HOME CENTRAL TAIWAN DINING

COMPASS MAGAZINE June 2011
　

The sight of the the owner and customers sharing their love of tea-making with each other is a common scene here. The photographs on the wall are all shot by the owner.

Er Yue Shan Jia Tea House brings good tea and dining together By May Chen Translated by Angel Pu 70-2, GuoJi St, Xitun District (04) 2359-8518 Hours: 10 am-10 pm No service charge. Credit cards not accepted. No minimum bills. Parking lot available. This vintage-style teahouse, featuring classical Chinese decor, sits on Guoji Street near TaiZhongGang (Taichung Port) Road. The owner is a photographer and very fond of Chinese tea culture, which means that many hard-to-find teas and pu'er tea can be found here. The owner's wife also loves teaching flower arranging and writing poetry. Thus, it's not surprising that many, if not most, of the patrons here look like they're also interested in art and literature. Left: The price range for coffees, teas and vinegar-based drinks runs from NT$40 to NT$200. For dining, the restaurant offers various set meals, Italian cuisine, hot pots and noodles (NT$110-500), and desserts fall into the NT$35-120 range. Larger groups of diners can also enjoy table set meals here. Right: Pork Knuckle with Wine and Black Beans Table Set Meal (NT$400 per person) This pork knuckle is cooked with black beans and wine for an amazing 50 hours, helping give the meat a smooth, tender texture. The side dishes include appetizing Brazilian Grape (Jabuticaba) vinegar drink, Beef Stew with Pu'er Tea, Crispy Skin Tender Tofu, Betel Nut Flowers, Seasonal Vegetables, Handmade Pineapple Cake, and a pot of Huang Shan Da Shu Tea (or pitcher of juice). Besides the main entree, side dishes are not all listed on the menu, so you can anticipate some surprises. Betel nut flowers are rich in fiber and minerals, and taste crispy and refreshing when freshly stir-fried. The Beef Stew with Pu'er Tea is both healthy and tasty. Only customers who order table set meals can enjoy these special dishes here. Crispy Pork Knuckle with Osmanthus (NT$440) To make this popular dish, the owners use natural osmanthus as a marinade and then fry the pork knuckle. When it's sliced open, the meat juices spill out, filling the air with great aromas. Dip this into a bit of mixed salt, pepper and osmanthus powder, with the osmanthus flavor especially standing out. The skin of pork knuckle is crispy and savory, and the meat is soft, tender and delicious. For an additional NT$60, all a la carte dishes can be upgraded to set meals which include a healthy vinegar drink, soup, bread, dessert and tea or coffee. Handmade Pineapple Cake (NT$150 for 10 cakes) is the most popular gift item at the restaurant, which also sells cans and bags of natural, healthy products for between NT$100 and NT$500.