’s notorious, not because it’s dangerous, but because it’s home to a group of rowdy Mount Emei locals.

The ultimate stubbornness is when people advise against going, but you insist on visiting anyway.

Since you’re here, how can you not check it out?

Both of them were on their way to Mount Emei but got distracted by a farmstay along the way.

"Alligator Feast Farmstay?"

Wang Fan claimed to have tried many kinds of ingredients, but alligator wasn’t one of them.

Zhuo Qianqian was equally intrigued and said, "Boss, why don’t we grab a bite? Eat full before seeing the monkeys?"

Wang Fan was also interested, so he drove the car into the farmstay.

Unexpectedly, as soon as they stepped through the door, a man in his thirties wearing a red outfit excitedly exclaimed, "Boss Wang?!"

Wang Fan was still studying the surroundings and was taken aback; someone recognized him even in these remote mountains?

"Hello, do you know me?"

Li Jie excitedly jogged over, "Of course I know you! Who in the restaurant business doesn’t know Boss Wang? I’m a fan of yours; you absolutely have to dine at my place today!"

Wang Fan had come to eat anyway, and the environment seemed quite nice, so he agreed readily.

Seeing Wang Fan agree to eat there, Li Jie was almost jumping with joy and immediately said, "Boss Wang, please sit down, I’ll catch a fish for you right away."

Wang Fan and his companion sat in a cool pavilion, the temperature was neither cold nor hot, and the air was extraordinarily fresh. Just sitting outside felt very pleasant. Li Jie went quickly and returned just as fast, which fits perfectly with the brisk and fiery nature of Sichuan people.

He came back with an alligator in hand, over a meter long, weighing at least 20 plus pounds. Its long snout was tied with a rope, and it was still struggling.

Li Jie showcased the alligator, "Is this one okay to eat?"

Wang Fan chuckled wryly, "Isn’t it too big? The two of us probably can’t finish it."

Li Jie chuckled, "This is considered small, the big ones are around fifty to sixty pounds. Just leave it to me for arrangements; six dishes and a soup, I’ll definitely make sure Boss Wang is well taken care of."

Li Jie was indeed excited; he had been a fan of Wang Fan for two months, frequently following his updates and liking those dishes crafted by Wang Fan. Seeing him in person today, he felt he definitely had to let Wang Fan try their specialty dishes here.

Deep-fried, spicy stir-fried, braised, salt and pepper, oil braised, grilled skewers, plus a soup—one alligator served in a variety of preparations.

Looking at the entire table full of dishes, Wang Fan invited, "Want to join us, Boss? It’s just too much; no way we can finish it all."

Li Jie didn’t stand on ceremony, settled into a chair, and warmly introduced, "These are all our local specialities; try them. It would be wonderful if you could provide some feedback."

The presentation of the dishes on the table was quite appealing and seemed appetizing. The spicy stir-fried preparation was somewhat similar to spicy chicken, only more robust. The deep-fried chunks of alligator meat were golden brown, and sizeable.

Picking up a piece and sniffing it, the aroma of the meat was strong, and the fragrance of chili and Sichuan pepper was quite well integrated.

A bite revealed a fresh, spicy, and numbing taste that was characteristic of Sichuan Cuisine, the only drawback being the meat was fried too thoroughly, making the fibers a bit too tough, and the foundational flavor slightly lacking.

Li Jie eagerly asked Wang Fan, "Boss Wang, please don’t hesitate to point out any shortcomings with this dish. It’s rare to meet you, and we’d love for you to help us improve our food."

His words were very sincere; online, those who received pointers or were trained by Wang Fan received rave reviews, who wouldn’t want their dishes to taste better?

Wang Fan detected his sincerity, so he straightforwardly said: "Let me share my thoughts and provide some suggestions."

Li Jie was overwhelmed with joy and quickly took out his phone to start recording, "Go ahead, I’ll take note."

Wang Fan said, "The seasoning of this dish is spot on; the aroma of the chili and Sichuan pepper is present and well-permeated. If there’s any criticism, it’s that the chunks of meat are fried too thoroughly, making them a bit tough. The base flavor didn’t penetrate enough. If it were me, I’d coat them with a thin layer of batter mixed with salt before frying, allowing the pieces to absorb more of the foundational flavor and achieve a crispy crust with tender insides."

Li Jie listened to this and couldn’t stop smiling, "That’s exactly right, Boss Wang. Why don’t you two stay here tonight? Seeing you came by car, I didn’t dare bring out any alcohol earlier."

Wang Fan waved it off, "No need for alcohol; we usually don’t drink. It’s just some personal insights that you’re welcome to try out."

The meal made Li Jie exultant; Boss Wang wasn’t just anyone he had followed for two months but was indeed worthy of the title of the strongest outdoor gourmet boss. The issues and improvement methods from Wang Fan sounded like gospel to him, and he believed that by implementing these suggestions, their dishes could significantly elevate in taste.

Wang Fan and Zhuo Qianqian also enjoyed the meal; the alligator meat was tender and elastic, different in texture from any meat they had tried before.

Wang Fan particularly liked the grilled alligator meat; the crispy outer layer and the succulent, Q-elastic, tender inner meat combined with the rich aroma of Er Jingtiao peppers and pepper powder made for a dish that was as wild as it was delicious.