Abalone over Rice

"Forget it!" The elderly man sitting beside Huo Jiu discreetly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "It's only a meal. I'm quite satisfied with what I've eaten."

As soon as he said that, everyone became even more convinced there had been some misunderstanding.

Huo Jiu had not expected that after being exposed for passing off fake goods, the lobby manager would not only refuse to apologize but would actually try to turn the tables on him. He was so angry that he laughed.

"Since you say there's nothing wrong with these shark fins, then use the same ones to make a serving of Red-Braised Shark Fin." Huo Jiu stared into the lobby manager's eyes and said with a half-smile, "If you can make it, I'll believe there's nothing wrong with these shark fins."

The moment Huo Jiu said that, the lobby manager's expression changed dramatically.

Everyone knew that fake shark fins were different from real ones. Once soaked, they had neither springiness nor chewiness, and no matter how they were prepared, they would not absorb flavor. Experienced, skillful chefs could use a rich stock and thickening to make them pass for the real thing. Ordinary diners could not tell the difference at all.

But Chaozhou shark fin could never be thickened with starch. And the Red-Braised Shark Fin Huo Jiu had just mentioned was prepared in the Chaozhou cuisine style.

The soaked shark fins had to be braised with pork trotters, ribs, pork skin, and other ingredients, along with Shaoxing Wine and ham, over high heat for three hours. Then the other ingredients were removed, an old hen was added, and the dish was simmered over low heat for another hour and a half. Only then could the gelatinous quality of the shark fins be coaxed out, after which it had to continue simmering over very low heat for another hour and a half until the sauce reduced.

It took a full six hours to produce a soft, glutinous, fragrant, silky bowl of Red-Braised Shark Fin. If the heat was insufficient, the broth would not penetrate the ingredients; if it was overcooked, the texture would become loose and fall apart.

So the moment Huo Jiu brought up Red-Braised Shark Fin, the lobby manager knew there would be no easy end to this matter.

This unfamiliar young boy was definitely not the nouveau riche he had imagined—someone who had never eaten shark fin and had come to First-Rank Pavilion to try something new and broaden his horizons. Whether he was in the trade was another matter, but his palate was at least that of a seasoned gourmet.

The diners at several nearby tables also frowned, looking thoughtful.

Huo Jiu paused, then continued, "I happen to be free today, so I'll sit here and wait. Once the Red-Braised Shark Fin is ready, I'll pack it up and take it away, along with today's Fish Maw and Shark Fin Soup. Since this manager says my words alone are no proof, then let's take them somewhere professional for testing. We'll see whether I've really slandered your establishment."

The entire lobby of First-Rank Pavilion fell silent.

Author's Note:

The methods for distinguishing real from fake shark fins and the recipe for Red-Braised Shark Fin in this chapter were both found on Baidu. The author has never actually eaten it either.

Abalone over Rice

After a long silence, the lobby manager forced out a somewhat stiff smile and finally said, "Please don't be in such a hurry. We can talk this over slowly. You know that making Red-Braised Shark Fin takes at least six hours. If you haven't reserved it in advance, our restaurant does not accept orders for this dish."

"Besides, the kitchen doesn't have any extra soaked shark fins. Even if we went out to buy some immediately, there wouldn't be enough time to soak them." Soaking shark fins also took time. Altogether, it would take far more than six hours.

Huo Jiu curled his lips without giving anything away. "So you're saying this batch of fake shark fins just happened to be all gone?"

"They aren't fake shark fins. Every ingredient First-Rank Pavilion purchases is genuine, top-quality produce. We've been an established brand for three hundred years. How could we possibly serve fake shark fins to our guests? It's simply a coincidence. Yesterday's purchase did not include that many shark fins, and your order was substantial. These six banquet tables alone used up nearly all the shark fins we bought. The rest had all been reserved in advance by other regular customers. There wasn't even a little left over."

That sounded rather false. Any restaurant in business would keep backup supplies of important ingredients. What if some distinguished guest arrived? Would they have to send someone out to buy ingredients at the last minute? Especially at a restaurant like First-Rank Pavilion, which specialized in elaborate dishes—many ingredients could not be prepared in time even if they were soaked right away.

So as soon as the lobby manager said that, experienced diners immediately detected something suspicious.

The lobby manager bowed slightly, putting on an appearance of trying to settle the matter peacefully. "How about this? You ordered six banquet tables, and this is your first time at First-Rank Pavilion. You've also honored us with your patronage. I'll make the decision to give every guest at your six tables a complimentary bowl of Abalone over Rice. What do you think?"

When the elderly men and women from Lakeside Park heard that, their eyes lit up. The old man beside Huo Jiu leaned over and whispered, "They're giving everyone a bowl of Abalone over Rice. I looked at the menu just now—a bowl costs 128 yuan here. There are sixty or seventy of us, so that comes to nearly eight thousand yuan altogether. The restaurant is being quite sincere."

Hearing the old man's words, the lobby manager's lips curved slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible smile.

However, the diners at several tables who had been watching the commotion frowned.

Some were still confused and quietly asked Huo Jiu, "What does that mean? Are the shark fins real or fake?"

Something about it did not sound right to him.

Huo Jiu smiled. "Of course they're fake. But if we don't secure the evidence today, then if word gets out another day, it may turn into a story about a group of unruly customers coming to First-Rank Pavilion, unable to tell real shark fins from fake ones, and causing a scene. The restaurant would have had no choice but to spend money to avoid disaster."

The lobby manager's smile froze, and his tone immediately turned cold. Clearly displeased, he said, "Sir, as the saying goes, leave some room for others, and you'll meet again someday. You have no grievance against First-Rank Pavilion, so why must you press us so relentlessly?"

"I guard against petty people, not gentlemen. It's better that we make everything clear." Huo Jiu smiled brightly. "It doesn't matter if the kitchen has no extra shark fins. If you refuse to admit these shark fins are fake, then we'll pack up the Fish Maw and Shark Fin Soup from the banquet and take it to the relevant authorities for testing."

The lobby manager carefully sized Huo Jiu up before asking, "You look unfamiliar, sir. Your accent doesn't sound local either. May I ask which family you belong to?"

"What?" Huo Jiu smiled calmly. "Do I need to give you my family history for three generations just to eat a meal at First-Rank Pavilion?"