Chen Lan's appetite was immediately whetted. She picked up a few more slices of lamb with her chopsticks, swished them in the bubbling clear broth, dipped them in the sauce in her bowl, and brought them to her mouth. The lamb was as tender and fresh as ever, with no gamey odor.
It was said that Dong Lai Shun only used black-headed sheep from the Eastern and Western Ujimqin banners in Inner Mongolia for their lamb. Sheep raised in these two areas had lamb that was not gamey, was tender and delicious, and had a perfect balance of fat and lean meat.
It was also rumored that Dong Lai Shun's dedicated meat-cutting masters had exceptionally refined techniques. They were required to slice the lamb so thinly that the patterns on the porcelain plate beneath could be seen through the slices. To use a modern idiom, this was the epitome of "craftsmanship."
Not only that, but the dipping sauce used for Dong Lai Shun's shuan yangrou was also meticulously prepared. Their soy sauce had to be from the "Tian Yi Shun" soy sauce factory; the shrimp paste had to be refined from small shrimp from the Nanbeibu region of Hebei; the yellow wine had to be top-grade Shaoxing wine; and seasonings like sesame paste and fermented bean curd had to be produced by Dingjia Caiyuan.
In particular, Dong Lai Shun's own preserved chives were a stroke of genius. They would use the fresh juices of different fruits when pickling the chives, resulting in chive paste with a different fruity aroma each year.
In short, Dong Lai Shun was extremely strict and discerning about its ingredients. Every ingredient they used was carefully selected, resulting in a fresh and fragrant flavor that was unparalleled at the time!
Ultimately, their goal was to provide diners with an ultimate taste experience. With such high standards, how could Dong Lai Shun's shuan yangrou not be delicious?
Dong Lai Shun's hot pot used a clear broth as its base, not a traditional heavy-flavored broth. No one knew what ingredients they used in their secret recipe!
In any case, the flavor of Dong Lai Shun's hot pot broth was exceptionally fresh and delicious. As Chen Lan swished lamb and drank the lamb broth, the taste was indescribably wonderful!
There was a legend in the culinary circles of the capital. It was said that the former owner of Dong Lai Shun was a man of great vision, a true businessman who had risen from the very bottom of society.
The shop motto he established for Dong Lai Shun was also incredibly impressive!
The specific content of Dong Lai Shun's shop motto was: "Those who can stand in our shop are fated to be here; those who can sit in our shop are those who respect us; those who can eat in our shop are those who support us."
From these few simple and unpretentious words, one could see that the former owner of Dong Lai Shun was a business genius with a forward-thinking service consciousness. He had truly grasped the essence of the food service industry.
That is, "The customer is God! They are our benefactors!" This is an eternal truth.
Chen Lan thought to herself, with these few simple words, it was obvious that Dong Lai Shun's success was inevitable! It was no wonder Dong Lai Shun had been so popular for over a century.
Not long after, Xiang Xi, Xiao Shuan, and the other two brought out all the accompanying dishes for the hot pot and other dishes one after another.
Besides the authentic Halal specialties like stir-fried lamb with scallions, lamb skewers, and roast lamb leg; there were also Dong Lai Shun's homemade vermicelli and pickled garlic; the essential napa cabbage for hot pot, and several plates of the shop's special sesame flatbreads, as well as the highly popular mixed grain noodles.
Dong Lai Shun's sesame flatbreads were also the most famous! Freshly baked, the sesame flatbreads were still steaming. They were not large, and were densely covered with fragrant sesame seeds.
Chen Lan picked up a still-warm sesame flatbread and took an eager bite. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fragrant aroma that wafted with every bite. It was so crispy that crumbs fell with each mouthful. The thin layer of dough inside was evenly spread with a layer of sesame paste, making it intensely flavored.
After a hearty meal, the group still felt unsatisfied. Clearly, the few men hadn't eaten their fill. This was understandable, as provisions were scarce and lamb was still rationed.
Chen Lan heard Xiao Shuan grumbling to Xiang Xi, "They don't even let you eat your fill of meat, and it's rationed! We might as well stay in our valley. If anyone wants to eat anything, they just have to mention it to Sister Xiao Lan, and Aunt Sun in the main kitchen will make sure we have enough to eat."
Hearing Xiao Shuan's complaint, Chen Lan smiled and said, "Xiao Shuan, stop complaining. Just wait patiently for another two years, and the good days when you can eat whatever you want will be here soon!"
Upon hearing Chen Lan say this, Xiang Xi immediately asked, "Little Lanzi, is that true or not? Is there such a possibility?"
Chen Lan rolled her eyes at Xiang Xi and retorted, "Little Watermelon, what do you mean? Speak from your conscience, when has Chen Lan ever lied to you, Chen Xiang Xi?"
Xiang Dong shook his head helplessly and said, "These two are so old, but they're still like when they were kids, arguing as soon as they disagree. Come on, let's go to the housing management office. Er Hu, Xiao Shuan, don't mind them. It's fine! They'll be alright in a moment!"
Seeing that Chen Lan was truly angry, Xiang Xi immediately raised his hand and pretended to slap himself twice, then said with a smile, "Little Lanzi, don't be angry! My mouth isn't very good at speaking! I just disciplined him for you! See!"
He then reached out and slapped himself twice more, saying, "Little Lanzi, see, I got revenge for you! Are you happy now?"
Chen Lan couldn't help but burst into laughter. Then she glared and said, "Stop it," and said no more. And then there was no then. Thus, a war without smoke ended.
Xiang Dong shook his head again and complained to Er Hu, "I can't bear to watch! Look at the two of them, they're almost a hundred years old combined, and they're still like children, so immature."
Er Hu smiled and replied, "What? If Xiang Xi wasn't like this, what would you want him to be like? Do you want them to fight? I know that Xiang Xi has never been able to beat Xiao Lan since he was a child. He's always been the one getting beaten! He's always gotten beaten if he didn't behave! When he was a kid, his mouth was too cheeky, and he got beaten by Xiao Lan a lot because of it! He learned to be much better behaved when he grew up. So, he's used to absolutely obeying Xiao Lan."
Hearing Er Hu say this, Xiang Dong nodded in agreement, "Indeed. The two of them are a bickering couple. Let's not bother with them."