Setting aside taste for a moment, Li Shi was quite satisfied with the presentation of the dishes alone. The dishes were meticulously prepared, looking appetizing enough to stir one's appetite.
After taking his seat, he picked up his chopsticks and first tasted his favorite dish, stir-fried pork with chili.
The flavor was superb. The pork belly was stir-fried just right, with a tantalizing aroma of the burnt edges of the meat and yet not too dry; the overall texture of the meat was tender. Paired with mildly spicy green peppers, it made him want to wolf down three large bowls of rice instantly.
He then tried the spicy spare ribs, which were also delicious. A light nibble, and the meat easily slid off the bone. After a few more chews, the flavors of spicy, sweet, and fragrant filled his mouth with more aroma the more he chewed.
