Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 622 - 581: A Chance Encounter with Traveling Students and Sugar Oranges at Luding Bridge

"On the galloping slopes, a drifting cloud, oh, shining brightly over Liu Liu City in Kangding, oh, the crescent moon, Liu Liu City in Kangding, oh..."

The RV cruised quietly on the highway, and a string of silvery bell-like songs occasionally echoed.

They had reached Ganzi, and surely Kangding was a place to see.

Not many people know Kangding, and even fewer know it belongs to Ganzi, but many have heard the "Kangding Love Song." Even if they haven’t heard the whole song, they can sing along to a few lines.

Actually, Kangding is quite remarkable, not only being the throat of the Sichuan-Tibet passage and an important town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, but also the center where Tibetan and Han cultures meet.

Since ancient times, it has been the political, economic, cultural, commercial, informational hub, and transportation center of the Kangba Tibetan area. It’s a city where 24 ethnic groups, primarily Tibetans, including Han, Hui, Yi, and Qiang, coexist, which Zhuo Qianqian once praised as "Penglai Holy Land overseas."

Because of the "Kangding Love Song," many call it Liu Liu City.

Traveling in western Sichuan doesn’t require a destination; it’s like the Great Border, suited for wandering. The scenery along the way is breathtaking.

Snowy mountains, green trees, yellow grass, red leaves, azure skies, and white clouds—the scenery along the road is already worth the trip.

The famed 318 is labeled as a must-drive route in life for connecting the beauty of Western Sichuan.

Combined with the rather understated 317 and some county roads, it links all of Western Sichuan’s scenery.

Traveling here offers completely different experiences depending on whether you’re driving or not.

On this journey, they decided to forego local attractions, opting for a culinary adventure instead.

Kangding’s cold noodles are made from mung bean and sweet potato starch, with a pale yellow color and a smooth, elastic texture. Accompanied by chili oil, peanut sauce, vinegar, and other condiments, it’s delicious, soft, bouncy, and chewy.

Especially after adding the sauce, the vibrant oily sheen makes it very appetizing.

Pair it with a bowl of salty butter tea; the two create a lingering flavor.

This is just the appetizer; the specialty of Kangding is yak. These yaks thrive at the high-altitude snowy plateau, drinking meltwater, eating cordyceps and fritillaria, enjoying the stunning scenery, and listening to Yuanshan pastoral songs. Raised in such an environment, the yaks are carefree, emotionally stable, and blissfully content.

A saying goes, "Cows eat cordyceps, I eat cows, no disease, no need for medicine." The yaks here are gems in their entirety, especially the Jiulong, Ganzi, and Litang yaks, which are the finest.

They leisurely found a restaurant named "Maraya Tibetan Restaurant," whose decor is rich in Tibetan flair, adorned with exquisite thangkas and Tibetan ornaments.

Having already savored some cold noodles, they ordered a serving of "Beef Under A Blanket" and "Crispy Fried Lamb Ribs."

Perhaps they arrived early when there weren’t many people, as the dishes were served swiftly. When the waiter placed the beef dish in front of Wang Fan, a rich, hearty aroma wafted over.

On a wooden tray was a small steel pot covered by a sliced dough akin to unleavened bread, with steam from the beef escaping through the gaps, suggesting it was piping hot.

Local specialties taste best made with local ingredients, and Wang Fan held high expectations for this.

Gently uncovering the bread, the steaming beef was revealed. The pot was brimming with visible thick slices of beef, accompanied by green and red peppers and onions, tempting one’s appetite.

The crispy fried lamb ribs also arrived soon after. Wang Fan nodded approvingly at their appearance, believing the choice of ingredients was exceptional, though he hadn’t yet tasted it.

The ribs, with their skin-on riblets, were not just fatty and lean alternately, but the meat appeared solid. The ribs were fried to a golden brown, promising a crispy and tender delight.

Wang Fan didn’t use chopsticks but simply opened his mouth, knowing Zhuo Qianqian would inevitably feed him a piece of beef.

Soon after, a fragrant slice of beef was offered to him.

Biting into it, he could immediately appreciate the rich flavor of the beef.

As Wang Fan savored the beef, he noted that the preparation was adequate, with simple seasoning, but quality ingredients truly enhance a dish. This lean piece of beef didn’t taste tough at all, but rather chewy with a hint of herbal aroma.

Moreover, the beef seemed to have been stewed for a long time, with the spices and flavors thoroughly infused, making it exceptionally delicious.

Zhuo Qianqian loved lamb, which she’d eaten all her life, and Wang Fan’s hands deftly placed a piece of crispy lamb rib near her mouth.

Such affectionate exchanges were normal for them.

She bit into a chunk of skin-on lamb meat from the chopsticks, having been marinated in secret spices, coated with a thin layer of batter, and fried golden crispy.

The crispy, tender texture made Zhuo Qianqian’s eyes curve into crescents.

The spices on the ribs were flavorful and long-lasting, the lamb tender and juicy, giving her a feeling of increasing aroma as she chewed.

Just as she prepared to grab her piece of rib, she noticed Wang Fan had already munched on the remaining half.