第36話: レポーターの星村が山岡と貝原と共に冷やし中華を調査する

36

Hoshimura, a reporter in the "Home & Garden" Department, wants to write an article on hiyashi chuka. She goes to a restaurant with Kurita and Yamaoka, where Yamaoka criticizes the food so scathingly that he is only saved from the irate cook by the appearance of Inspector Nakamatsu. Hoshimura has scheduled an interview with a noted gourmet who turns out to be none other than Yūzan Kaibara. Kaibara is gravely insulted that he is expected to talk about such "vulgar dish", but Yamaoka challenges him and claims to be able to make hiyashi chuka he'd find palatable. Yamaoka experiments with various types of noodles but decides the problem lies in poor-quality ingredients. Yamaoka procures some good chicken and flour made from domestically grown wheat, while Nakamatsu acquires Kurobuta pork. They also enlist the help of a Chinese noodle maker in Wang's restaurant. Kaibara seems pleased with the dish, but then goes into the kitchen and produces another serving which everyone present finds better than the first. Kaibara says Yamaoka paid attention to the ingredients but forgot to consider the dish a whole. While hiyashi chuka was developed in Japan it's based on Chinese cuisine and Chinese condiments are better suited to it. One day, the Touzai staff notice Kaibara is on television claiming hiyashi chuka is a proper Chinese dish. (Source: Wikipedia)