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Restaurants: Yang Chun Shop (陽春商號)

The beef patty club sandwich with french fries is a must-try at Yang Chun Shop. PHOTO: HO YI, TAIPEI TIMES

"Plain and humble" is the English translation of Yang Chun (陽春), and the cafe-cum-restaurant lives up to its name. The design isn't smart; the menu isn't fancy. There isn't even a sign. The tiny doorplate, a banyan tree and an old light-blue wooden door are all there is to denote its existence in a quiet alley off Guangfu South Road (光復南路) near the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館).

An uncontrived, vintage feel permeates the room. The cafe was renovated from an old-fashioned apartment with a courtyard out front, and retains a nostalgic ambience. Simple wooden chairs and tables, a sofa and opalescent walls lend the restaurant the feeling of a homey living room. The dim lights, hung from the ceiling, keep the room soothingly subdued, even during the day. Classical music pervades the air and a giant wooden-framed mirror on the wall reflects the room like a painting.

The wireless Internet service seems anachronistic: a nod to 21st-century technology in an otherwise vintage establishment.

Yang Chun Shop (陽春商號) Address: 447-24 Guangfu S Rd, Taipei (台北市光復南路447-24號) Telephone: (02) 8786-0810 Open: From 12:30pm to 11pm; closed on Tuesdays Average meal: NT$450 Details: Menu in Chinese; credit cards not accepted

It's true that a house can say a lot about its owner. A calm, polite man, the proprietor doesn't talk much and spends most of his time standing behind the bar and preparing Yang Chun Shop's light repasts.

From coffees, teas, flavored sparkling soda waters, cocktails, red and white wines to Japanese and Hong Kong milk teas, smoothies and milk shakes, the beverage selection is multi-cultural and scores well in blog reviews.

As for the food, there is a limited selection of salads, pastas, sandwiches and omelets as the proprietor apparently prefers to excel in a few signature dishes rather than expand the menu and run the risk of mediocrity.

The beef patty club sandwich with french fries (NT$280) is one of the tastiest items on the menu. Layers of lettuce, tomato slices, ham and egg flavored with barbeque sauce and mayonnaise provide a rich melange of flavors and the fries put those served at American chain restaurants to shame.

Pain de campagne with creamy mushroom soup (NT$200) is another specialty; the palatable large round loaf alone is worth a visit to the cafe. Although not eye-catching, the spicy garlic spaghetti (NT$250) lives up to its name and is not for the fainthearted. The basil mushroom omelet with pain de campagne (NT$250) is another popular dish among habitues.

The food here is served in large portions, and it is a good idea to consider sharing.

If you don't mind secondhand-smoke, the plain shop is a lovable place to while the day away surfing the Net, reading a book or spending time with friends.
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