Chapter 192: Ice-Roasted Pork Belly

Li Xiao wiped his mouth and gave a brief summary of the dim sum.

"Li Garden isn’t a teahouse that specializes in dim sum, but the four dishes I just had were all quite good. Even the worst of them, the durian pastry, was well above average."

"This quality is more than enough to crush over 99% of the teahouses that do specialize in dim sum."

The livestream chat:

"I’d only heard that Li Garden’s Cantonese food was good. I never expected their dim sum to be this amazing!"

"That makes perfect sense. How could the Huangpu Military Academy of Cantonese cuisine have an empty reputation?"

"It’s like that old saying: a name can be given by mistake, but a nickname is always earned!"

"Cantonese-style dim sum is a crucial part of Cantonese cuisine. Isn’t it normal for their dim sum to be delicious?"

"Li Garden’s dim sum is definitely good, but the only downside is that they don’t open until noon. They’re only open for lunch and dinner, no morning or late-night tea. It’s completely unreasonable! I strongly demand they extend their hours!"

········

Li Xiao chatted with his audience for a while.

The fifth dish followed close behind. This was no longer a simple dim sum item, but a proper main course.

The dish was called "Ice-Roasted Pork Belly," and it had won the Xia Country Gold Medal for Innovation for five consecutive years.

The portion of Ice-Roasted Pork Belly was modest. It was presented on a neat, square plate and contained only nine perfectly square pieces of crispy roasted pork, each slightly larger than a thumb.

At current market prices, 20 yuan could buy over two pounds of regular pork. Here, however, that same price only got you a single, exquisite, thumb-sized piece of pork belly.

The dish might seem exorbitant, but its true value becomes clear after the first bite.

Its preciousness lay not only in the precise portioning but, more importantly, in the meticulous selection of ingredients:

First, the pork used was not from a common breed but from a smaller black-haired pig.

Second, the cut of pork belly was also extraordinary—it was the previously mentioned, distinctly layered, ten-layer pork belly.

Each of these nine pieces of roasted pork was cut from the choicest part of the ten-layer belly, with its clear, alternating layers of fat and lean meat.

It was estimated that a single pig could yield, at most, four servings of this dish.

Therefore, at 180 yuan per serving, the Ice-Roasted Pork Belly was actually a great value.

He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and held it up to the camera.

"A single small piece of pork belly for 20 yuan. Let’s see if it’s really worth the price."

With that, he closed his eyes, placed the small piece of pork belly in his mouth, and savored it.

In the next instant, his closed eyes flew open, filled with surprise.

The way he chewed, anyone watching would immediately realize there was something extraordinary about this dish.

After tasting that delicious bite, Li Xiao didn’t comment right away. Instead, he closed his eyes again, immersing himself in the explosive flavor experience.

A system notification sounded in his ear.

[Congratulations, you have lit up the 67th entry in your Food Pokedex.]

[The culinary entry you have lit up is: Ice-Roasted Pork Belly]

[Dish Rating: 96 Points [Excellent]]

[As the dish’s rating is Excellent, you receive a x4 reward.]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]

[Congratulations, you have received a recipe reward: Recipe for Ice-Roasted Pork Belly]

·········

He gently picked up a second piece of Ice-Roasted Pork Belly with his chopsticks, slowly savoring the subtle changes with every bite.

After tasting it carefully, Li Xiao opened his eyes, which shone with sincere admiration.

"This dish is a real hidden gem."

He continued:

"In the past, when I’ve encountered fatty or heavy-flavored foods, I’ve usually advised picky eaters in my audience to avoid them.

But for today’s Ice-Roasted Pork Belly, I’m giving it my strongest recommendation. Even viewers who don’t like fatty meat should give this a try."

"Because this dish is so unbelievably delicious that it would be a shame to miss out."

"The top layer of golden, crispy skin feels like you’re eating a high-quality potato chip when you bite into it. It’s exceptionally crunchy."

"The middle layer of fat has been rendered into an emulsified state by the high heat. It’s layered with thin strips of lean meat and a rich sauce, and just a light bite releases an explosion of juice."

"And the bottom layer of marbled meat is soft, smooth, and melts in your mouth."

"Each layer has a completely different texture. Although the proportion of fat is high, the special marinating and roasting process has eliminated any greasy feeling."

"The dish also comes with a special white French mustard, which is completely different from ordinary green wasabi.

This mustard has a rich but sweet-and-sour flavor profile. It has a subtle spiciness without being overwhelming, and it perfectly cuts through any trace of grease in the meat."

"I’m giving this dish a 96. The remaining 4 points are for future improvement—not because it has any flaws, but because it’s already so outstanding."

In the livestream chat.

"I’m not usually a big fan of Cantonese food, but after hearing the host’s description, I can’t wait to go try it!"

"My family has our New Year’s Eve dinner at Li Garden every year. It’s true—aside from being a bit pricey, there’s nothing to complain about!"

"You rarely see the host praise a restaurant’s dish this much. Looks like he’s really found a treasure this time!"

"I’ve already booked a table for tonight. I’m going to personally verify if this dish is as delicious as the host says!"

"Why isn’t there a Li Garden near where I live? The closest one is over 500 kilometers away... The pain."

"We don’t have a Li Garden here, but we do have a restaurant where several of the chefs used to work at Li Garden. Their food is absolutely top-notch!"

·······

The Ice-Roasted Pork Belly was indeed excellent, but the portion was just too small.

A plate of Ice-Roasted Pork Belly had only nine pieces in total.

The three of them polished it off in no time. Just as Li Xiao was considering whether to order another plate, the next dish arrived.

The waitress smiled politely and asked, "For the three of you, would you like me to carve these three Glass Squabs?"

Li Xiao nodded in agreement.

These Glass Squabs weren’t large, just slightly bigger than Li Xiao’s fist.

The waitress’s knife skills were expert; her every move revealed a wealth of experience.

She effortlessly quartered the squabs, and to Li Xiao’s surprise, the crispy skin remained perfectly intact.

The squab’s skin crackled, and it felt as if you could hear the crisp sound even through the screen.

When the quartered squab was placed before Li Xiao, the edges of its skin were still perfectly uniform, showing no signs of being cut.

Li Xiao held up a piece of squab dripping with juices.

"Look at this squab. It’s small, but the aroma is incredible. You all probably heard that CRUNCH when the waitress was cutting it, right?"

The viewers in the livestream chat were already drooling.

"Look at that!! The dripping juice! It’s perfect!!!"

"That skin looks so crispy!"

"I can’t take it anymore! I just ordered takeout—a roast chicken to tide me over!"

"Haha, the host is eating squab, and you ordered roast chicken. How is that the same thing?!"

"I feel you. I want squab too, but I can’t find any. I’m not compromising, though. I’m heading out to find some right now!"

"I’m dying. I was just laughing at the guy who ordered roast chicken, and I forgot I’m eating instant noodles! The clown was me all along."

"Watching this stream is pure self-torture. Later, I’ll have to settle for the cafeteria to satisfy my cravings. My culinary dreams are crushed!"