Gourmet: From a Stall in Northern Europe

The diners around him earnestly advised him to buy more, lest he regret it after eating.

This place is a gathering spot for tourists from all over the world. Though primarily European Union residents, the love for food is a shared sentiment.

These regulars have seen many newcomers who say they’ll just try a bit first in case the taste isn’t right, but ultimately all join the ranks of devout eaters without exception.

"Look at that big guy over there; last week he was just like you. Now, look at him, buns stacked up like a mountain in front of him!"

"See those two spicy girls at the table by the indoor entrance? They originally came for a vacation last week, but after three days of indulging in Chef Lin’s craftsmanship, they decided not to leave. They’ve been staying for nearly a week now, and to get freshly cooked food first thing, they’ve even started chatting up the guy who brews lemon tea."

"Let’s not even talk about us regular folks; last weekend, during the kite festival on the cliff top, even the girl group stars from Kimchi Country lined up to buy Chef Lin’s food themselves. It’s said the renowned model Dreya is also a loyal customer of his."

"The guy who makes lemon tea even set up a social media platform, uploading the daily activities of Chef Lin’s stall. Once you see it yourself, you’ll understand just how good his skills are. They’re delicious foods we don’t usually encounter!"

Wilson hadn’t managed to speak yet when the diners around him continuously persuaded him to buy more, as if fearing he’d suffer a great loss.

He couldn’t understand why. Do we know each other or not? Why care how much I buy?

Could these people actually be hired shills?

As a professional soldier, he possesses keen anti-fraud awareness and immediately senses the excessive enthusiasm from the diners, reaching an abnormal level.

Frowning, he shook his head: "No need; I’ll just buy two to taste, then I’ll exercise later. If you like eating so much, just buy more for yourselves."

Dais had finished tallying the orders from the diners behind, and as she passed by him, she showed no particular expression, nor did she persuade him to buy more, treating him equally.

This behavior did not stir his goodwill. Instead, it further suggested to him that they were putting on a show, with one side playing the good cop and the other the bad cop.

But thankfully, there were so many diners present that not all could be hired actors; otherwise, there wouldn’t be any profit, just losses. Thus, the taste was certainly assured.

This was the point he couldn’t comprehend.

After all, it’s a restaurant under a major hotel chain; it wouldn’t need such a low-level marketing tactic for promotion, would it?

Were these diners simply overfed and over-sympathetic?

As he frowned in deep thought, a steaming hot plate of buns was handed to him.

"Here you go, sir, your two buns. The lemon tea will be ready soon; you may fetch it from the table over there."

The bill was settled smoothly during the order tally, enhancing efficiency while avoiding chaos.

Wilson grabbed the box and walked straight from the line to a small table, standing by to watch Lucas pounding the lemons up close.

Upon getting closer, the faint green lemons emitted an increasingly strong fragrance, distinctly different from the usual sour lemon scent—more like a citrus-flavored perfume, fresh and pleasant.

Having undergone professional training, he wasn’t afraid of heat. Observing the lemon tea not being ready yet, he decisively grabbed a large bun and stuffed it into his mouth, thinking of finishing the food first and having the drink during his run later.

Taking a bite, the fluffy bun skin bursts into rich wheat fragrance, followed by scalding meat juice shooting out from the crack, making him instinctively lean forward.

The contents actually have broth??

No wonder many buns appeared stained with a brown sauce; he assumed it was some curry-like condiment but unexpectedly, it’s the meat’s juice.

The meat juice carries a distinct aroma of fats, yet the bun filling seems to lack fatty meat traces, creating a mystifying combination he couldn’t immediately grasp.

But none of that matters. What matters is the taste is genuinely superb; the first bite he got a chunk of meat that harmoniously chewed with the bun skin and meat juice, a near-perfect sensation.

Notably, having recently returned from a run on an empty stomach, he was in those ravenous moments; the bun filled with savory oiliness completely awakened his dormant tastebuds.

He took an open-mouthed bite again, devouring most of the meat filling, experiencing the fluffy and elastic bun skin softly dissolving in his mouth, releasing a distinct malt sweetness.

The second bite still reached the scalding meat juice hidden between the filling and bun skin’s tiny crevices, unnoticed unless tilting the bun slightly.

"Hmm, the taste is definitely good, quite something."

Wilson demolished the fist-sized meat bun in three bites, licking the grease off his lips, and without hesitation attacked the second bun.

At this moment, he finally understood why those diners seemed to devour ravenously—this dish called a bun is truly delicious.

Especially biting into it the first time, the sensation of the meat juice exploding in the mouth was exceptionally astonishing, equaling the astonishment when tasting flakey curry pies in the military back in the day.

With two buns consumed, the fingertips seemed to retain the fluffy touch and boiling warmth of the bun skin, and a sense of emptiness surged deeply within.

Wasn’t enough, genuinely wasn’t enough.

It merely kickstarted his appetite, not even three parts full!

Now, he finally comprehended why those diners were so enthusiastically recommending he buy more, otherwise he’d regret it.

Turns out everyone had regrets too~

Fortunately, his willpower is exceptionally strong. When he says he won’t eat more, he really won’t eat more, and the current situation doesn’t allow him to line up again.

Not to mention whether he can even line up, there’s no way he’s going to let others see him make a fool of himself.

"Sir, your lemon tea."

Just then, the lemon tea was handed to him. He casually took it and thanked them, turning to leave right away without lingering for a moment.

The people around him, also waiting for lemon tea, were left with expressions of disbelief as they watched him walk away like that.

"What’s up with that guy? Satisfied after only two?"

"No way, absolutely not, I don’t believe it!"

"Even someone who doesn’t like beef would fall in love with these buns. Is he just full from a previous meal, wanting just a taste?"

"I wonder if he’s kicked an addiction before. Such a scary man."

"He looks like he works out, maybe his self-control is strong?"

Wilson’s appearance was merely a minor episode for the diners, who quickly forgot about it when their ordered buns and dumplings were served with steaming, fragrant smells.

As everyone was digging into the buns heartily, two stunning women suddenly walked over to the food cart, wrist adorned with red paper bands.

Dais felt the women looked familiar, sure they were regular customers, but couldn’t recall exactly when she’d seen them before; she smiled and approached.

"Good morning, ladies. If you’re buying food, you might need to line up first. All our food is made fresh, so it might take some time..."

"Yes, yes, I know," the blonde woman took off her sunglasses, curiously peering into the car window, "We came last week; the food here is really good."

"But is the bun only available with beef? Is there a vegetarian option? We’re both vegetarians and can’t eat meat."

"Vegetarian bun?"

Hearing the conversation outside the window, Lin Chen suddenly looked up.

No wonder he kept feeling he forgot something. Turns out it was this!

He was so focused on making meat buns, he forgot the needs of vegetarian diners.

"I’m sorry, the vegetarian buns will be ready only by noon. We have only beef ones in the morning for now."

Thinking quickly, he added, "The vegetarian buns are also really tasty, might even be more fragrant than the meat ones. If you’re not in a hurry to leave, you can come back at noon. We open at 11."

"The vegetarian ones are more fragrant than the meat ones?!"

Before the two women could react, the diners waiting in line had their eyes light up, ears perked up, all calculating whether to return at noon.

Some originally planning to check out at noon changed their minds, deciding to have lunch before leaving.

As long as there’s a twenty-four-hour room record, they can dine here, so it doesn’t disrupt their meal plans.

"At noon? Around what time?"

The two women also seemed very interested, their gemstone blue and emerald green eyes fixed on Lin Chen’s face.

"Um..."

Lin Chen paused, looking up, quickly calculating in his mind.

He hadn’t really planned what to do for lunch, he just mentioned making vegetarian buns on a whim, but there’s enough stock of flour in the kitchen, and if John delivers some vegetables, there’s certainly time to prepare; it’s just that making buns will take quite some time.

Due to the food stall setup, he doesn’t have to strictly follow restaurant operating hours. Once the breakfast stock is sold out, he can close the stall and prepare for lunch directly.

As for the hotel staff meal, he’s clearly too busy for that, having completely entrusted Jonathan with the preparation, which also helps expand Jonathan’s influence so everyone won’t keep focusing on him alone.

"Around 11 or later? There’s not much breakfast stock left, once sold out, I’ll start preparing lunch; the timing should be just right."

"Alright, then we’ll line up in advance!"

The two women waved happily at him and went into the restaurant to eat.

The restaurant thoughtfully offers two pricing options, making it cheaper for vegetarians to enjoy the buffet, at just ten euros since the pricier ones are mainly the meat dishes.

At ten euros for a buffet in a high-end restaurant, such a great deal can’t be found easily even searching all over the European Union with a magnifying glass; the two naturally wouldn’t miss it.

Aside from them, there are plenty of vegetarians dining in the restaurant, but the two clearly didn’t intend to share the news, tightly closing their mouths, pretending to dine normally, pacing the serving area, and selecting their favorite dishes.

Jonathan chose to make mushroom cream lasagna not only because it’s convenient and tasty, but also taking into account vegetarians’ needs.

Relying solely on this dish, his presence was instantly magnified infinitely, and diners only then realized the restaurant’s other chef has some impressive culinary skills too.