Carnivorous Delight, A Feast of Meat
Thump, thump, thump!
Tapping on the table, he found that the sound was very balanced, as warm and smooth as mahogany.
Then, with a gentle sniff, these wooden objects still carried a faint fragrance.
Looking around with bright eyes at the dining environment, he noticed significant changes everywhere.
Every corner, after careful decoration, exuded an ancient yet slightly modern style, making Rindo marvel at how the tavern had become even more exquisite!
"Chef Zane, did you close last night just to renovate the tavern?"
Regaining her senses, Rindo blinked in disbelief.
"As you see, the renovation turned out quite well, right?"
Zane just shrugged noncommittally.
He then placed a freshly made, extra-large beef over rice in front of her.
"Not bad."
"At first, I almost thought I had come to the wrong place!"
Rindo said, sniffing the delicious aroma of the beef over rice with a touch of satisfaction.
Indeed, after a meticulous upgrade, the tavern felt completely refreshed, not only because of the changes in the various dining tables, cooking stations, wall decorations, and spatial layout.
But it was a new visual effect that unconsciously narrowed the distance between chef and patrons, enhancing the feeling of "home" for the guests.
...
Rice!
Very fresh and sweet.
Beef!
Very tender and soft.
A mouthful of fragrant beef over rice.
It made Rindo instantly feel the sweetness of the rice mingling with the unique milky flavor of the beef, creating a wonderful taste sensation.
The exceeding satisfaction began to well up inside her.
"Hmm?"
"This authentic beef bowl..."
Without hesitation, Rindo scooped up another bite and began to eat.
"I see."
"The key is in the sauce mix, which brings out the full Japanese flavor in a bowl of rice with several slices of beef!"
As she spoke, Rindo's eyes filled with excitement and joy.
This deliciously explosive beef over rice drew out the glutton in her stomach.
Finally, she didn't care about eating elegantly; she just lifted the bowl with one hand and frantically shoveled the beef over rice into her mouth with her chopsticks.
The smacking sounds and the wafting aroma practically made the other patrons hungry too.
For Rindo, this unprecedented sensation could be summed up in one word:
Thrilling!
...
For "carnivores."
Whether it's ordinary fatty beef or exquisite Wagyu beef slices.
The aroma and texture of the fat can satisfy all imaginations of milky richness.
Like this bowl of beef over rice in front of her, the thinly sliced beef, cut so finely and packed tightly in each bite, truly tantalized Rindo's taste buds and teeth.
Moreover, a bite of beef with onions and rice soaked in sauce.
Every chew brought her back from the salty broth and milky beef flavor, achieving a perfect balance of the beef bowl taste!
The rice also became an essential element of this dish, acting as an anchor.
Soon, an entire extra-large bowl of beef bowl was cleanly devoured.
"Burp~"
"I could understand sushi."
"But I never expected even beef over rice to be so delicious, it really captivates me!"
Rubbing her stomach, feeling only one-third full, Rindo couldn't help but exclaim.
Indeed, only when one is hungry and comes to the tavern to taste Zane's cooking does one truly experience the greatest joy in life!
Then, she blinked curiously and asked, "Chef Zane, could you tell me how this special sauce is made?"
"Sauce seasoning always varies by maker."
"My special Japanese sauce base ratio is 30ml of Japanese sake, 7ml of mirin, 15g of sugar, 20ml of dark soy sauce, 250ml of water..."
Hearing this, Rindo seemed enlightened, "It's a bit like teriyaki sauce, isn't it?"
"No."
"There's a difference."
Zane shook his head and continued, "There are two ingredients you can't overlook, which are kombu and bonito flakes!"
"Kombu is used because it's rich in glutamic acid, which brings a strong umami taste."
"As a chef, you're certainly familiar with glutamic acid."
"Most household seasonings use monosodium glutamate, which is a form of glutamic acid."
"It's precisely because kombu naturally contains a potent umami component that this beef bowl can have a certain seafood umami."
"Of course, just kombu isn't enough, you need another ingredient: bonito flakes!"
Listening to Zane's explanation, the clever Rindo immediately understood,
"I remember bonito flakes' umami substance isn't the same as kombu's sodium glutamate? Isn't it...inosinic acid?"
"Yes!"
"That's IMP, or inosinic acid!"
"Although inosinic acid and glutamic acid are both amino acids, they differ."
"Eating inosinic acid alone doesn't give a very noticeable umami taste, but when consumed together with glutamic acid, it significantly enhances the umami taste of glutamic acid."
"This reaction is known in biology as 'umami nucleotides.'"
"Therefore, using kombu and bonito flakes together in the sauce can achieve an umami effect where 1+1 > 2!"
...
Shocked!
Truly shocked!
Rindo, after listening, rubbed her chin contemplatively.
Most people, including herself, usually focus on the quality of the beef and the texture of the rice when making beef over rice.
But Zane was different; while he focused on the quality of the beef and rice, he also deeply researched other aspects, such as:
The basic proportions of this special sauce, which he played with brilliantly.
Clearly.
After understanding the sauce ratios and preparations.
Perfecting this beef bowl dish naturally followed.
The sweet onions in the beef bowl, the salty sauce, and the subtle aroma of rice wine...
If one could calm down and savor it carefully, they'd find this classic Japanese seasoning quite similar to the flavoring approaches of many dishes in the Guangdong region of Tian Dynasty!
Thus, when Rindo first tasted the beef bowl, she didn't feel a significant difference in seasoning compared to everyday Chinese dishes.
Finally, after sipping a cold, crisp sake, the rounded, smooth, and richly layered taste made Rindo feel utterly exhilarated!
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