Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Limited Edition New Menu

A moment later.

Jin Myeong who came out of the kitchen approached holding the plate in front of the table where Namgung Wi was standing.

Tak.

The plate was lightly placed on Namgung Wi’s table.

There was no flashy decoration or whatever.

Just the tenderloin chunk with the outer surface seared tightly, and the sauce covering on top of it was all.

What to say, a feeling like tonkatsu of an old neighborhood western-style restaurant?

“...”

Even so the meat aroma and fruit wine’s sweet smell subtly circulating, and the fire aroma wrapping all of that was digging into the sense of smell.

A strangely attractive bizarre aroma.

Namgung Wi looked down at the plate with a strange expression.

“...”

Namgung Wi carefully split the tenderloin with the end of the chopsticks as if entranced.

Seuk.

‘······!’

The meat tore along the grain.

To be this soft...

Namgung Wi who generously dipped the sauce on the meat holding red meat juice carefully put the meat into his mouth.

Umul.

“······!!”

At that moment, Namgung Wi received a feeling of lightning penetrating his whole body.

The moment he chewed the meat juice trapped inside the meat burst explosively.

The general sauce mixed with butter and meat broth, fruit wine originally makes the mouth greasy.

But the more he chewed an unimaginable taste surged.

‘Th, this taste on earth······?!’

Umami left while burning the oiliness of the sauce.

Moreover the refreshingness of ginger and fruit that finely brushed past amazingly caught the finish that could be greasy.

Ujeok ujeok···

Kkulkkeok.

Namgung Wi who swallowed the meat made a dazed expression.

“Ho, how such harmony······.”

Namgung Wi’s lips trembled.

Meat cooking.

If usual Namgung Wi he would have even been reluctant to put such burdensome cooking in his mouth from early morning.

But his chopsticks didn’t stop here.

He repeatedly stuffed the meat into his mouth as if entranced, then instantly emptied the plate cleanly.

“...”

In fact the reason Namgung Wi came looking for this place from dawn today was just because of that iron plate fried rice he hadn’t tasted.

So yesterday afternoon, he went looking for the original iron plate fried rice cart located in the academy district of the nearby downtown.

Of course it wasn’t to taste.

Anyway if not Jin Myeong it had no meaning.

Just intending to roughly find out the circumstances.

But whether the aftermath of that incident the front of the cart was crowded with customers.

Even though the chef was different most customers were sufficiently satisfied with the current taste.

At that time, the sound of one of the customers asking in a regrettable voice was heard.

“There, isn’t the fried rice the Jin Myeong Gak chef sold not sold now?”

Then the cart owner laughed good-naturedly and waved his hands.

“That was done as an event impromptu for a short day to education the broadcasting station fellows a bit!”

“Then not doing from now on?”

“Don’t know that far, but for now seems he won’t.”

“Regrettable. Wanted to eat that.”

“...!”

Not even a prepared menu but just an event he stepped out impromptu?

Even so he perfectly satisfied even Antoine’s taste.

In the end unable to overcome curiosity he came looking for Jin Myeong Gak.

Whether he could taste that fried rice by any chance.

Of course after arriving, the thought that it was unreasonable surged.

Jin Myeong Gak’s chef.

He would absolutely not listen to his own request.

Came for nothing?

Just when he was wandering outside the restaurant door.

He met Jin Myeong coming in from dawn market, and ended up eating this completely unexpected tenderloin steak.

But this again...

Delicious to the shocking extent.

To the extent curiosity about the fried rice flies away.

“...”

Just when Namgung Wi was looking down at the empty plate unable to come out of the aftertaste.

Jin Myeong asked in an indifferent voice.

“How is it?”

Namgung Wi who hesitated opened his mouth with difficulty.

“...Excellent.”

“And?”

“...”

Namgung Wi tried to say something more then shut his mouth.

Because now he had far exceeded the level of evaluating or whatever.

Jin Myeong who confirmed Namgung Wi’s expression, as if nothing more to hear entered inside the kitchen without lingering with a satisfied expression.

“...”

Namgung Wi watching that appearance slowly stood up from his seat.

Then he took out the wallet from the inner pocket and quietly placed one 1 million won check on the table.

“Ate... well.”

Soon he politely greeted toward the parents standing bewildered, then moved his steps outside the restaurant.

“Eh? Customer! Take this!”

The mother who was surprised picked up the check and hurriedly followed behind, but Namgung Wi left the place without even looking back.

“...”

When the flustered mother stood in front of the door holding the check not knowing what to do, Bong-gu beside clicked his tongue tsk as if displeased.

“Tsk, madam just leave it. He’s desperate to show off saying he has a lot of money who will stop him.”

“Still...”

At that time.

Chwaaaaaaaak!!

The strong steak smell sprayed into the hall again with a hwak.

In an instant, Bong-gu’s nose who was grumbling twitched.

“Eh?!”

Soon expectation surged fully on Bong-gu’s face.

“...”

A moment later.

Jin Myeong came out of the kitchen holding a large tray with four plates on it.

Then he put down the plates one by one on the table.

Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak.

It was the same tenderloin steak Namgung Wi ate just now.

“Where, shall I taste a bit.”

The one who lifted the chopsticks first was the father.

When he pressed the meat firmly with the end of the chopsticks, a gap opened along the grain regardless of the resistance of the rustling outer surface and thick meat juice seeped out.

“Eheo, the chopsticks just go in smoothly.”

The father put one piece of meat he tore largely into his mouth.

The mother beside also carefully split the meat and brought it to her mouth.

Umul.

In an instant, the two’s eyes widened simultaneously.

“Oh my··· world. How is the meat this tender?”

The mother covered her mouth with a surprised voice.

“Thought the sauce would be greasy too, but refreshing and clean exactly suits my taste.”

“The taste is really amazing, blocked!”

Bong-gu also hurriedly cut the meat and put it into his mouth.

Umul!

“······!!”

Bong-gu’s two eyes widened then soon shouted as if overcome with emotion.

“Keueueueok! Melting and disappearing in the mouth before even chewing! Hyungniim!! This amazing meat taste is the first in my life!! Moved!!”

At Bong-gu’s appearance making a fuss even welling tears, the parents made pleased smiles and moved the chopsticks again.

Jin Myeong watching their appearance also sat in the empty seat and cut one piece of meat and put it into his mouth.

Umul.

Slowly chewing the meat, Jin Myeong concentrated all nerves on his own taste.

‘Not bad.’

The taste he intended was being properly implemented in the mouth.

A very faint smile brushed the corner of Jin Myeong’s mouth.

Just around when everyone emptied the plates satisfactorily.

Jin Myeong abruptly opened his mouth.

“Tomorrow.”

“...?”

“...?”

“Yes, hyung! Speak!”

“This, putting it as limited edition menu tomorrow.”

“······Yes?”

In an instant the air inside the restaurant stopped as if and silence flowed.

“Ji, Jin-myeong. What did you just say...?”

The mother asked back in a flustered voice.

“From tomorrow’s business, selling this meat cooking as limited edition menu.”

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

At Jin Myeong’s words the parents and Bong-gu’s mouths opened wide.

Suddenly putting out western-style high-grade tenderloin steak as new menu at a Chinese restaurant.

“Hyu, hyung! No, even so nominally Jin Myeong Gak is a Chinese restaurant, suddenly selling this western steak?!”

“No problem. Anyway the cooking method isn’t special either.”

“No··· ah, of course hyung’s words are the law··· but won’t customers be dumbfounded? Moreover if using this expensive beef tenderloin how much should the price be received···.”

Bong-gu worried, but Jin Myeong spat out indifferently as if nothing special.

“Price is 100,000 won. Selling only exactly thirty plates a day, so write and stick one more paper beside the menu board.”

“Te, 100,000 won?!”

Bong-gu freaked out.

The mother also stopped Jin Myeong with a surprised face.

“Ji, Jin-myeong. I know it’s amazing cooking but it’s cooking doing for the first time, if suddenly that expensive at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant who will buy and eat···.”

“Right. 100,000 won is no different from saying not selling. No, rather than selling if not even getting cursed by customers right away it’s fortunate.”

The father added with a face full of worry.

But Jin Myeong didn’t mind even such reactions.

“Even if not sold doesn’t matter.”

“······.”

“······.”

At that too confident and indifferent attitude, the parents and Bong-gu lost words and only looked at each other’s faces.

Just when silence flowed for a moment like that.

“Hehe.”

The father chuckled.

“Yeah, your words are right. What if not sold? Anyway if not you would we have been properly opening the door and doing business like this now? Since the chef is you, do as you want.”

“Yeah. Your dad’s words are right. Do as you want.”

The mother also smiled and nodded.

When the atmosphere changed, Bong-gu who had been only glancing also smiled brightly and switched stance.

“Right! Anyway if can’t sell just remove from the menu! Honestly I don’t know cooking well, but if this steak just eaten it will sufficiently exceed 100,000 won value!”

In that way Jin Myeong Gak’s highest price limited menu was blandly confirmed.

*

Next day morning.

The alley in front of Jin Myeong Gak just before opening was filled with a longer waiting line than usual.

Adding the three days of closure, because the ‘iron plate fried rice’ incident that made the broadcasting station withdraw in just one day rode word of mouth people’s interest literally exploded.

But the atmosphere of people lined in front of the restaurant door was somehow noisy.

Their gazes were all stuck on one paper stuck on the glass door.

[Special limited menu]

[Beef tenderloin steak (Australian/limited 30 bowls a day) - 100,000 won]

People who saw that began murmuring in surprise.

“Wow, 100,000 won??? Am I seeing one 0 wrong now?”

“No, even if the chef’s skill here is crazy according to rumors these days··· isn’t 100,000 won steak at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant too expensive?”

“Here’s jajangmyeon and jjamppong are on the expensive side than other places too, but this is a bit... moreover not even hanwoo but Australian?”

Someone carefully gave an opinion among the murmuring people.

“Still these days if going to places like famous high-grade hotel restaurants that kind of tenderloin steak one exceeds 200,000 won lightly?”

Then the man beside clicked his tongue and immediately refuted.

“Aei, that’s a story of a professional restaurant that includes all interior or atmosphere or service value and uses highest-grade hanwoo! At a neighborhood Chinese restaurant like this using the same imported and 100,000 won is too much! Even going to a family restaurant Australian tenderloin is enough at 40, 50,000 won. Cheap places even 20-30,000 won.”

“Not all high-grade restaurants use hanwoo though.”

“Anyway exceeding the line is right.”

Most were reactions agreeing with the man’s words.

To begin with buying and eating imported meat giving 100,000 won coming to a Chinese restaurant was beyond their common sense.

But there were also people unable to hide strange expectation and curiosity.

“Still curious. How much confidence in his own skill to put that price on imported.”

“Aei, I’m unreasonable. Just want to eat jajangmyeon like usual and be satisfied. With 100,000 won how many bowls of jjamppong here.”

Dumbfoundedness and sneer, and curiosity.

People’s reactions were hot at the shocking price tag of 100,000 won.

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