The most recommended skewer hotpot restaurants are "Linjiangmen Xiu Niang Skewer Hotpot" and "Li Jie Family of Three." Wang Fan particularly liked the latter’s name, so they chose it as their first stop.

The Li Jie Family of Three restaurant is quite interesting. It looks like they converted a residential building into a restaurant, and the decor feels very homey. There’s a little sign at the entrance offering a free meal at Li Jie’s discretion, though who knows if the final interpretation lies with the restaurant.

The benefit of traveling off-peak remains the same; when the two arrived, all the ingredients in the shop had just been prepared. Skewers are 70 yuan per pound, and Zhuo Qianqian grabbed a plate and tongs to pick out the dishes she and Wang Fan liked.

Wang Fan, on the other hand, ordered a portion of freshly cut tenderloin and Tanjia Tu’s fresh tripe.

The tenderloin is a strip of meat between the beef sirloin and the backbone, considered one of the most tender parts of the cow.

The soup base arrived quickly. It was made primarily with beef and red oil, with various spices simmering in the pot. A dozen plump, red chilies clung to the pot’s edge, making one drool just by looking at it.

Zhuo Qianqian hadn’t finished selecting skewers when Wang Fan’s freshly cut tenderloin and Tanjia Tu’s fresh tripe were already served.

The tenderloin was arranged on an oval plate, with the meat slices covering the plate’s bottom. The portion looked decent, the beef appeared rosy and emanated a faint fresh meat scent. Lying cleanly on the plate without any seasoning, Wang Fan could tell at a glance that it was freshly cut beef.

Over the past few days, he discovered that while Wudu’s prices aren’t exactly cheap, most shops use very fresh ingredients, which aligns with his cooking choices. Items might be priced higher, but the ingredients should justify the cost. Many skewer hotpot restaurants opened outside struggle to thrive mainly because their ingredients don’t measure up.

Some always try to cut corners, assuming the hotpot and skewer soup base’s heavy flavors allow them to pass inferior goods unnoticed. Yet fake remains fake, and even if the taste isn’t discernibly different, there’s an undeniable discrepancy in the texture.

He picked up a slice of tenderloin and placed it in the pot. With the red oil bubbling, just lifting the tenderloin up and down twice, it had completely changed color. Such thin slices indicate doneness once the color changes; cooking longer would affect the texture.

By now, Zhuo Qianqian had weighed her choices and come over. Wang Fan blew on it and handed it to her.

Taking a bite, Zhuo Qianqian’s eyes lit up as she said, "So fresh!"

Wang Fan nodded, knowing the people from Great Border can’t be fooled when it comes to fresh lamb and beef. If Zhuo Qianqian said it was fresh, then it definitely was.

The proprietress proudly boasted at the counter, "Let me tell you, young lady, our ingredients are delivered fresh every morning, guaranteed fresh! If you find anything not fresh, I’ll give you a free meal!"

Zhuo Qianqian sweetly replied, "Thank you, sister, your soup base is also wonderful."

The proprietress was so delighted to be called sister that her eyes curved into smiles. "Young lady, you’ve got good taste. Take your time eating; I’ll send you some crispy pork." She didn’t wait for Zhuo Qianqian to decline before heading back into the kitchen.

Wang Fan couldn’t help but give Zhuo Qianqian a thumbs-up.

He wasn’t sure whether Wudu people were just overly hospitable or if his girlfriend’s charm was overwhelming. Over the past few days, any boss or proprietress who chatted with her ended up giving them something extra—a sweet bean curd, crispy pork—some side dishes.

He picked up another slice of tenderloin, gave it a quick dip; the light brown beef curled slightly, with a few chili flakes clinging to it, paired with the steam, it looked quite enticing.

After cooling it a bit, he put it in his mouth, and the rich aroma of chili and soup base immediately filled his mouth.

As he chewed, the tender beef fell apart between his teeth, releasing its rich flavor.

The meat was indeed exceptionally tender, and each chew brought out the beef’s elasticity and delicacy, as if it were dancing on his tongue.

The beef absorbed some of the soup base, and as he chewed, the flavors continuously soaked through the beef, with the marinade leaving its aromatic traces in every fiber, making it even more delicious.

Compared to hotpot, these skewers were lighter in flavor and milder in spice, allowing the fresh meat’s natural flavors to be sensed by the taste buds, offering Wang Fan a completely different experience.

Wang Fan looked at the other plate of tripe.

Even the name of the tripe suggests its freshness, especially since it’s associated with a slaughterhouse. How could it not be fresh?

Fresh tripe, properly washed and not dipped in those chemicals, has no peculiar smell. Wang Fan sniffed it and detected only the natural scent of tripe, cleaned impeccably.

Clipping a piece, he swished it in the pot and handed it to Zhuo Qianqian, who was happily tossing her skewers into the pot, and ate it without even looking up.

The rich broth clung to the small grains of the tripe, producing a crunchy "squeak" with every bite. The crisp tender texture was spot on, absent of any unwanted taste aside from the inherent aromatic richness of the hotpot oil.

Zhuo Qianqian said nothing, simply opened her mouth for more.

Wang Fan chuckled, picked up another piece, cooked it, cooled it a bit, and handed it to her lips.

Returning the favor, Zhuo Qianqian pulled out a beef skewer wrapped in sugar garlic from the pot and offered it to Wang Fan.

Wang Fan marveled once again at the creativity of Wudu’s people and the inclusivity of jianghu-style skewers. In their world, everything can be boiled and, when nothing’s left, combined anew for boiling, unlike hotpot, even sugar garlic wrapped beef was possible.

The tender beef enveloped the crunchy, sweet sugar garlic, yielding a crisp sound with every bite. The sweet crispness of the garlic combined with the savory beef provided Wang Fan with a never-before-felt experience.

The sugar garlic was perfectly pickled. The crunchy garlic was filled with a sweet and sour juice, and as he chewed, the flavor gradually seeped into the subtly chewy beef, transforming into a unique taste that lingered even after swallowing.

Just then, the proprietress returned from the kitchen, carrying not only the promised crispy pork for Zhuo Qianqian but also a plate of shrimp paste.

With earnest enthusiasm, she said, "Young lady, I feel such a connection with you. This shrimp paste is our new dish, handmade and guaranteed fresh and delicious, you should try it."

Wang Fan found himself at a loss for words over Zhuo Qianqian’s impossible charm.

Laughing, Zhuo Qianqian replied, "Thank you, sister, but we’ll still pay. Please just charge it to our bill."

The proprietress pretended to be upset, "I said it’s a gift, and it’s a gift. Why talk about money? Don’t be so formal with me. If you like it, just bring your friends over more often."

Wang Fan figured some places had thriving businesses for a reason. Some attracted numerous customers with excellent flavors, while others might not be that outstanding in taste yet drew returning patrons due to the owner’s remarkable engagement with people.

This establishment met both conditions, so it was destined to succeed.

However, he resolved to pay the bill nonetheless, including at those places that had given them extras. Accepting freebies could skew his reviews, but acknowledging the gesture sufficed; there was no necessity in taking advantage.

The shrimp paste was served copiously, easily scoopable into the pot. Nicely processed, it offered a crisp and fresh flavor better than typical hotpot standards, with freshness being its highlight.

Then, Zhuo Qianqian began her spree, as the skewers she had chosen cooked, one after another appeared before Wang Fan.

Mint beef, spicy beef, kidney slices, bullfrog, and more—all ingredients were exceedingly fresh.

Freshness defines ingredients; heat is essential for delicacies. When combined, even a culinary novice could create a decent taste.

Beyond the restaurant’s modest ambiance, Wang Fan deemed this a superb dining choice.