Chan Yu Lin (禪玉林)
B1, No. 6-1, Lane 14, Lin-yi Street, Taipei (台北市臨沂街14巷6-1號B1); tel: 2357-7588. Average meal: NT$380. 11am - 10pm (Closed Sunday). Credit cards accepted.
PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
This teahouse is a treasure trove of antiques and local crafts. Valuable teapots, Buddhist sculptures, and handmade furniture set the tone for this elegant establishment. "It is virtually a little museum," owner Wang Shu-fen (汪淑芬) said.
PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
Many people visit Chan-yu-lin just to check out the two 100-year-old beds that are a feature of the house. It also regularly attracts celebrity figures such as Sisy Chen (陳文茜), Lin Chuo-shei (林濁水) and Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝).
The menu too also goes in for an antique touch, written on slips of bamboo as in the days before paper was used in China. But the dishes themselves are right up to date, including fish from south polar waters (南極冰魚) which are now all the rage in Taiwan. Wang says the whole fish is edible, including the bones and the head, as it is deep-fried and is very crisp. "The dish doesn't require much seasoning," Wang said, "as the meat is already very flavorful."
PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
A range of traditional deserts include taro pudding, tea pudding and sweet soups made of mung or red beans.
For those who want privacy, Chan-yu-lin provides a number of booths and private rooms. The largest room accommodates 25 people. Dinners get 50 percent off the price of tea if they stay to chat on after lunch.
Chu Liu Hsiang Teahouse (楚留香茶藝館)
12F, 120-12, Chunghsiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei (台北市忠孝東路4段120-12號12F); tel: 2741-1028, 2751-5118. Open 24 hours. Average Cost: NT$180. Credit cards accepted.
This teahouse, located on the 12th floor of a highrise, features Hakka-style home cooking. In addition to the conventional dining area, there are also Japanese tatami rooms secluded behind curtains.
Chu-liu-hsiang has been around for 20 years, and exudes an atmosphere similar to that of an old country store. Madame Chiu (邱王月), the 73-year-old owner, adds a further antique ambience. Like old ladies in big families, she loves to chat if her customers need a companion. She can tell all kinds of anecdotes of times gone by.
In addition to playing the host, Chiu is also the chef, turning out succulent home-style cooking. Choose from the 15 main courses from the paper fan menu. Typical Hakka dishes like braised pork slices with bamboo shoots and pork rib with mushroom are available here.
Another offering is "Buddha Jumps the Wall" (佛跳牆), a vegetarian dish with imitation meat, taro and lotus seeds. Each set meal comes with soup, rice and two side dishes.
This is a popular place for the meeting of account executives who gather here to enjoy the home cooking and time spent making and drinking tea.
Maple Garden (戰秋風)
6, Alley 6, Lane 80, Minsheng E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei (台北市民生東路4段80巷6弄6號); tel: 2514-7089. Open: 11:30am - 10pm (except Sundays). Average meal: NT$200. Credit cards accepted.
An oasis in the city with a garden design featuring pebbled and flagstoned surfaces and bamboo and dark wood furniture. Tucked away in a quiet maple lined alley, diners can sit and enjoy their meal to the accompaniment of soft music. The ambiance has such appeal that the place is usually packed at lunchtime, but after the lunch crowd has departed, the place becomes ideal for a quiet get-together or a place to sip tea and enjoy the quiet.
Maple Garden is run by Chang Chia-ming (張家銘) and his wife, both in their 30s. They offer a range of set menus that they rotate every three months to ensure variety for regular customers.
The most popular dish is fish of the day, which is a choice of whatever Chang's wife picks up fresh at the market that morning. This dish usually features salmon, cod, white croaker or barracuda -- the fish is generally served fried.
The menu incorporates a wide range of flavors, and currently includes Chinese medicinal dishes such as stewed chicken with ginseng (人蔘燉雞), a nutritious dish that nourishes the eyes and enhances your immunity. Another special dish is boneless chicken marinated in Shaoxing wine (無骨醉雞), which is served chilled. The cold flesh and slightly tangy tasted imparted by the alcohol make it a particular favorite with children, Chang said. Noodles and vegetarian dishes are also available.
In addition to meals, Maple Garden is also a great place to enjoy tea and snacks during the afternoon.
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