New Paris Food Court Introduction
New Paris was originally the first western-style pastry shop in Xindian District, and at a time when western pastries were not widespread, it was quite a fashionable and popular store. The private braised dishes gained a good reputation after transitioning from trendy pastries to traditional braised dishes, which was actually a coincidence. The current owner’s father, Li Zhengchao, not only made bread but was also skilled in cooking, often preparing braised dishes as snacks for his children. By chance, the regular customers of the bakery got to taste Li Zhengchao’s private braised dishes and were amazed, leading to the unusual trend of customers coming to the bakery specifically for the braised dishes. Thus, New Paris’s delicious braised dishes gained a reputation and the bakery transitioned to selling braised dishes. With the addition of herb-infused spicy flavors, the braised dishes became even more appetizing. After the second generation took over, the Li brothers were in charge of making bread, while their sister-in-law, Huang Suli, was responsible for the braised dishes. She learned from her father-in-law, Li Zhengchao, for more than a year before officially taking over the kitchen. Realizing that traditional braised dishes often contained too much star anise and other spices, and with herbal cooking gaining popularity, Huang Suli tried adding lemongrass and verbena to the braised dishes and unexpectedly discovered a delightful sweetness. She later added Thai bird's eye chili to enhance the spicy flavor. Initially, her father-in-law was skeptical about the acceptance of spicy braised dishes, but the customers were very supportive, and the herb-infused spicy braised dishes became the signature of New Paris.
