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Those Years I Opened A Zoo

Chapter 57 Jia Jia Restaurant (Volume 2)

When setting the prices, Duan Jiaze had consulted many people, and the opinions were basically divided into two sides.

Ordinary employees like Xiao Su said, “It’s so delicious! Price it higher!! At least 100! No, 200!”

Meanwhile, demon species like Xiong Siqian commented, “What nonsense? 200? You dare bring out 200? Make it 20,000 and above!”

It was a case of “higher” versus “much higher”…

Duan Jiaze was speechless. He could understand that in terms of true value, those items might well be worth more than 20,000, as they were essentially priceless.

However, he was worried about scaring off customers and chose to follow Xiao Su’s opinion, which was more in line with Donghai City’s consumption level and the current venue of Ling You. It was set at a price range that well-off customers could accept without burden, and general tourists could also be tempted to try.

Even so, the popularity after the opening also exceeded Duan Jiaze’s expectations.

That was due to several factors. First, in terms of architecture, they had Zhu Feng’s support, so they unknowingly attracted many diners, who found the food even more delightful. Second, the ingredients were fresh and of high quality, not to mention the tempting Farmer God and Laka series.

Once there was one, there would be another. When a few tourists were enticed by others and purchased from the two recommended series, the trend quickly spread uncontrollably.

Those ingredients were truly among the best they had ever tasted, even reaching an extreme level!

Many high-priced foods were perceived as tasty, but did not always worth every penny due to labor and other costs. However, the recommended series at Jia Jia Restaurant gave a sense of… excellent value for money! Even if they were indeed a bit pricey!

Since the high prices were within everyone’s acceptable range, with affordable options for comparison and no pressure to buy the high-priced dishes, customers willingly tried the more expensive options and felt they got their money’s worth.

Duan Jiaze, sitting with Sun Aiping’s family among the diners, directly witnessed their “post-meal thoughts.”

At first, Liu Lian kept some restraint while drinking the porridge, saying, “It’s delicious and feels very healthy. I can finish a bowl.”

The five-grain porridge entered the stomach, it was warm and appetizing.

When the bamboo shoots and meat slices arrived, Liu Lian said, “I’ll have some more bamboo shoots. They won’t make me gain weight.”

The tender bamboo shoot was like the embodiment of freshness as its flavors burst in the mouth. It was easy to bite through, so they were indeed the most tender parts. With a bit of dried chili and meat slices, there was a hint of spiciness and meat aroma, which highlighted the flavor of the bamboo shoots.

Liu Lian continued to only eat the bamboo shoots, not the meat, but when the millet steamed pork ribs, wheat fish soup and other dishes came, she murmured, “I’ll just have a few bites…” then she ended up eating more than half of the bowl.

A little of everything had already filled Liu Lian up, but more terrifying was that she still wanted more…

Not to mention, after eating, Liu Lian noticed that not just herself, but others also seemed to have chosen the vegetarian dishes. All the five grains and bamboo shoots were gone, while the meat parts remained.

Liu Lian kept muttering, “Oh no, oh no, I’ve eaten so much, I’m going to gain two pounds with just vegetarian dishes alone.”

“That won’t happen,” Duan Jiaze assured, “I guarantee it will only improve your complexion and some minor issues.”

Liu Lian took it as comfort, but she just needed that kind of vague reassurance, “That’s good, that’s good.”

Sun Aiping and Sun Ying also ate a lot, especially Sun Aiping, who had four bowls of rice, excluding the previous bowl of porridge. He was so full he could barely move, lying there saying, “Last time I saw that black bear eating bamboo shoots on WeChat, I laughed about how the black bear really loves to eat. Today, I think I ate even more greedily than that black bear…”

His words woke Sun Ying from her daze, “No wonder it looked so familiar.”

However, they were not the only ones who were stuffed. Many diners were the same.

Duan Jiaze saw Xiao Su squatting nearby, taking photos from several angles to capture various promotional shots.

Sun Aiping could not help saying, “The environment here is really nice. The air is fresh, there’s even a lake at the foot of the mountain, and so many birds flying around. The decor is also great, clean and natural. Just this condition alone is better than many professional big restaurants.”

Liu Lian agreed, “Exactly. I’ve been to many hotels and restaurants in Donghai City, including those ecological farms. None of them gave me this feeling. This place is truly great; no wonder the animals are well cared for. Today, I looked around and noticed all the animals were full of energy.”

Liu Lian still restrained herself from comparing it to the city zoo.

In fact, not only the city zoo, but no zoo in Donghai City could compare. Not only city zoos and Ling You, even many shopping malls had indoor zoos or aquariums to attract customers, but the animals’ mental condition were often not optimistic.

In the meantime, as Duan Jiaze learned more about the industry, he also thought more about other aspects. With stable customer flow, he even canceled the lottery bird escort. He hoped that as more visitors were attracted, they would not only fall in love with the animals, but also learn more about them.

…

Jia Jia Restaurant was supposed to serve breakfast and lunch. On the first day of operation, there were not many diners in the morning, but slightly more at noon. Due to limited space, some tourists had to wait a while to avoid the peak hours.

Upon entering after the long wait, the Farmer God and Laka series were already sold out…

After all, it was the effect of the few influencing many. Some people, not satisfied with their portion, even packed some to go, but the portion sizes were already quite small.

Later visitors were either lucky— or unlucky— enough to see previous diners enjoying the last dish of the series. They were already very hungry and tempted, saliva nearly flowing out, “What dish is this? Let’s order this too. It looks refreshing and smells delicious.”

However, the servers would apologize to tell them that they were sold out.

At that point, visitors would finally notice the prices of the dishes, but it no longer mattered, because they could not buy them even with money.

That made them even more curious. The price of the dishes were like in big restaurants, but they could be sold out anyways. Could there really be something special about them?

People who had tasted the dishes discussed among themselves. Could it be due to a particularly impressive chef, because not everything depended on just the ingredients, right? Did they use a special method to bring out the food’s flavors?

Scenes from various food animations and movies started appearing in everyone’s minds…

At night, Duan Jiaze checked online and saw that Xiao Su’s article about Jia Jia Restaurant’s opening had already been published, with many local residents sharing their experiences in the comments.

“I went to Ling You with my husband today and ate at Jia Jia. I have to shout out, the five-grain porridge is so damn good!! I feel like I’m wandering in a field of hope!!”

“Delicious +1! I also went today, saw others eating and couldn’t resist myself, so I bought a bowl and I’m still savoring it till now. It’s really the best porridge I’ve ever had.”

“Begging official account manager to inform Director to invite him to the city and open a restaurant…”

“_(:з」∠)_ I went too, but I didn’t get paid, so I was reluctant to buy. I’ve seen others eating it so deliciously wuuuu. But the local dishes are also delicious, very fresh. It’s really quite genuine as a scenic restaurant.”

“Today, my Wechat moments are flooded with these posts. A friend who usually doesn’t like vegetarian dishes posted over twenty updates about Ling You’s meals, with many pictures and emojis 2333 I think she’s gone crazy.”

“At first, I thought it was average. The restaurant’s name and all felt like those budget-friendly box lunch places, but the signature dishes are definitely top-notch. I’m not exaggerating when I say I haven’t had such delicious rice in thirty years.”

“Surprised, not fake commenters? My aunt came back from Ling You today and kept praising it, saying her constipation got better, and it must be because of the five-grain porridge there. I thought she was deceived, with such an expensive bowl of porridge…”

“I’m planning to go to Ling You tomorrow; I’m already craving the fresh bamboo shoot soup…”

“I’ve decided to invite friends to the zoo for a meal. To be frank, there’s no restaurant in the city that can compare to Jia Jia’s local dishes.”

“Is it true? So exaggerating!”

…

The non-local netizens initially thought those might be fake reviews. After all, how good could food from a zoo restaurant be?

However, when they checked the commenters’ accounts, many of them were several years old and had unique comments. The reviews ranged from praising the exceptional taste to complaining about not getting a chance to try it or mentioning being overwhelmed by posts.

Of course, many also praised Jia Jia’s regular dishes for their great taste, reasonable prices, and fresh ingredients. Some even mentioned having a poor appetite but finding themselves hungry as soon as they walked into the restaurant—though that was more speculative.

Overall, the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

It was a rare situation. While individual tastes varied and mixed reviews were possible, an entirely positive response suggested the restaurant might indeed be outstanding.

The non-local netizens thought to themselves that if they ever went to Donghai and visited Ling You, they would know where to eat.

Local residents felt more personally connected. Over the course of one or two weeks, Jia Jia Restaurant’s reputation spreaded, with increasingly unanimous reviews and an exceptionally high level of customer loyalty!

Once customers dined there, they could never forget. Those who could would increase their visits to the zoo, and those who could not would consider dining at Ling You more in the future.

The overwhelming positive response also led to some issues. Jia Jia Restaurant, being part of Ling You, only served visitors within the park and did not offer takeout. As customer enthusiasm grew and ingredients became limited, even the number of servings and takeout options were restricted, making it impossible to ask someone else to buy food to go…

In other words, to enjoy the Farmer God and Laka series, one would need to drive to the base of Cape Mountain, buy a zoo ticket, and then dine inside. Moreover, with the increasing crowd, they might not even get a chance to grab a seat.

As a result, diners were enthusiastically calling for Ling You to open a restaurant branch in the city or offer takeout. Of course, since they had no plans to switch careers and have stated that they did not have enough ingredients, it was not possible.

Ordinary locals would be fine since they could endure it and occasionally make a trip to Cape Mountain to satisfy their cravings.

However, food enthusiasts, on the other hand, would not stand it, leading some to drive to Ling You during weekends and even during weekday lunch hours to enjoy a meal and then hurry back to work.

“…A rich colleague drove to the zoo for lunch again. Impressive.”

“If you ask me where I’d like to eat, I like the zoo most.”

“I got a zoo annual pass, yay, now eating there will be more convenient.”

Statements like those frequently appeared on social networks, which also made Ling You Zoo and its Jia Jia Restaurant a local hot topic again.

At that time, a local fan of Ling You even edited a video. It began with a line of text: “Recently, Ling You’s restaurant has become popular in Donghai. Many non-locals are curious about what’s going on with us Donghai people… Today, I will tell you, you should ask what’s going on with Ling You instead…”

The video featured various clips from Ling You’s official blog showing animals eating. From black bear munching bamboo shoots, red panda munching apples, Arctic fox eating fish, to monkey eating bananas and lion eating meat…

The red panda munched till apple juice was all over its mouth. It even did not forget to wipe its hands to lick it off.

The lion ate meat while howling with delight, making it seem like it had not been fed in days, although its size indicated otherwise.

Anyway, all those animals were eating with great joy.

…

At that point, some viewers had already reacted, laughing out loud.

Indeed, the latter part of the video showcased photos and short clips of Jia Jia Restaurant, which were uploaded by local netizens or the official blog. They consisted of diners not speaking while eating, some of their impatient moments, licking plate moments, as well as diners looking stuffed after their meals and struggling to walk…

It almost felt like– they closely resembled the first half of the video.

“Seeing this, I think you and I share the same thoughts, Ling You Zoo’s food has magic powers!”

The video received many likes from locals. They realized that not only did they enjoy the food, even the animals at Ling You seemed to enjoy it too.

So, the lively and adorable animals at Ling You must be due to the good food, right?

Indeed, good food was the primary productivity force, even having the ability to boost enthusiasm for work. Many shared the post with their companies and friends, hoping their workplaces could learn from it.

“The black bears at the zoo are so well-fed they even show off their cuteness. How about us humans! Boss, please see my heartfelt message!”

“Want to be an animal at the zoo, so I can eat Jia Jia food for free every day QAQ”

“Does the zookeeper accept animals with college degrees…”

It was amusing that a zoo’s popularity has increased due to its affiliated restaurant, leading to playful comments like “going to the zoo for a meal” or “becoming an animal at the zoo to eat.”

As more people got playful, the zoo’s attention surged. Many curious onlookers, those who questioned, and local dining establishments that lost their limelight could not help checking it out.

However, there was a saying, “true gold fears no fire.” No matter how many people went, the final verdict was four words: utterly convinced, completely satisfied.

Selling that kind of price was impressive, being hyped up so much was even more impressive.

Several restaurants approached Duan Jiaze, hoping to collaborate. While Ling You had no plans to open a city branch, they offered consignment at other locations.

Others wanted to inquire about Ling You’s ingredient suppliers, suspecting that there might be high-end new varieties or imports that were hard to find.

Those efforts were futile. Duan Jiaze was incredibly thrilled that the restaurant could drive zoo ticket sales, so why would he leak the recipes? As for the ingredients, those people could never find similar varieties or samples elsewhere.

—Let alone them, even the cleverest sparrows could not steal a few of their Farmer God’s five grains.

Bamboo shoots had a dedicated security team led by Xiong Siqian, while the kitchen management now included cultivators from the cultivation world, making it strict!

If it were not for Duan Jiaze’s connections and the protection of Taoists and cultivators, many people would probably want to strangle him…

…

…

Amidst the jealousy, Duan Jiaze was leisurely enjoying his time. For instance, just after taking a bath, he sat on the bed to read a marine life encyclopedia and fantasized, “If I had the money, I’d build a real underwater tunnel as an aquarium, over in Donghai. There’s no need to set up scenery, then I can have as many fish as I want. It’ll be an open concept, where fish and visitors can come and go as they please.”

Actually, Donghai City had the geographical conditions for such projects, though it was rare in Asia. For Ling You, the biggest issue was funding, and they were located along the coastline. The separation of exhibition halls was also not ideal.

Luya was groaning nearby and sneering at Duan Jiaze, “Building an underwater oceanarium is one thing, but an open concept is just asking for trouble. By then, you’ll end up with octopuses.”

“How can that be!” Duan Jiaze rolled his eyes as his phone rang. It was the local police officer. He answered, “Brother Liu, what’s up?”

The officer said, “Director Duan, I’m passing on a reminder. We’ve just had a meeting. Recently, a group of criminals has been active in the city, assaulting women and acting quite… savage. Their attack timings are unpredictable, and they haven’t been caught yet. Although we’re on the suburbs, we have many visitors here, so it’s better to pay attention. Please notify your staff and alert the visitors.”

“Got it,” Duan Jiaze said quickly. “Thank you so much.”

After hanging up, Duan Jiaze sent the message in the group chat, alerting staff, especially female employees, to be cautious.

On the side, Luya asked, “What’s going on?”

The group did not include those dispatched animals. Duan Jiaze replied seriously, “Sigh, some savage criminal…”

Under Luya’s calm gaze, Duan Jiaze quickly lost interest and said, “Just a few human thugs wandering around, so I’m informing the staff to be cautious.”

Luya responded with “oh,” clearly uninterested. It seemed that none of the dispatched animals would care about such matters.

After finishing the call, Duan Jiaze continued to read the encyclopedia. His hair was still wet, because the hairdryer was broken, so he only used a towel. Water droplets occasionally dripped on him and the book.

Luya, watching from the side, spoke, “Can’t you just dry your hair?”

Duan Jiaze pretended not to hear. Since moving in with the Daoist, Daoist frequently criticized his various habits.

In that case, Duan Jiaze thought Luya’s comment was not due to health concerns about damp hair, but rather about him disliking water, or his desire to be picky.

Seeing Duan Jiaze’s ignorance, Luya felt quite unhappy, “You dare keep ignoring me?”

Duan Jiaze put down the book, leaned over to the stool beside the bed, and joked, “I’m sorry, but the towel can only do this much. The hair dryer broke, so can Daoist lend me some warm air?”

With their beds close together, Duan Jiaze’s head was nearly on Luya’s bed.

Looking up, Luya was staring at him with a phoenix-like gaze, “…”

He was taking advantage! Luya thought that his caretaker must have been given some bear’s courage lately, becoming increasingly arrogant!

Duan Jiaze, realizing Luya might be getting angry, knew it was time to stop, “I’ll go dry it outside and come back.”

As he started to shrink back to his place, Luya grabbed the back of his neck and blew warm air at him. It was neither too hot, nor too cold, just right. Quickly, the section of his hair exposed to the air was dried.

Luya said resentfully, “If there’s a next time, I’ll finish you.”

Duan Jiaze: “…”

No way… you actually did blow?