Chapter 104:
Carpaccio, Three Times
HEINRICH HAD TAKEN the Day of Satur off so he could drop into the Restaurant to Another World around noon. He sat in the dining room eating his usual fried shrimp and watching the other guests—one rather loud pair, to be precise.
“Ah…this fish might be even tastier than usual! Can I get more?”
“C’mon, Iris, quiet down! Sorry, but could we get another order of the fish, please?”
Wings drooped from the diners’ backs. At first glance, both looked like young girls, but from their speech, they seemed to be a young man and woman. They were apparently enjoying their meals.
Are they really all right with eating raw fish? Heinrich wondered. Is that because they’re monsters?
Heinrich was well educated, having been born into the family of a lord who governed a town in the Duchy. Thus, he knew the pair were terrifying monsters called sirens that lived on islands and especially liked fish. It made sense that they enjoyed the fish raw, since he’d never heard of sirens using fire.
Where Heinrich came from, he’d been taught never to eat raw fish. One boiled them, grilled them, gutted and dried them, or smoked them till they were tough as hell—at any rate, they weren’t eaten raw. As a little boy, he’d heard stories about people eating undercooked fish, then getting sick to their stomachs and dying due to the parasites or poison still inside.
But that…that looks good, Heinrich thought as he polished off his order of fried fish. Despite being uncooked, the sirens’ meals really did look delicious.
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What was the tastiest item on Nekoya’s menu?
The answer changed depending on who you asked. Some responded that the fried meat dishes were best, while some said the restaurant’s true strength was its incredibly fresh, delicious vegetables and mashruums. There were even those who’d answer that bread was the restaurant’s underappreciated true star and those who’d say the same of rice.
While some customers came early in the day for a rib-sticking meal, others visited during the afternoon to enjoy a cup of tea and some sweets. Then there were those who arrived in the evening, drinking themselves to oblivion while enjoying a bite. There were all sorts of ways to appreciate the Restaurant to Another World.
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As far as Heinrich was concerned, Nekoya’s true attraction was its selection of fish and blessings of the sea. How could he not feel that way when the restaurant served shripe between two slices of bread—a completely new way of eating the famously quick-to-spoil food? On top of that, Nekoya’s incredible tartar sauce brought out the best in the shripe. The restaurant was the only place Heinrich could enjoy such a thing.
Come to think of it, it’d make sense for raw fish served here to taste good.
With that thought, Heinrich realized something. It was true that sirens had been indulging in the raw fish, but the person who prepared the fish was undeniably human, even if he was from another world. Nekoya’s chef, the master, was a man proud of his cooking abilities. If he was behind the raw-fish dish, that meant he felt it was an excellent meal deserving of its price.
No, no. I mustn’t get ahead of myself. Faced with his own curiosity, Heinrich shook his head. The master did go out of his way to create a dish using that rotten-bean sauce for the elves. The raw fish is probably strictly for monster consumption.
The only people Henrich had seen willingly, happily eat those rotten-bean dishes were elves—the swordsman who visited during the daytime and the two females who frequented the restaurant with the human mage woman. He had just about convinced himself when the restaurant’s bell rang, heralding a loud pair of new visitors.
“Hey! We’re here!”
“Wow! Long time no see! How’ve you all been?”
Two deeply tanned children with pointy ears and curly hair appeared, pulling off their sandy hoods.
“We heard Grandma and Gramps say there was a door in the desert, so we decided to check in!”
“Could we get some water to start with? My throat’s super-duper dry.”
Heinrich watched as the two trotted over and sat near him. They’re…halflings. They were a species of travelers who forever looked like children. This particular couple, both cooks, were named Pikke and Pakke; they smiled at each other as they looked around the restaurant.
“Welcome! It has been a long time.” Aletta greeted them with a smile. “Here are your waters and moist hand towels.”
The halflings removed their capes, shaking sand off onto the floor.
“Thanks!”
“Yahoo! It never feels bad to get nice and clean.”
They gulped down their water, asking for more as they cleaned their faces and hands. Heaving satisfied sighs, the two prepared to fill their stomachs.
“It’s been a while. Let’s eat tons, Pakke!”
“Yeah! I want to pig out, Pikke!”
The halflings gazed around the restaurant and spotted two girls eating something that looked delicious.
“Ooh, I get it!” Pakke exclaimed. “This is the season for salmon. It’s scrumptious!”
“All right!” Pikke pointed at the girls’ meal, asking Aletta, “Can Pakke and I order that first?”
In the desert, it was easy to lose track of the seasons, but the halflings were quick on the uptake. They recognized that it was autumn simply from seeing the flaking pink fish meat.
The otherworldly fish called “salmon” was a guest favorite at Nekoya from fall to winter. It had a unique flavor compared to fish with bright-red or white flesh. The two halflings were well aware that, even raw, salmon was rich and delicious.
“Sure! Two orders of smoked-salmon carpaccio. Those’ll be right out.” Aletta took the halflings’ order and began the trek to the kitchen.
Heinrich stopped her. “Ah, sorry. Aletta, is it?”
“Yes?”
“I’d also like that carpaccio stuff.”
“Oh…yes, of course.”
When Heinrich heard the halflings, who seemed to have tried all kinds of dishes at Nekoya, describe the raw-fish dish as scrumptious, he’d decided to pull the trigger. If they thought so, it very well might be true, and at the very least the dish certainly wouldn’t be poisonous.
It wasn’t long before Aletta presented Henrich with a plate of bright-pink fish topped with sliced oranie, pure-white cheese, and a white sauce. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s your smoked salmon and cream cheese carpaccio.”
So, it really is raw. Heinrich doubted himself slightly as he picked up his fork. Judging from its opacity, the fish was clearly uncooked. Still, he pressed ahead.
“Mmm, delish!” one halfling exclaimed.
“When it comes to fresh fish, you’ve just gotta order it raw! Well, this is smoked.”
Ignoring his loud neighbors, Heinrich stuck his fork into the fish and cheese, bringing some up to his mouth. The pink flesh was slightly translucent; the bright-white cheese would surely spoil within a day. He gulped in nervousness and excitement, then took a bite.
The second he tried the carpaccio, Heinrich sighed deep within his heart. Wow…this is really good!
The very first piece of raw fish he’d ever eaten had an entirely unique texture. It didn’t disintegrate as he chewed it, instead tearing slowly. Each time Heinrich bit into the flesh of the fish, oil oozed out. The carpaccio certainly had the scent of fish, but it lacked the unpleasant odor of old seafood. Instead, its aroma was full of the fresh, salt air of the sea.
The carpaccio’s combination of creamy cheese and fresh oranie brought out the fish’s meaty umami flavors. They both had a different sour flavor than the sauce on top, and it was powerfully bright, cutting through the fatty fish.
Then there was the incredible white sauce that united all the ingredients. Over his many visits to Nekoya, Heinrich had indulged in fried shrimp and oysters, so he quickly recognized the sauce he was dealing with. It didn’t contain minced eggs or herbs, but it was undeniably tartar sauce.
The tartar sauce contained a neutral oil and had a unique sour, eggy taste. It was the one topping you needed when eating seafood; apparently, that went for raw fish, too. This pairs really well with fresh fish.
“Aletta darlin’!” called a halfling. “Sorry, but could you bring us some bread? Not toasted!”
“As soon as possible, please! We’re gonna put this carpaccio between the slices.”
“I’d like some as well, Aletta.” Heinrich followed the lead of the loud voices next to him.
After biting into carpaccio squeezed between two slices of bread, Heinrich thought, I see. The pillowy, sweet bread paired magnificently with the delectable raw fish.
Heinrich had eaten an entire serving of fried shrimp before the carpaccio, yet the raw-fish dish in front of him vanished into his not-at-all-empty stomach in seconds.
Facing his empty plate, Heinrich thought, Oh, my. The other world never fails to amaze me. Since Nekoya could even prepare delicious raw fish, additional secret delights were surely still hidden within the menu.
Satisfied, Heinrich rose slowly from his chair, paid, and returned to his world.