Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Chicken and Dori's
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The location was at the far end of the alley on the opposite side from where Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap, Happiness Snacks, the ice cream parlor, and Song's Teahouse were clustered.
It wasn't swarming with people, but the foot traffic was decent enough.
The first thing that caught the eye was the sign, weathered enough to show the shop's age. A white background with the shop name written neatly in black.
[Chicken and Dori's]
It was obviously a spicy chicken stew specialist. The interior was the sit-on-the-floor table setup you rarely see these days.
Ding-a-ling.
Pushing open the door brought a friendly bell chime echoing through. It was still a bit early, but right around when lunch service would pick up steam—yet there was only one table of customers.
"Hello~."
"Y-Yes!"
The owner burst out from the kitchen, bowing his head deeply in greeting.
"Oh, hello!"
His voice trembled slightly, laced with nerves. He was a young guy wearing round glasses.
Word was he'd fully inherited the place from his parents. They'd handed it down when their health started failing, but sales had been dragging more and more, leaving him in quite the bind.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Song Wooyeon."
"I'm An Dongwoo!"
"I heard the rough situation from Han Owner."
"Yes. I'm so grateful. She heard my story and went out of her way to connect us like this. She was really close with my mom."
"She helped a ton when Han Owner was just starting out, right?"
"That's what I hear, but it was when I was too young to remember well. Haha."
An Dongwoo let out a small chuckle.
Han Miaae had begged me so earnestly. She never whined to me about her own troubles.
Her very first request was to repay the favor to the place that had helped her when she launched her business. There was no way I could play dumb.
An Dongwoo said with a glum look on his face.
"I'm following the recipe my parents passed down to the letter, but customers keep dwindling. The prices are competitive enough—I just can't figure out why."
"Hmm. Is that so? How about we eat first and talk?"
No matter what, the foundation of any restaurant is the food.
'If sales are dropping, the biggest culprit is probably a change in taste.'
Old-school spots like this thrive on loyal regulars. That steady base is what carries you through shaky economies and slumps in the dining scene.
But even those regulars were slowly drifting away. There had to be something wrong.
"The main dish is spicy chicken stew, right? Give me a medium one to start..."
A quick scan of the menu showed a few extras beyond the stew.
Not just add-on noodles and such, but even soybean paste stew and kimchi stew?
"What's with the soybean paste stew and kimchi stew?"
"Oh, those are lunch-only rice accompaniments. For solo diners who might not have much to choose from."
Fair enough—the stew was tough for one person. Soybean paste and kimchi stews were safe bets with broad appeal, often tacked on at any eatery.
Not an incomprehensible choice. Though it raised some concerns.
"Hm. Throw in one soybean paste stew as well."
"Got it~. Be right out!"
An Dongwoo bowed and scurried back inside. Was he running the place solo?
'The shop's small, so one person could manage. With sales down, hiring help would be a stretch.'
Even so, solo operation meant limits on service.
Once customers exceeded a certain number, quality inevitably slipped. That tanked satisfaction.
'Keeping labor costs low to sharpen price competitiveness is a solid strategy, but...'
For now, it wouldn't be an issue. He'd only get as many as he could handle alone, even if it was a handful.
The real headache hit when crowds grew.
I'd table the staffing talk. For now, I gave the interior a once-over.
'As expected.'
Being an old shop, it bore the marks of time in spots here and there. Not a bad thing. But hygiene sticklers would see it as a major flaw.
'Still, not bad for solo upkeep. Nothing critical.'
The decor wasn't sleek, but targeting families of a certain age might even score points.
In one line:
Barring that fatal exterior blunder, the inside was tidy enough—decent.
Shortly after, the spicy chicken stew arrived, bubbling gently in its pot.
Thud.
He set it on the gas burner, adjusted the flame, and added some pointers.
"Let it boil another five minutes or so. Once the broth starts bubbling, stir occasionally to keep it from sticking. Veggies first once they're softened, then potatoes and meat in that order!"
"Thanks."
"Soybean paste stew coming right up."
He explained the menu with practiced ease—not his first rodeo.
I waited as instructed until the broth bubbled, then stirred slowly with the ladle.
Slurp.
'The broth is on the thick side.'
Perfect for mixing with rice. As it came to a boil, I turned it down low, stirring gently while waiting for the chili oil to rise.
"Soybean paste stew's here~."
The bubbling soybean paste stew came in a smaller earthenware pot, topped prettily with sliced green chilies added at the end.
'Visuals pass.'
Too hot now—save it for later. I focused on the spicy chicken stew first.
As red oil flecks surfaced one by one, the dish was complete.
'Smells great~.'
I'd skipped breakfast, so hunger was kicking in. After a sniff, I sipped the broth.
'Yep. Pure, authentic spicy depth.'
Rice mixed in would be divine. The thought hit naturally.
'Veggies sweet and tender. Potatoes fluffy and perfect. Now, the star: chicken...?'
I picked up one piece and immediately sensed it.
'Big.'
What size bird? Around an 11-pounder, looked even larger from the hefty chunks.
I tore into a big bite of the drumstick.
The outer skin, soaked rich in seasoning, hit first, and after a few chews... the meat's fibrous texture came through plain.
'The large chunks mean the seasoning didn't penetrate fully.'
Unavoidable. Not a sauce issue. Smaller pieces would've helped.
'A bit of that raw chicken whiff too.'
Probably tossed in without blanching.
'Classic old-school spicy chicken stew vibe. They really stick to the parental recipe.'
Rustic feel. Evoked home cooking somehow.
A far cry from today's sweet, punchy flavors. Sure, loyalists sought exactly that...
'But in this era, it fades fast.'
Taste was there, but that nagging 2% shortfall. Something missing.
'The basics are solid—tweak the recipe a bit and it'd shine. Wonder if they'll budge on a time-honored formula, though.'
Change always breeds fear. Especially in shops with deep history—harder still.
With that in mind, I pulled the soybean paste stew closer. It had cooled just right while I sampled the chicken.
'Looks good. Hearty.'
Big tofu cubes, bits of meat—solid for a lunch special.
'Get the soybean paste stew right, and that's competitive enough. Plenty of office workers around. Evenings heavy on chicken stew, lunch on this? Solid niche...'
I'd just scooped and raised a spoonful to my mouth when—
...?
What?
Thinking I'd messed up, I took another spoonful. Gulp. No change.
If anything, it confirmed the first taste.
"......"
I slowly set the spoon down. An Dongwoo, who'd been peeking from the kitchen, approached.
"How's the taste? Hope it suits you."
You don't spit in a smiling face—but sometimes you must.
"An Owner."
"Yes?"
"This soybean paste stew. What's in it?"
"Uh... well, that's... soybean paste, soy sauce, minced garlic, a splash of mirin, tofu, enoki mushrooms, and..."
"Yeah?"
"Y-Yes. Is there something off with the soybean paste stew?"
At that, I pressed harder.
"Can I come to the kitchen and watch? How you make the soybean paste stew. Curious about the process."
"......"
An Dongwoo clamped his mouth shut. Face screaming discomfort. That reaction screamed 'bingo.'
"An Owner. You might not know this, but I can stomach incompetence—just not lies. Anyone can learn a recipe."
I meant it. This wasn't some Michelin three-star joint. Average diner fare didn't demand genius skills.
Anyone could pick it up.
Assuming no shortcuts.
"......"
"But lies? I can't help you then. You asked for aid because sales are tanking. I cleared my schedule for this."
With every word, An Dongwoo's face drained paler. The initial cheerfulness vanished.
All that remained was a terrified guy rolling his eyes wildly.
"Be straight with me, Owner."
I whispered in a low, steady tone.
"This soybean paste stew—it's pre-made, isn't it."