Peter shifts in his seat. “What about Sebastian?”
“Fuck him.”
“But where are we going to get the money to buy the restaurant?” Freddie asks.
“I think you’re forgetting that I’mtechnicallya celebrity chef,” Shang says, matter of fact. “I can shell out what we need to purchase the restaurant, pay for renovations and upgrade—”
“And hire staff?” Rina asks.
Shang nods. “Tell everyone who’s still at La Rougethat they’ll have a job with us if they want it.”
A thrill shoots straight through Eden as she listens to Shang speak. He’s the same, but not the same. There’s something vibrant about him now, renewed and passionate.
“Are we really doing this?” she asks, beaming.
“I’m all in if you are,” Freddie says.
“Me, too,” Rina adds.
“Me, three!” Peter declares.
Eden takes a deep breath, willing herself to contain her excitement. “What are we going to call the place?”
“Just keep the name,” Bea suggests. “Locals know it well enough, already. Might as well use its existing reputation to give yourselves a head start with its old customer base.”
Shang holds up his drink. “To new beginnings.”
Everyone else holds up their drink and cheers, “To new beginnings!”
The Lunchbox needs more than a little elbow grease. Shang wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if Gordon Ramsay walked in to admonish its condition on a surprise episode ofKitchen Nightmares. The place is downright filthy when the owner hands over the keys, little thought or consideration offered after the signing of the papers. The guy looked done with the place, eager to clap his hands clean and head off to whatever adventures awaited him.
The Lunchbox was their problem now.
The wallpaper is faded and yellowing in places from years of sun exposure. The tile floors are somehow sticky and slippery at the exact same time. The tables and chairs in the restaurant front are so old, Shang’s worried that the furniture might collapse if a customer puts their full weight on it. The carpet is equally precarious. He doesn’t want to think about when it was last given a thorough wash. Probably never, but Shang wants to try and be positive about it.
On the first day, they get right to it. A complete overhaul.
Peter, Freddie, and Rina remove the furniture from the front of the restaurant, tossing everything into a waiting truck they’ve hired to drag everything to the dump. They’d donate it all, but there’s honestly very little that can be spared. Once the area is clear, the plan is to rip up the carpets and wallpaper. They’ve left the front doors open, but the restaurant lights off. The whole place needs some fresh air.
Shang and Eden are in the kitchen out back, surveying their new domain. It’s a lot smaller than La Rouge. But it’s all theirs, a little kingdom of their own.
The majority of the appliances left over at The Lunchbox are in surprisingly good condition. Not as fancy or as big and impressive as what Shang’s used to, but it’s more than enough. They make sure to test everything—Shang doesn’t want to run the risk of a grease fire—and come across a couple of snags. Minor issues. Easy to fix. Especially because his girl’s got nimble fingers and an eye for these sorts of things. She isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. It’s a good thing, given the ghastly mess of old food crumbs and oil behind the fryers.
He loves watching her work. The way she zones out and concentrates on the task at hand. Sometimes she hums a little tune, content in the simplicity of manual labor. Scrubbing, scraping, polishing. He doesn’t understand how Eden can look so angelic on her knees, sleeves rolled up and covered in sweat. She glances up at him and smiles, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
Then it occurs to him just how in love he is. Shang’s so in love, it hurts. He honestly can’t remember the last time anyone made him feel his whole. It’s a miracle he has her.
He never wants to let her go.
* * *
They each contribute at least one dish to their new menu. It’s not an extensive list, just a handful of favorites that are not only delicious and filling, but affordable as well.
Peter makes the most mouthwateringshucoson heavenly soft long bread buns, buttered and toasted to perfection before being topped with halved hotdogs, guacamole, cabbage, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, chili sauce, and mustard. It’s both crispy and soft at the same time, a perfect combination of textures in one’s mouth. It’s honestly the perfect dish for anyone looking for a quick but hearty meal for lunch.
Freddie brings fish and chips to the table. Simple, delectable, but hardly anything to scoff at. He makes sure to use a beer batter to bring out the subtle flavors of the fresh halibut he uses. It’s then fried to golden perfection. The fries are lovingly cut and seasoned by hand, optional Cajun spice in a small serving bowl to the side. He never skimps on the portion sizes, either. The fish is massive, and he makes sure to pile fries so high, a few always fall off the expo line.
Rina contemplated making a classic pho from scratch, but eventually decided on her and her sister’s personal favoriteg?i cu?n—savory braised pork, massive prawns, soft vermicelli, cucumbers, lettuce, and diced carrots all wrapped up in a pretty rice paper blanket. The way she plates everything makes the dish look like a masterpiece that’s too good to eat. Most people do, however, eat it eventually, because it’d be a right shame to waste such an amazing meal.
