This traditional southern Chinese courtyard-style house tucked away in the foothills of Tatun Mountain (大屯山) is worth visiting for many reasons. Operating under a name loosely translated as Inside the Old Wall, the property has been handed down through the Lee (李) family over three generations and serves as an example of how a heritage site can be revitalized with a little love and imagination. Originally built as a family home in 1871, the structure was extensively renovated in 2002, transformed into its current combination of social history museum, restaurant and scenic cafe.
The museum component of Inside the Old Wall is understated, and diners can experience the nostalgia of the restaurant’s setting simply by lounging in the courtyard and watching children play hop-scotch and other simple games on roughly drawn squares. There are plenty of shaded outdoor seats and visitors are protected from the sun not only by large parasols, but also by the big old trees that play as significant a role in shaping Inside the Old Wall’s ambiance as the bricks and mortar.
In the summer months, the heat can make dining outdoors quite an ordeal. Sweltering patrons have the option of eating in the attractive two-story wooden structure behind the main house, as the building contains both an air-conditioned dining area and an upstairs cafe lounge.
The food is best described as home-cooked Taiwanese cuisine — the dishes are tasty enough, if not exactly calculated to wow diners. Inside the Old Wall offers a wide range of stir-fried wild vegetables (NT$100 and up) not readily available at city restaurants. Dishes such as deep fried eel (香酥鰻魚, NT$220), spicy eggplant (魚香茄子, NT$200) and pumpkin with salted duck egg (鹹蛋南瓜, NT$200) are the restaurant’s specialties and are suitable for tables of four and up. While the fare is certainly not fancy, Inside the Old Wall handles salt and oil with an appropriate degree of restraint, which allows the freshness of the ingredients to speak for itself. Service is casual but extremely efficient.
Address: 3 Dapaitou, Jhongliao Ward, Tamsui Township, Taipei County (台北縣淡水鎮忠寮里大埤頭3號)
Telephone: (02) 2621-0252 Open: 11am to 9pm (cafe closed on Thursdays)
Average meal: NT$300 Details: Chinese menu; no credit cards On the Net: shi1871.com
Though the cooking is significantly above par for restaurants found at scenic spots, it is not the cuisine, but Inside the Old Wall’s cafe that is attention grabbing. The cafe area is not air-conditioned and instead relies on its large windows to allow a breeze to waft in. The owners, who also operate a boutique cafe in Jingmei (景美區), Taipei City, take their drinks seriously, roasting their own coffee beans in small batches and providing visitors with a diverse spectrum of interesting teas.
Inside the Old Wall’s thorough approach to beverages is a rarity. The staff takes its time preparing and serving beverages, leaving patrons at their leisure to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. Overlooking the magnificent cherry orchards of Tianyuan Temple (天元宮), the view from the restaurant is particularly spectacular during the cherry blossom season in February and March. Bookings are recommended.
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