Shanchen Restaurant (山珍飯店)
30 Wulai St., Wulai Village, Wulai (台北縣烏來鄉烏來村烏來街30號), tel: (02) 2661 6422. Open: 10am - 8:30pm (9pm on holidays); average meal: NT$300; credit cards not accepted.
PHOTO: JULES QUARTLY
"Amah de tang" (Granny's soup,
PHOTO: JULES QUARTLY
The meat is soft and tender, the flavor deep and slightly bacony. The papaya gives it body and the unusual mushroom, which is slightly crispy, sets off the texture. Then there are the red dates, which offer a crushingly sweet taste explosion when eaten. But ultimately, the whole is greater than its parts. Flavors and textures mix on the palate, and the clean aftertaste screams freshness and health. Apparently it is good for the complexion and if you happen to be pregnant it also is said to assist lactation. This soup, served in a tureen, from which it can be ladled into separate bowls, is hard to beat.
Other eating options include the usual stir-fried dishes and local vegetables, mountain stream fish and mountain chili soup made with the green seeds harvested from a 10m tall "chili tree," which is found along a local mountain trail.
Monaludo (莫那魯道)
3 Yanti Rd., Wulai Township, Wulai (台北縣烏來鄉堰堤路3號), tel: (02) 2661-7555 Open: 8:30am - 1am, average meal: NT$1,500; credit cards not accepted.
The owner is an artist whose woodcarvings are exhibited in Taipei. On weekends, at lunchtime and at night, he plays jazz for his guests. There is a good view of the river, nice decor, powder blue walls, lots of art and sculptures and, in an odd addition, an MGB and BMW from the owner's collection of classic cars are parked in the foyer. You can relax before or after your hot tub and drink tea or beer and read the selection of magazines on offer. Otherwise take lunch or dinner, which features a variety of Chinese and Aboriginal dishes.
A range of set menus are available, including the "lovers' menu," a nod to the establishment's accommodations. There are also specialty dishes that can be ordered individually, such as milk tree chicken. This dish is made from a type of Chinese herbal medicine derived from local trees; it tastes uncannily like coconut milk and is supposed to be good for the bones. Another choice is bitter flower fish, a type of fish that can be found in mountain streams. The dish is available in two sizes depending on the number of people dining. In addition to these more expensive options, Monaludo also provides a range of simple fare such as fried rice or noodles for as little as NT$150.
Finally, there is wild mountain pig, which has a harder edged tang to it and is less fatty than the domestic variety of pig. If you want to see the live version of what you are about to eat the owner keeps a young mountain pig in a wooden cage out front.
Aboriginal Delicious Holiday Restaurant (縱情原住民文化餐廳)
12 Pubu Rd., Wulai Township, Wulai (台北縣烏來鄉瀑布路12號), tel: 2661 7725 Open: 9am - 9pm, average meal: NT$350; credit cards not accepted.
A friendly little place with a view of nearby waterfalls, where the waitresses dress in Aboriginal costumes and are happy to guide you through an interesting menu which offers a range of meals that are peculiar to the area.
For instance, there is bee pupae stir fried in honey and rice wine, which is apparently hormone rich and guaranteed to spice up your love life. For only NT$500, it's a hard offer to refuse.
For singles, there is roast pig or wild deer ribs in a sweet and sour sauce, which is rich and intensely flavorful. Otherwise there are the usual dishes of locally caught fish, including rainbow trout which are flown in as fertilized eggs every year from Montana in the US, to be released in the local streams. For entertainment, there is an upstairs karaoke bar.
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