159: Erina's Special Dishes

Setsunos Diner adopted an open kitchen layout, allowing diners to clearly see every move of the chef, feeling the birth of the cuisine up close.

Lin Luo had never seen any chef's technique as astonishing as Granny Setsuno's—her movements were so fast that the naked eye could barely capture them, and ingredients were handled cleanly and neatly amidst light, fluttering motions. An ordinary, ubiquitous kitchen knife seemed to transform into a Divine Artifact with a Soul in her hands; it was truly unbelievable if not seen with one's own eyes.

He saw her casually toss a large piece of fresh meat into mid-air—with Lin Luo's current eyesight, he could only barely see four or five lightning-fast blade flashes crossing each other. The next instant, the meat had already turned into perfect pieces of uniform thickness and size, falling as neatly as well-trained soldiers.

The movements for processing side dishes were equally smooth and flowing, without the slightest unnecessary pause. Vegetables leaped and spun between her fingers, instantly turning into uniform shreds, cubes, and slices, as if performing an elegant and precise dance.

Whoosh—!

Fierce fire rose in the ordinary iron wok, the scorching flames licking the bottom of the pot, and the rich aroma exploded instantly like a bomb, quickly filling this not-so-large diner.

"It's Bliss Rice! The seaweed used for seasoning is also top-tier! And... Ten-Yolk Egg!" Komatsu recognized those top-grade ingredients shining under the lights at a glance and couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing! This combination!"

Toriko, beside him, already had glazed eyes, drool flowing uncontrollably like a waterfall, and his throat emitted "gulp, gulp" swallowing sounds, completely immersed in the overwhelming ultimate aroma, turning a deaf ear to Komatsu's exclamations.

Sizzle—!

The final step was completed, and Granny Setsuno gave her wrist a light flick.

"Alright! It's ready—" her gentle yet vibrant voice rang out.

"Garlic Bird Rice Bowl!"

Portions of steaming, golden, aromatic rice bowls, with the scent almost becoming tangible, were steadily placed in front of the counter. The rice grains were distinct, soaked in delicious sauce and oil, the Garlic Bird meat slices on top were tender and juicy, the yolk of the Ten-Yolk Egg presented an enticing runny texture, contrasting with the emerald green seaweed shreds and side dishes; the visuals alone were enough to make one's mouth water.

"Please enjoy!" Granny Setsuno said with a smile.

"The garlic-packed meat combined with the sweet Ten-Yolk Egg, perfectly in Fusion with the Bliss Rice; this taste is hard to describe in words, it's truly delicious." Komatsu tasted a bite, and his face immediately showed that pure, happy, intoxicated look one gets when eating something extremely delicious, his eyes squinting in happiness.

Toriko's feedback was very direct and rough—he swept through the bowl-sized rice bowl in front of him with the speed of a storm, not a single grain of rice left, then pushed the empty bowl forward with a "clatter," eyes shining, and voice booming: "Another bowl, please!!"

This was probably the highest and most simple praise for a chef. Seeing this, Granny Setsuno's smile became even more kind and bright: "Wu-hu-hu, sure, sure, there's plenty more!"

Lin Luo watched longingly as Toriko and Komatsu gorged themselves, the room full of fragrance, while the table in front of him was still empty, so he couldn't help but tap the table: "Erina, what about mine!"

"Hmph." Erina gave a light huff and placed a dish in front of him—it was an exquisite crystal bowl filled with colorful, fresh, and dripping vegetables, adorned with a few glistening dewdrops, emitting a crisp and sweet scent like a forest after rain.

"A Gift from the Sky—Vegetable Salad."

"This..." Lin Luo looked at the salad in front of him, which, although excellent in appearance and possessing a subtle fragrance, was clearly "all-vegetarian," and then looked at the oily, meat-fragrant Garlic Bird Rice Bowl in Toriko's bowl nearby; his psychological gap instantly widened to the max.

Komatsu noticed Lin Luo's side, leaned over to look, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "Ah! It's 'Sky Vegetable'! These are ingredients that can only be cultivated in dream vegetable fields growing ten thousand meters above the ground! It is said that the vegetables there absorb pure sunlight and the essence of the sea of clouds, and the taste is countless times more delicious than those on the ground! Many people say that once you take a bite, you will completely fall in love with vegetables!"

Hearing this, Lin Luo re-examined the salad in front of him. Those fruits and vegetables were succulent, as if they still carried the mist from the high-altitude clouds; they were indeed extraordinary.

Erina crossed her arms, her chin slightly raised, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible pride: "Didn't know that, did you? The plate in front of you can sell for tens of thousands of yuan externally. Moreover, I washed it with even more precious 'Air Water,' which not only removes surface dust but also maximizes the release of the vegetables' own purer, sweeter fragrance."

Hearing this explanation, Lin Luo suddenly felt that the salad in front of him was "shining with gold." He picked up his fork, speared a piece of emerald-green, paper-thin cucumber slice, and put it into his mouth.

Crunch.

A crisp sound burst between his teeth.

Immediately, an indescribable, ultimate freshness and sweetness, as if concentrating the essence of sunlight, breeze, and morning dew, exploded in his mouth! The taste was pure, transparent, and carried a hint of coolness, as if it had truly sent the fresh breath of the high-altitude clouds directly to his taste buds.

"Mmm!" Lin Luo's eyes lit up instantly.

Although it was a completely different experience from the rich, oily, and saucy meat dishes, the sensory shock and pleasure brought by this "Sky Vegetable Salad" were not inferior in the slightest!

Just as Lin Luo was still immersed in the shock brought by that extremely crisp "Sky Vegetable Salad," Erina placed a new dish in front of him.

"Garlic Butter Shrimp."

A simple name, but it brought a completely different flavor bomb.

The rich aroma of butter first rushed towards him like a warm cloud, and then, a sharper, more stimulating garlic scent burst out, intertwining with the breath of some unique and harmonious spices, forming a complex and highly aggressive compound aroma.

This aroma was so domineering and layered that it instantly suppressed the rich scent of Granny Setsuno's "Garlic Bird Rice Bowl" that had been permeating the diner for a long time!

In the dish, several plump, large shrimp lay quietly in the creamy, slightly yellowish, thick sauce; the shrimp bodies presented a translucent, crystalline texture, their surfaces evenly coated with a layer of delicate, oily butter garlic. Steam rose, continuously magnifying that enticing aroma.

Lin Luo gently speared a shrimp with his fork and put it into his mouth.

Bouncy! The texture of the shrimp meat was excellent, springy and tender.

Then, the rich butter sauce wrapped around his tongue, bringing a plump and smooth sense of satisfaction. But immediately, the spiciness and mellow fragrance of the carefully sautéed minced garlic and the unknown spices burst out, like a sensory symphony playing in his mouth; the spicy stimulation was perfectly balanced by the richness of the butter, bringing out the deliciousness of the shrimp meat itself to the fullest.

"Golden Wheat Bread!"

Erina's voice sounded again, placing a few freshly baked loaves of bread, emitting an enticing charred aroma and rich wheat scent, in front of Lin Luo. That pure, primitive aroma of baked grains even temporarily overshadowed the compound spice flavor of the previous Garlic Butter Shrimp, filled with a reassuring, warm power.

Seeing this, Granny Setsuno smiled and said: "Little Erina, you really brought out the best things from the bottom of the box to treat your friends; you're very attentive."

Erina's pretty face flushed, and she hurriedly turned around to continue preparing dishes.

Toriko sniffed hard, his eyes lighting up: "This scent... could it be made of 'Golden Wheat'?"

Komatsu exclaimed upon hearing this: "Golden Wheat?! Is that the special ingredient that requires ten times more water than regular flour to be fully kneaded into dough, and must be handled with special kneading techniques, otherwise it will definitely fail?"

Granny Setsuno nodded: "That's right. Golden Wheat is rare on the market now, and I don't have much stock left in my shop..."

Toriko's drool began to overflow uncontrollably again, his eyes fixed on the golden, fluffy bread: "I remember that ramen made with Golden Wheat, no matter how it's cooked, is super delicious..."

Granny Setsuno smiled and shook her head: "There isn't any left; the rest was all taken by Little Erina to make bread."

Hearing this, Toriko took advantage of Lin Luo's distraction, reached out with lightning speed, quickly grabbed two slices of bread, stuffed one directly into his own mouth, and handed the other to Komatsu beside him.

"Mmm! Delicious! Really amazing!" Toriko exclaimed incoherently, a look of intoxication on his face. The unique wheat aroma of Golden Wheat, with its nutty, mellow fragrance, and the texture that was fluffy yet had a subtle chewiness, brought a deep sense of satisfaction derived from grains that was in no way inferior to top-tier meat.

Komatsu also took a bite, instantly conquered by that pure and powerful deliciousness, and squinted his eyes in happiness.

"Toriko! You bastard! That was the dish Erina gave me!" Lin Luo realized what happened, screamed immediately, and threw a punch at Toriko with a sharp, wind-breaking sound!

Feeling the pressure from the wind of the punch, Toriko's back hairs almost stood up; he hurriedly dodged, shouting: "No way! Lin Luo! It was just two small pieces of bread! Do you have to be so ruthless!"

Clatter.

Erina gently placed the last dish in her hand on the table, making a crisp sound.

"Stop it," she glanced at the two who were still "fighting" over the bread; her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable sense of authority, "Are you still going to eat or not?"

Hearing this, Lin Luo immediately acted as if a pause button had been pressed, instantly retracted his fist, and sat back in his seat obediently; the speed of his change in expression was astounding.

Toriko also gave a heh-heh laugh, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead: "Miss Erina, thank you for saving my life!"

"Ho ho ho, this is what makes one satisfied."

Lin Luo looked at the latest stewed dish and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

He scooped up a spoonful of rice to go with the stewed dish in the plate. The black sauce was thick and mellow, coating the meat chunks that were stewed until extremely tender with fine fibers; the aroma was deep and enticing. He couldn't immediately tell what kind of meat it was, but after putting it into his mouth, the ultimate deliciousness and rich meat fragrance that instantly exploded on his taste buds, along with the warm and abundant life energy that surged into his limbs and bones like a hot spring, were not inferior in the slightest to the jewel meat he had eaten just a few days ago!

That familiar warm current that promoted the activation of gourmet cells surged again.

"This is Wana Shark meat; how does it taste?" Erina looked at him and asked, her eyes carrying a hint of imperceptible expectation, "This is also my first time trying to cook with it."

Lin Luo looked up, his eyes full of admiration and surprise: "Amazing! It's not just the taste... I feel like after eating this portion, my strength seems to have gotten a bit stronger!"

The life energy contained in top-tier ingredients, through the perfectly appropriate processing and stimulation by Erina, this Genius chef, was perfectly transformed into nutrients that were easy to absorb and could maximize the promotion of cell evolution. This stewed meat was not only a feast for the taste buds but also an efficient "energy supplement."

Hearing his feedback, Erina's lips curled up slightly, seemingly quite satisfied with this result.