Chapter 18: Expensive Doesn't Always Mean Right

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As soon as Han Jiayi appeared, the staff greeted her one after another, further confirming that she was indeed the manager of the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Bai Renzong felt a little uneasy, as if he had wandered alone into enemy territory. Han Jiayi turned to the approaching waiter and said, “I’ll take care of this guest myself. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Her words sent a chill down Bai Renzong’s spine, but he quickly regained his composure. What was there to be afraid of? He had only spoken the truth, and besides, he was an old customer here, often dining at this restaurant. As a regular, he had every right to criticize, and nothing he said was wrong.

Han Jiayi led him to a private room, which appeared to be where the staff ate their meals.

She then left to change into a chef’s uniform, returning with her hair tied up as she said, “Wait here for a moment. I’ll bring your meal over when it’s ready. As long as there’s A5 Wagyu beef, that’s all you need, right?”

“Mm…” Bai Renzong responded, but in his heart he thought: This girl, even in a chef’s uniform, looks stunning.

Usually, Han Jiayi had a gentle, intellectual air about her, but dressed as a chef, she radiated an energetic, heroic spirit.

“Just wait a bit,” Han Jiayi said, securing her hair and donning a chef’s hat before heading to the kitchen.

Silently, she encouraged herself: Today, I must leave this critic speechless!

Bai Renzong sat awkwardly, waiting as Han Jiayi spent about thirty minutes in the kitchen before returning with a tray, placing several dishes before him.

“Appetizer, Wagyu beef tartare,” Han Jiayi announced, setting a small dish in front of him, followed by a rich soup, bread, salad, side dish, and main course—all arranged before him.

The soup was a French-style potato cream, the side dish was pan-seared salmon, and the main course was roasted quail.

The salad and bread were complimentary, included to fill the guest’s stomach.

The Wagyu beef in the appetizer had been skillfully shaped into a rose, sprinkled with colorful seasonings. It looked exquisite, but was only a single bite’s worth.

Bai Renzong didn’t care about the portion size; as long as he could taste it, that would count as a completed achievement.

He took up a spoon and tasted the dish. The texture was completely different from the slice of Wagyu he’d eaten at the sushi restaurant—extraordinarily tender, melting in his mouth like pure fat, the warm beef oil spreading on his tongue, followed by the flavors of the seasonings: scallion, lemon juice, mint, and a hint of coriander.

The balance of herbs was perfect—they didn’t overpower the flavor of the beef, and they offset the richness.

“It takes nerve to use coriander here,” Bai Renzong mused, resting his chin in his hand. “Just a touch too much and its strong flavor would mask the taste of the Wagyu, robbing the dish of its appeal…”

Han Jiayi let out a proud hum, crossing her arms and thinking: Yes, that’s right, keep praising.

“But, I don’t think it makes much difference. Even when used just right, coriander only complements the Wagyu so much. I’d recommend a few Sichuan peppercorns instead—it might work even better,” Bai Renzong pondered aloud.

Han Jiayi’s brows twitched slightly.

Bai Renzong continued tasting each dish, occasionally nodding, while Han Jiayi stood by, arms crossed, waiting for his verdict.

After eating about half of each dish, Bai Renzong began his critique. “Overall, it’s quite good.”

Turning to the soup, he said, “The potato and cream are smooth and flavorful; the salmon is crisp on the outside, tender inside, with spot-on seasoning; the roasted quail is juicy and succulent, and the stuffing inside is delicious.”

Han Jiayi nodded in satisfaction: Yes, that’s it, keep praising!

For some reason, hearing this critic praise her gave her a sense of accomplishment greater than any compliment from others. If she wore pigtails, they’d be sticking straight up in pride.

“But,” Bai Renzong suddenly changed tone, “first, about the soup… Since the appetizer is A5 Wagyu beef, which is extremely rich, following it with a creamy soup makes for an overly heavy start. I think a palate-cleansing soup would transition better, something like borscht.”

Han Jiayi’s face darkened, her breathing quickened.

Oblivious to her mood, Bai Renzong went on, “The salmon and quail are both excellent—the seasoning, the doneness, the overall harmony of the set menu are well done, but there’s a major issue.”

He pointed to each dish in turn: “Oil, oil, oil, oil… It’s too greasy. The Wagyu appetizer is rich, the salmon is pan-seared, the quail is roasted—they’re all oily. If you could adjust the cooking methods…”

“Eat while it’s hot,” Han Jiayi interjected with a sudden smile, cutting him off.

Bai Renzong looked at her in confusion, then glanced at the appetizer plate before him: The real issue was with the A5 Wagyu beef. If the appetizer were replaced with something lighter, this set menu would be nearly perfect.

Despite its high price, ironically, A5 Wagyu is awkward whether served alone or as part of a set menu.

Due to its excessive fat content, just two slices can overwhelm the palate, making its role in a set menu ambiguous—unsuited as either appetizer or main course.

In short, expensive doesn’t always mean better.

“Finished eating?” Han Jiayi asked with a sweet smile.

Yet Bai Renzong felt her smile was rather forced. “I’ve pretty much finished…”

“Then please settle the bill,” Han Jiayi said, handing him the payment code. “Four hundred eighty-eight, thank you.”

Bai Renzong thought for a moment—he owed Han Jiayi another favor: Without her help, tasting A5 Wagyu and completing his achievement would have been much more difficult. Who would have guessed there were so few places in the whole city selling it?

But after tasting it himself, Bai Renzong understood why so few places offered it.

Such an expensive yet unpopular ingredient—he wouldn’t sell it either.

“Thanks,” he said after scanning the code to pay, then looked at Han Jiayi and asked, “But you haven’t eaten yet, have you? How about I treat you to something?”

“No need, I have to help out in the restaurant this afternoon. I’ll grab something later by myself,” Han Jiayi replied with patient smile. “You head back first; I won’t walk you out.”

“Alright,” Bai Renzong nodded. “Sorry about lunch today… Next time, let me treat you as compensation.”

After Bai Renzong left, Han Jiayi’s expression darkened and she stomped her foot in frustration. “Why does he always find flaws!? My teacher once praised this set menu so highly!”

Gritting her teeth, she glared in the direction Bai Renzong had gone. “I’ll make the changes you suggested—if it doesn’t taste good, you’ll regret it…”