Leaving the church and arriving at the roadside, his gaze swept over the street. He noticed a carriage with its private crest covered parked not far from the church. A bit further away, several ornately decorated private carriages were parked outside the church, their drivers yawning listlessly.
Across the street, several massive, trackless public carriages, resembling moving sardine cans, were chugging and puffing past. Their bodies swayed slightly. With Samuel's keen sense of smell, he could seemingly detect from afar the turbid air mixed with sweat, cheap tobacco, and various bodily odors.
He raised his hand to hail a cab, instructing the driver to take him to the Flora restaurant on Andrew Street.
He really didn't want to ride the trackless public carriage again. That peculiar experience was quite enough for one lifetime.
A clean, tidy cab pulled by two sturdy chestnut horses briskly approached from a street corner not far away and came to a steady halt before him. The carriage was painted a deep brown, polished to a shine, and the window glass was exceptionally clean.
The driver was a middle-aged man wearing a neat but somewhat worn uniform. He nimbly jumped down from the driver's seat and gave a slight bow. "Sir, where would you like to go?"
"Andrew Street, Flora restaurant," Samuel replied with a smile.
The cab driver helped Samuel open the carriage door, and Samuel smoothly seated himself inside the cabin, which was furnished with soft cushions.
The leather seats emitted a faint scent of cleaning agent. Though old, they were well-maintained and far more comfortable than the hard wooden benches of the public carriage.
"Very well, sir. Flora on Andrew Street. Please sit tight," the driver responded.
The rhythmic, crisp clatter of hooves on the cobblestone road began, and the carriage swayed gently as it entered the streets of the South District of Reins, where the midday carriage traffic wasn't too heavy.
The interior of the carriage was relatively quiet, insulating him from most of the street noise. Samuel leaned back in his seat, his gaze drifting out the window. The architectural styles along the street were a mix, featuring ancient stone Gothic spires as well as recently constructed brick-and-stone hybrid buildings with a steampunk aesthetic.
Since both locations were in the South District, the Continuity Church wasn't far from Andrew Street. The cab ride took less than 20 minutes to reach the destination, costing Samuel six sien.
Four sien was the fare, and two sien was the tip.
"Thank you, sir. Enjoy your meal!" The driver took the banknotes, a simple, satisfied smile on his face, before flicking the reins and driving away.
This carriage was rented by him, so he had to hand over 80% of the daily fare to the carriage company. Tips, however, were different. Whatever he got in his hand, he kept.
The corner of Samuel's mouth also lifted slightly.
He could clearly sense the emotions of others, and among them, he particularly liked feelings of happiness and joy.
Therefore, while satisfying his own sense of "pleasure," he never minded making others happy as well.
Two sien was actually quite a small amount, but it could make someone feel better.
That was good enough.
His eyes swept over Andrew Street. It was much livelier than the area around the church, with a dazzling array of shops and pedestrians dressed more respectably. The aroma of food in the air became richer and more complex.
Finally, his gaze settled on the restaurant recommended by Ethen.
The facade wasn't ostentatious, but it was sufficiently refined. The dark wooden doorframe was polished smooth, and above it hung an elegant metal sign engraved with the word "Flora" entwined with floral vines. The display window was wiped spotlessly clean, showcasing a few exquisite dessert models and a crystal vase holding fresh flowers. Through the glass, one could see the warm and tastefully lit interior.
Arriving at the entrance of the Flora restaurant, a waiter dressed in a red jacket and blue trousers immediately approached with a polite, smiling face.
"Hello, esteemed sir. Will you be dining alone? Do you have a reservation for a private room?" The waiter's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached Samuel's ears.
"No reservation. Two people. Someone else will be joining me shortly," Samuel said, waving his hand to indicate the waiter needn't bow. He then casually took his hat off his head and hung it on his cane before handing it to the waiter.
"Very good, sir. Rest assured, we will reserve a seat for you," the waiter said respectfully, taking the cane and hat with practiced ease and temporarily placing them on a coat rack in the hallway.
"Right this way, sir, please." He led Samuel into the restaurant. "May I ask if you and your companion would prefer the more private setting of a booth or a table in our main dining area where you can appreciate the restaurant's ambiance?"
"The main dining area is fine, a window seat," Samuel replied, following the waiter.
The ground floor of the restaurant was quite spacious. There were booths along the walls, regular tables, and a dedicated stage area with a piano where a musician was playing soothing music. The floor was made of marble, polished clean, and several crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Unfamiliar oil paintings hung on the walls, and several marble statues were placed in positions that wouldn't obstruct movement. Various objects made of or adorned with gold were inlaid or hung in different places.
"As you wish, sir. This way, please." The waiter stepped aside, making a standard guiding gesture.
While leading the way, he inquired in a respectful tone that was soft yet perfectly audible, "Might I have the honor of introducing our restaurant's most distinctive dishes and famous wines to you?"
"Please do," Samuel nodded in response. "Please recommend according to a proper meal course. No need for pies, salads, or the like."
"Here you are, please sit here." The waiter guided Samuel to a seat by the window.
Since Samuel had arrived quite early, most people wouldn't come to this kind of restaurant for a proper meal at this hour. Therefore, the waiter had found Samuel an excellent spot. He could see the street scene outside the window, hear the soothing melody of the piano, and wouldn't have people constantly walking past him.
A few seconds later, the waiter deftly laid out a napkin for him and respectfully placed a beautifully bound, thick menu resembling a tome and a slightly thinner but equally elegant wine list before him. He then skillfully opened the menu to the first page and began introducing while turning the pages:
"Our most famous dishes include these. First, we highly recommend the Braised Black Truffle and Porcini Mushrooms. It features select, high-quality porcini mushrooms, garnished with top-grade black truffle shavings from the Ilna Forest, and braised over a low flame with a secret sauce. It boasts a rich mushroom aroma and a plump, tender, and smooth texture."
"Next is our signature 'Pan-Seared Foie Gras Rossini.' We use the most succulent Rossini foie gras imported from Adrian, pan-seared until the surface is golden and crispy. It's paired with a specially made port wine sauce and fig jam, balancing richness and melting in the mouth."
"If you prefer meat, the 'Slow-Roasted Ribeye Steak with Black Pepper Sauce' is an excellent choice. It uses the most tender ribeye cut from the Yulia Estate's beef, slow-roasted at a low temperature until the center reaches a perfect pink, full of juices. Paired with a rich black pepper sauce, the flavor is robust..."
"Then there's the Cream Cheese Baked Deep-Sea Lobster. We use live lobster with firm, springy meat, baked with the head chef's secret cream cheese sauce, perfectly blending the creamy aroma with the sweet freshness of the seafood."
"Pan-Seared Cod Fillet with Herb Butter..."
"Finnish-style Baked Snails with Garlic Bread..."
"Pan-Seared Scallops with Caviar..."
"Seared Tuna Belly with Yuzu Pepper Sauce..."
Since Reins was a coastal city, the number of seafood dishes was considerable. Among the dish names the waiter rattled off, seven out of ten were seafood.
But Samuel himself wasn't very fond of seafood. He always felt that no matter how well-cooked it was, seafood retained a fishy smell.
After finishing the main courses, appetizers, desserts, and other items, the waiter shifted to explaining the appropriate wine pairings: "Our champagnes, red wines, and white wines here come from..."
Samuel raised his right hand, signaling the waiter to stop.
"Do you have a chef's recommendation set menu?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," the waiter replied promptly, his tone unchanged, still humble and professional. "The Chef's Recommendation is a set menu curated by our head chef to provide you with an authentic and delicious Liastan feast. It aims to present a complete, balanced, and most representative Liastan culinary experience embodying the essence of Flora. It includes appetizer, soup, main course, dessert, and post-meal petits fours. It is slightly adjusted according to seasonal ingredients to ensure you taste the freshest flavors of the season."
"It comes in three options: 8 yur, 5 yur, and 3 yur. The 8 yur 'Classic Selection' includes eight selected dishes. The 5 yur 'Elegant Taste' includes five core dishes. And the 3 yur 'Light Moment' includes three featured dishes. Each tier includes corresponding soup, beverage, and aperitif pairing suggestions."