As Jong-pal and Yeona fell into a deep sleep, Jong-pal quietly go down to the shop in the early morning breeze. It was time to prepare for business.
“Let’s give it a try today too. Let’s go, Dok Jong-pal!”
With determination, Jong-pal briskly shook himself awake.
He prepared the ingredients for the morning menu and meticulously cleaned the tables, wondering if any dust had settled overnight.
Finally, he finished preparing for business by attaching the prepared menu to the signboard:
-Cockatrice Doria Set: 50,000 won
-Regular Breakfast Set: 5,000 won
Shortly after, as he was about to open the door, a customer entered the shop with a startling jingle. Jong-pal greeted them with a bright smile.
“Welcome… Cheong-sol! Come on in. Good morning.”
It was Park Cheong-sol, a student who had been visiting the shop every day since he first stepped foot in it a week ago.
“Yes, good morning to you too, sir!”
“Yeah, Are you on your way to school again today?”
“No, sir. I’ve finished all my makeup classes. The professor said I don’t need to come anymore. Hehehe.”
“That’s great news! Congratulations! Now you can enjoy your vacation more comfortably.”
“Thank you. But sir, I noticed today’s menu outside is Cockatrice Doria…”
Cockatrice Doria.
It’s a dish made by mixing cockatrice breast meat and various vegetables with rice, topped with cheese and baked in the oven.
“Yeah. We have that and the regular breakfast set today. Which one would you like?”
“I’ve had the regular set many times before, so today I’ll have the Cockatrice Doria!”
“Excellent choice. Have a seat, I’ll bring some water.”
“No need, please take this first!”
As Jong-pal took out a water jug, Cheong-sol pulled out something hidden behind his back. It was a Miracle Berry Palm.
“Me? Are you giving it to me?”
“Yes.”
It was only a small piece, but it must have cost tens of thousands of won. Even if he didn’t know, it was probably worth it. He had been eating Hunter Bob’s food for years, but couldn’t he recognize this? He had heard that Miracle Berry Palms were used as ingredients for making health potion elixirs…
“That’s too much. Especially considering he’s just a student and probably doesn’t have much money.”
Jong-pal shook his head in disbelief.
“Ah, how can I accept something like this.”
“If you don’t accept it, I won’t come again. You’ve received so much from me. Please take it, sir. Yes? My arm hurts.”
But under Park Cheong-sol’s continued urging, Jong-pal reluctantly accepted the flowerpot. Sweet fragrance wafted from the Miracle Berry planted in the red pot.
“It’s a bit late, but congratulations on your opening, sir.”
“It’s not late at all. I opened yesterday. Anyway, thank you. Yeona will be thrilled when she sees this.”
“Oh, right. I remember Yeona likes plants, doesn’t she?”
It was a gift prepared with that in mind. But Cheong-sol awkwardly laughed and scratched his head, pretending not to know.
Seven days had changed a lot. They had become close enough to have comfortable conversations, and had warmed Cheong-sol’s heart with something fuzzy.
“Yeah. She’s probably watering the plants right now. Oh, by the way, you must be hungry after waiting for so long. Just wait a moment, I’ll make it right away.”
“Yes!”
Jong-pal quickly turned away. Cheong-sol sat at his usual spot and set the utensils, thinking of someone.
“Has he already eaten? It’s about time he came down…”
Just then, the bell attached to the shop door rang.
“Finally!”
Cheong-sol exclaimed and turned his head, but it wasn’t the person he was waiting for. It was someone he hadn’t seen before. Perhaps another customer like himself? Cheong-sol felt a strange feeling. He had been coming to eat for a week and hadn’t seen anyone other than himself as a customer.
It felt like someone had intruded into his tightly concealed secret hideout.
‘This was supposed to be my secret restaurant… No, what am I thinking? If it becomes famous through word of mouth, the owner will earn a lot of money. It should become famous. No, don’t become famous….’
While Cheong-sol was lost in thought.
The incoming customer was looking for the owner, Jong-pal.
“Is it time for meals now?”
Jong-pal, who was busy cooking, hurriedly dashed out at the sight of the customer.
“Oh, yes. Welcome. Meals are available now. The menu is…”
“I heard from one of your staff yesterday. I’ll have the Cockatrice Doria set.”
***
It was the woman customer who had turned away the day before because the restaurant was full. It was Kim Dana.
“Ma’am, your Cockatrice Doria set is ready. Enjoy your meal.”
“Yes, please bring it over here.”
Kim Dana, the influencer promoting restaurants.
She looked at the food placed in front of her.
In a deeply indented white oven dish were piled heaps of rice. And covering it all was a blanket of creamy mozzarella cheese, emitting a rather appetizing aroma.
‘First of all, the aroma passes, and the portion is surprisingly generous.’
But most of it would be rice and vegetables as usual. Kim Dana thought so as she picked up her phone.
‘First, I’ll take a picture, and then let’s give it a try.’
She wasn’t just an operator of an SNS food account for nothing. With her adept photography skills, she took several mouth-watering pictures.
If it’s delicious, it will be posted on her SNS, but if not, it’ll be thrown into the trash.
Finally, she picked up the spoon.
The blanket of mozzarella cheese covering the dish was peeled off. Then, the cheese, stretching like strands, followed as she scooped up the Cockatrice Doria.
Kim Dana’s eyes widened like rabbit eyes as she saw something glimpsing beneath. It was undoubtedly because of the visible chunks of meat.
‘It’s not minced meat, is it?’
The meat, cut into pieces, was definitely breast meat.
But is this possible? The amount written on the menu board is clearly fifty thousand won.
Her forehead narrowed for a moment.
‘Could it be that they inserted chunks of chicken meat? Ugh, if that’s the case, it’s problematic. Please don’t disappoint me.’
Let’s try it first. She put the large Doria into her mouth.
“Ugh, wow, hot!”
In an instant, like a scene from a comic book, lightning struck in her mind.
‘Even if the roof of my mouth gets burned!! Delicious!!’
With the smooth tang of tomato sauce, the sweet taste of sautéed onions, and the natural flavor of the meat. This was undoubtedly Cockatrice meat.
But selling it at this price?
It must be an event held to commemorate the opening, right?
Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense!
Various thoughts circulated in her mind. However, regardless of that, she busily moved her hands. Kim Dana continued to put food into her mouth without interrupting the flow.
It wasn’t much different from Park Cheong-sol. No, He was even more exaggerated than Kim Dana. Park Cheong-sol, with his nose buried in the plate, was inhaling the Cockatrice Doria.
‘What’s this? Why is it so delicious?’
It was a taste different from usual. The familiar home-cooked food from the owner seemed to have transformed into food from a high-end restaurant.
It was believable enough to be a dish served at the hottest Michelin-starred restaurant these days. If anything, it was even better.
She was so focused on eating that she couldn’t even hear Yeona’s voice, which she had been eagerly awaiting.
Ding.
“Dad, my food. Huh? Cheong-sol oppa is here too.”
“Jong-pal, we’re here.”
***
Entering the store, Jong-sik smiled faintly. Because he saw his younger brother with a wide grin. What on earth could make him so happy?
“What’s so amusing this early in the morning?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Jong-sik opened his mouth. In an instant, the gazes of Park Cheong-sol and Jong-pal fell on Jong-sik.
“Oh, Hyung and Yeona came.”
“Oh, really? Just figured it out now?”
“Sorry. Cheong-sol was enjoying the food so much that I got distracted watching him.”
“Oh, you’re here now. Hello, Yeona. Uncle, the breakfast this morning was really delicious. Absolutely amazing!”
Park Cheong-sol raised both thumbs up as he spoke. Jong-pal scratched his head awkwardly, and Jong-sik sat down on the chair with a trembling head.
“Really enjoying it, huh?”
“The food I made tastes good, you know. Why wouldn’t it be good? Haha.”
“Oh, really? I tell you it tastes good every day. Isn’t that enough?”
“That’s because you’re family. But today, even when I tried it myself, it was really delicious. It seems like Cockatrice and I go well together in cooking.”
It was Jong-pal, boasting without realizing whether the taste originated from Jong-sik. That was when it happened.
“I’ll handle the bill.”
Having finished her plate first, Kim Dana called Jong-pal.
“Oh, yes!”
“No, Dad, I’ll do it. You go inside and cook. I’ll handle the bill and clean up.”
Yeona moved faster than Jong-pal. Dok Yeona briskly headed to the cashier. Come to think of it, she was the customer who asked about the opening hours yesterday.
“Oh! You’re the one who came yesterday.”
Yeona pretended to know quietly.
“Ahaha. Yes, I said I’d come this morning.”
“I was really sorry yesterday. It was difficult to vacate the table…”
“But today, you could enjoy such delicious food instead. It was really delicious. If I knew it would be like this, I would have brought my brother too…”
“Well, next time you can come together.”
“Sounds good, right? Then let me pay. It’s fifty thousand won, right?”
Kim Dana cautiously offered her card.
“Yes. Let me assist with the payment.”
“After all, I was worried it would be lacking.”
“Hehe. Our restaurant prices are really cheap, right? We get our ingredients directly.”
“I thought so. Still, it’s too cheap! It’s almost embarrassing to pay for it… Oh, but by any chance, could I take a photo of the store here? I won’t capture anyone’s faces.”
“Of course. Please don’t capture the faces of those two over there. Take as many photos as you like.”
With Yeona’s permission, Kim Dana quickly took out her phone. After a moment, she finished taking pictures and asked the question she had forgotten.
“Finally, what’s the name of this restaurant?”
“Oh…. I’m putting up a sign today. It’s called Dok’s Restaurant.”
“Dok’s Restaurant, got it. I’ll come again next time.”
Kim Dana repeated the restaurant’s name and bowed her head. Facing her, Yeona also bowed her head.
“Yes! Please just come by.”
***
A while later,
A post was uploaded on the ‘Seoul Foodie’ account, which has 300,000 followers.
As it’s an account that introduces restaurants, the post naturally consisted of food photos. The food featured was Cockatrice Dorias covered with a blanket of mozzarella cheese.
At first glance, it might seem like an ordinary post, but upon closer inspection, it was different. The added hashtags underneath confirmed it.
#CockatriceDorias #Dok’sRestaurant #TheOwnerIsCrazy #OnlyFiftyThousandWon #AlmostFaintedWhileEating #Delicious #GreatValueForMoney #WhatAreYouWaitingForGoEat #Oh, but the menu changes every day. #EatBeforeIt’sTooLate #I’veAlreadyEaten #I WishTheyHadDelivery.
└ Haha, look at this. Looks like the owner of this account is really into Doria. Just used the dish name and the restaurant name before, but today’s hashtags are something else?
└ What hashtags!!! I’m going there right away.
└ Cockatrice. Alright, let’s dig in~
└ Oh, this place seems like it’s in our neighborhood. I’m going right now. I won’t hold back.
└ It’s a restaurant I visited for a company dinner yesterday.^^ I don’t know about the price, but the taste is out of this world. It’s a taste that slaps B1^^;
└ Ah, that went too far. Where do you pray for your secret wish? ㅠㅠ And it’s all covered up by the cheese, so you can’t even see it. Isn’t this a back advertisement?
└ No, no, this account doesn’t do hidden ads. It survived even when the hidden ad controversy broke out last time.
