NOVEL NEXT After getting scolded by the waiter and apologizing to the other guests for causing a fuss, I could finally resume my meal. Since Haruna mentioned she couldn’t really savor the taste given the situation, I decided to properly taste the food this time and share my impressions.
Chomp chomp.
I stabbed the bucatini with a fork, twirled the pasta, and sent it straight to my mouth. I’d express my thoughts as they came, starting with the taste.
Swallow.
After thoroughly chewing and swallowing the pasta and guanciale, I made a silent promise to myself: I had to come back later to have a meal with Nagisa and Seiya after making a reservation.
“So, what do you think? Do you believe this meal deserves the arrogant title of ‘the best in Kivotos’ in your eyes, Mika?”
“…I can declare without hesitation that it’s the best pasta I’ve ever had.”
No exaggeration—this was genuine. It made sense why Haruna had heard about the restaurant that sells the best Amatriciana in Kivotos and made a reservation.
“Wow, since you’re saying that, I can’t help but feel excited. But it still feels lacking. Can you give a more detailed evaluation?”
“Haha, as I said before, don’t expect too much! First of all, this tomato sauce has a spicy kick but doesn’t leave a nasty aftertaste. It has a subtle fragrance, probably with garlic and basil mixed in, and along with the cheese, it seems to shout that this is how you make delicious spice. Especially with the nature of bucatini, the flavor of the sauce keeps coming with every bite of pasta, making it even more satisfying, right?”
“Hehe, typically, a traditional Amatriciana doesn’t use bucatini. But as we stray from tradition, many flavors get discovered, and recipes change according to people’s tastes. You could say bucatini, along with the tomatoes and pepperoncino, has opened a new horizon for Amatriciana. Garlic and basil might be a hit or miss, though.”
“Yeah, to perfectly satisfy those tastes, the guests must first convey their requests. It’s only natural for chefs to cook according to the recipes that get the best evaluations.”
At a restaurant of this quality, if the guests give some notice, they could adjust the recipe to cater to personal preferences to a certain extent. But that only works if the guests speak up, right?
What Haruna wanted was the standard recipe for Amatriciana offered by this restaurant. If it included basil and garlic, there’d be no complaints. Plus, basil pairs well with tomato sauce, so it’s not overly polarizing, and garlic generally goes well with just about any dish.
“And this guanciale! The chewy texture is exquisite, and the savory taste is incredible, plus the rich flavor that comes from this region is truly remarkable. It’s a completely different feeling from the Amatriciana with bacon. But I can’t help but think it’s a little overly salty? But it’s not bothersome enough to be a concern!”
By the way, guanciale is a calorie bomb, as expected, given its high fat content. But still, Haruna claims she has a body type that doesn’t gain weight, so it shouldn’t matter for her.
For me… I just need to train harder, probably.
Honestly, looking at how often the T-party members eat pastries while having tea, they seem close to having a weightless physique as well.
“I should really savor the flavors this time. Thanks to you, Mika, I’ve already committed a great sin against this dish, so it’d be wrong not to enjoy it even more, right?”
“Hey, Haruna-chan, you’re being too dramatic~”
“Fufu, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. After all, it’s between you and me.”
“…What kind of relationship do we have?”
“Fufufufu.”
Uh, Haruna? Can you stop giggling and just answer me already?
As we shared a plate, it didn’t take long for the pasta to disappear. Haruna, who was supposed to be savoring the flavors, couldn’t stop her hands, which must mean Amatriciana hit the sweet spot for her.
“Honestly, it’s so delicious that I wish we each had our own plate.”
“Haha! I honestly agree. But I ate a bit less thinking of you, so can’t we let that slide?”
“…Wasn’t it because you were expecting the next dish even more? That’s how it looked to me.”
“Oh snap, you caught me☆”
“But that’s okay. I fully understand. If this dish is this good, the anticipation for the next one can’t help but rise. Especially because it’s the dish you wanted.”
“Yeah, it’s a steak I’ve always wanted to try! I’ve had the famous Cotoletta alla Milanese, but I’ve never had the chance to try Bistecca alla Fiorentina.”
Just like how Amatriciana is named after the town Amatrice, these two steaks follow suit. Milanese refers to Milan-style, while Fiorentina refers to Florence-style.
Cotoletta can be roughly explained as the ancestor of cutlet dishes like tonkatsu and schnitzel. It’s a steak made by frying a bone-in beef loin steak in batter and is one of the two culinary favorites along with Bistecca in Italian steaks.
By the way, it’s incredibly delicious…
On the other hand, the Bistecca is a type of T-bone steak, with the noteworthy difference being that it uses Chianina cattle, as Haruna confirmed with the waiter. Other than that, I know that dining at a local steakhouse can be quite pricey.
Anyway, due to already having tasted one side, my excitement for the other side has naturally increased. But how could I not look forward to it?
We enjoyed chatting while waiting for the steak to arrive. Thankfully, Haruna didn’t bring up anything about me joining the Gourmet Research Club, but it didn’t seem like she’d given up trying to pull me in.
…They’re not treating me as a member of the Gourmet Research Club already, are they? I haven’t submitted my application yet. Plus, I’m genuinely busy with work, so even if I joined the Gourmet Research Club, I wouldn’t be able to hang out with them anyway.
Haruna just being herself, the topic of our conversation revolved around food. During our chat, I asked her for recommendations for a nice dessert café in Trinity, and I flat-out refused, saying that if it blew up, I’d be doomed. The last thing I needed was Nagisa choking me…
Oh, I also exchanged contact on Momotalk. Seeing the profile ‘EAT OR DIE,’ I realized once again that she’s definitely one of the top crazies in Kivotos.
When Haruna saw my alternate profile, ‘Happily Ever After,’ she responded with, “Mika seems to be living life to the fullest in various ways.” I suppose it’s a common phrase used in fairytales, so I can see why she reacted that way, and it’s not entirely wrong, so I let it slide.
I felt a bit bad changing my existing profile, but the happy endings of me and many other students were what I was pursuing, so after much contemplation, I settled on that. I just hope my endeavors lead to happy endings.
I don’t know how the conversation flowed to this point, but after a short yet seemingly long wait, the long-anticipated steak was placed in front of us.
“Bistecca alla Fiorentina, and roasted potatoes, here you go.”
The first impression was that it looked really thick—at least 3 cm. I could see Haruna’s eyes sparkling, clearly impressed.
There’s no seasoning but just a sprinkle of salt. At this point, the juices themselves are a mix of seasoning and sauce. It seems the essence of enjoying Bistecca is to savor the juices and the meat’s flavor.
Watching the glistening juices ooze from the thickly cut steak was making my mouth water. Neither I nor Haruna needed any more words. I took the tenderloin side, while Haruna fetched a piece from the sirloin side, starting to slice it onto her plate.
As soon as the knife went in, juices mixed with blood began to emerge, exciting the visuals. Chefs don’t just fuss over plating for nothing; a dish can satisfy just through its visual appeal. The steak, oozing with juices, can compete at the pinnacle of such culinary arts.
“They say it’s the hardest to cook T-bone steak so both sirloin and tenderloin are equal. Given both are perfectly rare, this execution is flawless.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely right. Thanks to you, Haruna-chan, I’m pleased to have discovered a great restaurant today☆”
“Fufu. If you join me in the Gourmet Research Club activities, traversing all the gourmet spots in Kivotos won’t be an unachievable dream.”
“Haha, you’re persistent, Haruna-chan. I said I wouldn’t join!”
Hey, Haruna! You keep treating me as a member of the Gourmet Research Club, but I’m already part of the T-party, so I can’t join!
Teasing Haruna, I dunk my fork deep into the well-sliced tenderloin. At the moment the fork went in, it oozed juices and blood; I thought, this is basically a meat and juice combo!
That’s all for the impressions. Now it’s time to greet our esteemed steak, something I’ve been wanting to try, but couldn’t afford the reality of eating it in its homeland.
“…!”
What was that? There was meat, but now it’s gone.
Just kidding, it melts that smoothly.
“Wow…”
All I could say was “wow.” Of course, the taste is excellent, but personally, the satisfaction from the texture is immensely greater. The outside is perfectly crisp, adding to the chewiness, and as the juices burst forth, the inner meat just melts away—it’s simply heavenly.
I’m usually a medium fan, but with this steak, I feel it’s meant to be eaten rare. The wonderful texture stands out, and cooking it further would make it lose its essence.
Haruna and I exchanged glances.
There was no need for further words between us.
We devoured the steak and roasted potatoes greedily, skipping even the discussions about the food.
If there was a single regret about today’s meal, it would have to be that there was no wine.
…Ah, I really crave some wine. It feels like such a frustrating little oversight. I wonder if there’s any way to procure it later.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, Haruna wiped her lips with a napkin and suddenly said,
“Mika, I want to express my gratitude.”
“Hmm? Why the sudden thanks?”
“If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve just enjoyed the Amatriciana and left. Thanks to you, today’s meal will remain a meaningful memory… Hehe, the best dish shared with a friend who understands me. If this isn’t gourmet, then nothing can be called gourmet.”
“Haha! Haruna-chan, you sure have a way with words. Though it feels a bit embarrassing on my end, it’s nice to hear it. A friend who understands me… I see.”
Perhaps what I take home from today will end up being more than I originally thought. Finding a friend I resonate with like this is truly a rarity in this world.
Though the fact that this friend is the leader of the terrorists is a bit dizzying but that’s not the rebels’ place to comment on it. Right.
Today, I became friends with a demon of Gehenna.