I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 178



Only Noblemtl

178 Warning to guests

It’s October.

I was a little reprimanded for being a little hasty when I saw Ben with the eyes of a dead fish, but at some point, for some reason, his eyes returned to normal.

“The chocolate isn’t rich enough. It feels different from the chiffon, so the flavors feel like they’re separate.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll do it again.”

I was going to give him hints if it seemed too hard, but the results he was bringing were getting better and better. It didn’t seem like the high ground was far away, so I thought it would be helpful for his future to wait a little longer.

“Eww!”

Sometimes, chefs holding tweezers and scalpels in the kitchen scream. A certain amount of frustration is essential for a chef to grow. I cheered on their struggles with a happy face.

At this point, there might be people who would throw their tweezers and leave, saying it’s too dirty to eat, but everyone is holding on well. It seems like I’ve accumulated a lot of virtue over the years.

As I was giggling to myself with a proud heart, the chefs looked at my face and gasped in surprise.

What kind of image do they have of me? I suddenly feel like a villain.

* * *

Thinking about the overall impression of the course, the ordinary amuse-bouche did not go well with it.

Segreto’s amuse-bouches have very delicate and complex flavors and textures.

These dishes are great, of course, but they send the message to the guest that the next course will be just as good. In short, they send the wrong signal.

Our current course is very intuitive.

The pasta is topped with sea urchin and bottarga, and the main course is a mind-boggling riot of fat and protein.

I think it would be a good idea to declare war in advance with an amuse-bouche.

You should give your guests a hint that today’s course will be different from previous ones and prepare them mentally.

‘Let’s go sweet and salty.’

I have to offer a simple, stimulating amuse-bouche that everyone will like. This is a course composition that I would never normally do. If I serve strong-tasting food at the beginning, it would be difficult to impress the primo piatto and the main course. However, this time it is an exception.

I ordered soft bread from the pastry chefs.

After removing the hard outer part, cut it into long rectangles. Spread butter on an iron plate, toast the bread until golden brown, and then spread cream cheese on it.

Slice the salami thinly and cut it in half. Place the semicircular salami on top of the cream cheese one by one. Roll the bread carefully to make a pretty flower shape.

It is a reinterpretation of the French toast that Romeo served at Luce de Sole, with egg yolks that are cooked just enough to burst when touched in the center and parsley and dill used to make a calyx.

A sprinkle of truffle powder adds fragrance, creating an intuitive yet delicious appetizer.

The second amuse-bouche came to mind when I was drinking formula milk while raising my children. Formula milk was much more delicious than I had expected.

I wanted to match that sweet and milky taste with caviar.

If you just use milk, it’s no different from bechamel.

If you leave whole milk at room temperature for about a day, cream will float to the top. If you churned only this cream (churn the cream to separate the water and oil), the solids become the raw material for butter, and the water becomes buttermilk.

This lightly fermented buttermilk has a sour taste and is clear yellow in color because the oil has been separated.

Boil buttermilk and add a little coconut milk. Season with salt and pour into a plate. Add a spoonful of caviar and top with pan-fried sea bass.

The combination of sour and sweet buttermilk and coconut milk creates a complex flavor. Served with salty caviar and light sea bass, it becomes a refined appetizer. It is addictively sweet and salty.

A month has already passed since I started preparing the course.

The chefs had become adept at removing the blood vessels from the roe, and the pasta and main dishes were also quite mastered. And when I thought I couldn’t wait for Ben any longer, he came to me.

“Try it, Chef.”

Ben brought a cut cake on a plate.

His face was a mess, as if he had suffered from sleep deprivation for a long time. Of course, it was my fault, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry.

“First of all, I like the shape.”

It’s a simple cake, but the angles are perfectly set. The bread looks moist and the chocolate texture looks great. When I press it with a fork, the cake cuts smoothly.

“Soigne (elegant, sophisticated).”

I tasted it.

The rich, thick chocolate was incredibly moist and smooth. And the cherry scent came late.

But no matter how much I look, I can’t see any cherries.

“cherry?”

“As expected, you know. I used it as a hidden flavor. I dried candied cherries in a dehydrator and made them into powder. At first, I added it directly, but I thought this cake would taste better if it was soft all the way through.”

He was truly a future world champion. He instinctively judged what tasted better.

“This cake could easily be on the menu. Thanks for your hard work.”

“Really?”

His eyes become moist, as if he was crying.

Now you are ready to start the course.

* * *

Hayden seeks out fine dining every week.

He was so passionate about food that he had been to all three and two Michelin star restaurants in New York, but for the past year he has been completely absorbed in the food at Segreto.

For him, food was not just a means of survival, but an important driving force in life. He worked hard during the week and enjoyed high-class culture on the weekends with the money he had earned.

Of course, it cannot be said that there is no tendency to show off. His superior taste (acknowledged by the absolute taste buds) and his knowledge gained through countless dining experiences have made him an outstanding gourmet among his acquaintances.

Segreto’s menu changes frequently, and he’s never been disappointed.

There is no reason to frequent a restaurant that keeps serving the same menu. Hayden was going to test how long this place would satisfy him.

“Come here, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. It’s an honor to have you here. Come this way. I’ve reserved the best seats.”

The head sommelier welcomes them with the utmost care.

A one-time visitor who visits once or twice will never receive this kind of treatment at a first-class fine dining establishment. Even if you are a frequent visitor, if you do not have proper manners and taste, you will just become one of the many guests.

‘But I’m not like that.’

He is the kind of customer who elevates the restaurant’s reputation. He shrugs his shoulders as he looks at his wife. He is proud of himself for being able to make her smile.

As we sat down, champagne was served as usual.

“This is Veuve Clicquot Brut. This is a specially prepared wine, so please enjoy it.”

The sommelier opens the bottle with a refined gesture and pours the wine.

“Is this wine familiar to you?”

His wife, Evelyn, always asks him for his opinion when it comes to drinking wine.

“It’s a French champagne, and you could say it’s quite high-quality. It’s a blend of three grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.”

“Cheers.”

The wine is kept in excellent condition here. The wine at the right temperature flows down the throat with bubbles. When I roll it in my mouth, the scent of lime and green apple comes up richly. The scent of honey and biscuit flaunts its elegance and passes by lightly, as expected of a famous champagne.

“Oh my. It’s delicious.”

“Segreto never plays with wine.”

Hayden had been to the wine cellar here, a privilege reserved for special guests. How astonished he had been to see the tens of thousands of bottles of wine lined up there. It was a thoroughly controlled environment, with temperature and humidity strictly controlled, and not a single ounce of direct sunlight allowed.

Many restaurants are reluctant to expand their wine cellars.

If you buy wine and can’t sell it, your money will be tied up for a long time. The cost of wine management cannot be ignored.

To maintain a minimum level of quality, it is common to stock only wines that are of a certain level of recognition.

But what about this place? Chef Shin Je-hee must also be a foodie like you.

“There’s a new course menu?”

Sure enough, when I looked at the menu, there was a new course that started this week. The price was quite high.

“hmm?”

There is a strange phrase written under the menu.

[Please be careful not to get addicted. This menu requires time to prepare, so it is only available to guests with reservations.]

“Hahaha. That’s funny. Let me order some.”

“It says that only guests with reservations are allowed?”

“It’s okay. Good fine dining restaurants usually reserve separate meals for their regulars. Of course, they don’t give them to just anyone.”

Fine dining shouldn’t require guests to raise their hands.

Hayden looked up from the menu to see the server who was also watching him. He nodded and he approached the table.

“I would like this course menu. I don’t have a reservation, but please ask the manager.”

“All right.”

The server politely steps aside. And shortly afterwards, Maitreya Dee comes and tells me that there is no problem with my order.

“Am I right?”

“Oh my… That’s really true.”

The look in his wife’s eyes as she looks at him becomes even more affectionate.

Not long after, amuse-bouches started appearing.

“you are pretty.”

Thin French toast baked in butter wraps around salami. The red salami looks beautiful, dried like a flower. The bright yellow yolk and green parsley leaves in the middle create a contrasting color that is even more pleasing to the eye.

After all, cooking is an art.

“Bread and salami is a classic combination. Let’s try it.”

The buttered toast is soft. The egg yolk bursts in your mouth, coating the saltiness of the salami. The softly spread cream cheese and the scent of truffle were incredibly satisfying.

“That’s great. I don’t think anyone would dislike this.”

“It’s a typical ingredient, but it tastes unconventional. It’s rare to find a chef who understands the combination of flavors so well.”

I was satisfied from the beginning of the course. This chef never stops experimenting, and always in the right direction.

“We’ve paired caviar and sea bass in a sauce made with buttermilk. Enjoy.”

Caviar is placed neatly in the center of the foamy white sauce. To one side, soft and moist-looking sea bass meat is prominently displayed.

Hayden picks up a spoon and eats the caviar.

Milky and sweet, yet the luxurious saltiness of caviar bursts in your mouth and mixes with the sauce to create a fantastic harmony.

I also tried the sea bass. The perfectly cooked white fish melts in your mouth as soon as you put it in, neutralizing the saltiness. It’s sweet and salty, yet light. It really felt like walking on clouds.

“Ah… I can’t even describe it. It was good as usual, but it’s even better today. You’re just being unreserved and pushing me from the start.”

“I also thought it tasted even better today.”

Evelyn, who has a picky appetite, is emptying the bowl cleanly with a spoon.

“It’s not that chefs can’t make this kind of food, they don’t serve it. They just hold back because they worry about what will happen after the course starts off strong.”

“So does that mean it’s a ruined course?”

“I don’t think that’s possible, since I’m not an inexperienced chef. Maybe it’s because I’m confident?”

Hayden felt that the two amuse-bouches served today were like warnings to the guests.

I have a feeling that the food I’m about to eat will be extraordinary.