New Paris Food Court Introduction
New Paris was originally the first Western-style pastry shop in Xindian District, and during a time when Western pastries were not prevalent, it was a very fashionable and popular store. The private braised delicacies, which gained a good reputation, transitioned from trendy pastries to traditional braised dishes somewhat by chance. The current owner’s father, Li Zhengzhào, not only knew how to bake but was also skilled in cooking, often preparing braised dishes for his children as snacks. By coincidence, regular customers at the bakery got to taste Li Zhengzhào's private braised delicacies and were greatly impressed, leading to a novelty where people would come to the bakery specifically to buy the braised dishes. This is how the delicious braised delicacies of New Paris gained popularity and the bakery transformed into selling braised dishes. After the second generation took over, the Li brothers were responsible for making bread, while their sister-in-law, Huang Sulì, took charge of the braised dishes. She studied under her father-in-law, Li Zhengzhào, for over a year before officially taking over the kitchen. Realizing that traditional braised dishes often contained too much star anise and other strong spices, and influenced by the then-popular herb cuisine, Huang Sulì experimented by adding lemongrass and verbena to the braised dishes, unexpectedly finding that it brought out a sweet aftertaste. Later, she added Thai chili peppers to increase the spicy flavor. Initially, her father-in-law questioned the acceptance of the spicy braised dishes, but customers were very supportive, and the herb-infused spicy braised dishes became the signature of New Paris.
