Gourmet: From a Stall in Northern Europe

Chapter 491 - 403: Uniquely Shaped Burgers, Juicy in Every Bite

"Sandwich?"

"A sandwich isn’t part of our cuisine, how could Chef Lin make that."

"Why not? Chef Lin was also a head chef in Western cuisine before, you know. Sometimes he’ll customize Western dishes for guests upon request, even for dinner."

"Something feels off today. We used to see them busy cooking at the food truck around six-something, but today it’s already six-thirty and no sign of them."

"Today is Monday, right? Could they have changed the plan again?"

"It’s possible. Isn’t it said that the restaurant is in its trial operation phase? They change the dishes daily to collect feedback from diners, so frequently changing business models is also possible."

"I think the food truck model is pretty good. It allows us to taste snacks that can’t be found in the restaurant, but sometimes I also want to try the dishes from Great Xia Restaurant."

"It’s a pity I’m leaving this afternoon. I really wish I could enjoy a few more meals..."

While many diners lingered and chatted, Sergy sneakily peeked out from behind a nearby tree.

"So many people lining up at six-thirty in the morning?"

"What is this store selling that’s so popular?"

To be honest, he really wanted to join in.

He hadn’t gotten up early in a long time, and at this moment, his eyelids felt as heavy as if they were weighted with lead. Yet his stomach protested noisily, as if saying why not fill it since he was already up.

Originally, he didn’t have the habit of eating breakfast, waking up at ten or eleven in the morning and going straight for lunch.

Today is an exception.

However, his girlfriend was inside for reasons unknown, whether working or something else, and he didn’t want to suddenly appear in Su’s sight before figuring things out, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings leading to arguments.

He hesitated for a while but didn’t take action, deciding to stay put and patiently wait to see what happens next.

Gradually, more and more tourists joined the queue, which extended seven to eight meters more in just a few minutes.

Some guests even lined up with luggage, obviously planning on eating before leaving.

Finally.

A hot figure in uniform slowly emerged from the restaurant.

"It’s Helena!"

"Oh dear, you finally came out!"

Many regulars who had been here for more than two days were quite familiar with her, and upon seeing her, they hurriedly waved and greeted with smiles.

Helena also nodded and smiled at everyone, hanging up the small blackboard she was holding on the nearby wall.

Everyone eagerly followed her movements with their gaze, and upon clearly seeing the words on the blackboard, they were somewhat stunned.

"Sand, sandwich?"

"Chef Lin is actually selling sandwiches now??"

"I told you! Great Xia must have their own sandwich flavors!"

"By this token, those three head chefs upfront are having breakfast from Chef Lin today?"

"Yes, everyone, today’s breakfast prepared by Chef Lin is four types of sandwiches that are quite popular in Great Xia. They are all made by hand on-site, so you’ll be able to see the making process when you purchase them later."

At some point, Helena raised a small megaphone, softly introducing the sandwiches to the diners.

"Jonathan’s side is still serving in a buffet style. Guests in need can pay here to enter, and it’s still wristbands used for meal pickups."

Sandwiches don’t need to be eaten on-site; they can be taken to go.

Almost all diners, thinking that they’re already here and the opportunity was rare, chose to purchase buffet tickets first, entering to buy some sandwiches to take away afterward.

When the guests excitedly rushed into the meal pickup area, they saw two newly added tables beside it, one of which was already piled high with two sandwich mountains.

The appearance of these sandwiches was completely different from what they knew, with perfect color combinations and cross-sections, looking like exquisite art pieces.

A machine was placed not far behind the table, and several bulging loaves of bread were placed on the conveyor belt-like rolling axles, clearly hollow ones.

Zhao Shun was currently kneading dough at the machine end, kneading and placing it onto the rolling axles.

On this side, Old Chen was taking already baked burger buns, slicing them in half horizontally, arranging them on the table, and squeezing on thick mayonnaise.

Next to him, there were plenty of steaming hot fried chicken fillets and beef patties, which he arranged into the burger buns according to different combinations.

On the other side.

Lin Chen was skillfully slicing the pristine white toast as Dais and Elsa were placing various ingredients on slices spread across the table. Su and Nicole were helping out wherever needed.

"What’s this machine, for grilling burgers?"

"I’ve never seen one like this before, aren’t burgers usually grilled in an oven?"

"These sandwiches are so beautiful!"

"Fried chicken burgers and beef burgers? Why is this burger bun so thin, is it a secret recipe from Great Xia?"

Seeing the tourists gather around, Su promptly put down her work and with a smile, introduced the features of these sandwiches.

"These two are toast sandwiches, one with Orléans chicken fillet flavor and the other with purple yam flavor, one savory and one sweet. They can be eaten cold or reheated."

"These two over here are hollow burgers made using a special process and recipe from Great Xia. The marinade for the fried chicken and beef patties is different, and these burgers are meant to be eaten fresh, reheating them might affect the taste. They won’t be as good as they are fresh."

Her introduction was simple; after all, the finished products were right before their eyes, the tempting appearance alone was enough to attract customers to buy.

"Please give me two of each type of sandwich, and one of each type of burger!"

"These two can be eaten cold, right? How long can they be stored for? Four or five days? I’ll take six chicken fillet ones, and two purple yam ones, to go. Also, one of each burger."

"This is the first time I’ve heard of a purple yam sandwich; can it really be good? There’s a soft-boiled egg in it, and what seems like a layer of something orange, I bet the taste isn’t as simple as it looks."

The limited seating in the restaurant could only accommodate so many diners at once, so selling sandwiches inside meant there was no worry about excessively long lines.

Even if there were customers not wanting the buffet and coming straight for the sandwiches, they would leave from the side door to the beach area after buying, and rejoining the queue would take longer, enough to deter them.

This was a little experiment Lin Chen was trying out, since facing long queues every day while setting up stands was manageable a few times but not sustainable daily.

It would indirectly affect the restaurant’s business too, essentially forcing customers to choose one or the other.

This way, it’s slightly more flexible, letting the customers choose what they want to eat without conflict.

The waiting time might be a bit longer, but there’s no perfect solution in the world anyway.

Originally wanting to join in the fun, Boss John and Boss Magna were discreetly bribed by him, agreeing to leave them some sandwiches so as to curb their eagerness, telling them to come pick up their sandwiches as breakfast service was winding down.

The ready-made products on the table disappeared rapidly before the eyes, with each customer buying a large bag full of various flavors before finding a seat around.

But soon, the mixed aroma wafting from the bag made their already hungry stomachs unable to resist.

"I think they said earlier that the fried chicken and beef burgers should be eaten while hot. They’re small, so eating them first won’t fill me up."

Some regulars with cravings couldn’t even sit down before grabbing a hot burger from the bag, taking a quick look at its content and then taking a bite.

"Crunch"

The crispy coating shattered instantly, and the hot fried chicken was tender and springy, its juices bursting in a second. The savory juices mixed with a hint of garlic and spice flowed out, with the heat immediately elevating the deliciousness several notches.

Before he could recover from the deliciousness of the fried chicken filet, the chewy texture of the bun gradually became clearer with each chew.

The man was stunned on the spot, staring incredulously at the burger in his hand for a few seconds before taking another bite, thinking there might be something wrong with his mouth.

But with the second bite, the same texture was still there, and even more so due to the two layers, making the presence of the bun even more pronounced.

"This burger bun... it’s so good!"

Several other customers with similar cravings experienced the same surprise at their seats, with some even starting to devour it while waiting for their orders to be packed.

For a moment, the faces of the customers who had already started eating were filled with expressions of astonishment.

Several customers who had just walked in and were not yet aware of the situation were also a bit puzzled by the scene.

"What’s going on here?"

"What happened with that burger? Why is everyone making that face?"

"Wait, the burger’s shape looks odd, why is it so thin?"

While they were still in a daze, the customers who had started eating suddenly seemed energized, tearing into the burgers with enthusiasm.

"Plop"

The man waiting for his bag of sandwiches to be packed took a big bite of his burger, suddenly feeling a stream of heat flowing down through his fingers and dripping onto the tile.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the juice squeezed out from the burger!

He quickly bent down to lick the juice clean, lifting the bun to uncover the thick beef patty underneath accompanied by a layer of mushrooms rich with juices. Bright juice was visibly flowing out from the bitten section.

The beef’s own juices mixed with the fresh-sweet mushroom juices, with a slight salty taste complemented by the mild spiciness of black pepper. It was irresistible upon hitting the palate.

This way of fully utilizing the natural taste of ingredients is favored by Western diners, combined with the distinct textures of the burger bun and beef patty, making it burst with juicy surprise in every bite—a delightful experience indeed.