March 2026 Shoal Menu
In childhood, lighting candles in milk cans punched with holes, winding with companions into a long river of lights on the streets on the night of the Lantern Festival; in the pitch-black park, we were tiny bright spots.
The dismay when the spring-folded paper lantern burned up, the siege of big and small children in a circle by the roadside striking matches and lighting candles to shield them from the wind, the envy-inducing torches of the boys, the brilliant neon light shining through cellophane pasted over wooden frames—the playful roaming in the dark is forever unforgettable.
The children who grew up in the age of the handmade have become people of age; even when just cooking a dish, they still love handcrafting.
After Yuanbao Temple burned the fire lion and finished setting off fireworks, the Lantern Festival passed, and thus the New Year passed. The price of imitation native chickens, which had climbed before winter due to transport and slaughter bans from African Swine Fever, showed no signs of lowering upon the return of spring. This was followed by rising wages, rising soy sauce prices, rising fuel prices... for the inflation math problem of the chicken rice, a solution was painstakingly sought but could not be found.
Moreover, there are the various negotiations: those with crustacean allergies who cannot touch the Pipa prawns, or are even precluded from the dried shrimp within the pork liver rolls, or those who do not eat radish or cucumber, asking if they can be exchanged for something else... Simply disbanding, letting the chicken rice be just chicken rice; those who like it may pre-order, and everyone attains freedom.
To ensure solo diners can still enjoy a communal feast, every dish is priced and portioned for one person. When you come with friends, order as many portions as suit your party and appetite; the kitchen will serve everything family-style.
Our menu changes each month with the turning seasons, and we host only ten guests every thirty minutes. Reservations can be made via private message to our Facebook page, and we will reply when free. If you dislike digital tools, please call between 14:30 and 16:30 to reserve by phone. For reservations not on the day of dining, please avoid calling during service hours; when we are in a rush, it is hard to handle matters thoroughly.
In March we open Wednesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner; weekend afternoon tea is temporarily suspended, and we rest on Mondays and Tuesdays. When planning a visit to Shoal 2.0, please reserve in advance and double-check our opening hours, as unscheduled closure days may occur.
| March 2026 Shoal Menu |
| This translation is provided by ChatGPT and Gemini and cannot guarantee complete accuracy. Please refer to the original Mandarin menu for detailed information. |
Drunken Gizzard and Heart
NT$175
Without undiluted wine, it cannot truly be called “drunken.” Amber huangjiu, fragrant with rice fermentation, makes a marinade of nothing but wine, with no stock to dilute it. Sea salt and huangjiu, elemental yet powerful, bathe duck gizzards and chicken hearts until tender with a satisfying bite, yielding a mellow, full, and sincere flavor.
Braised Dried Tofu
NT$150
Selecting Ming Feng original dried tofu, a legendary brand in the soybean revolution. It uses imported, contract-farmed, naturally bred, food-grade, non-GMO soybeans from the United States. Through ten stages of water filtration, the beans are cold-soaked, yielding the first pressing of soy milk, which is coagulated into tofu and shaped by hand in gauze, retaining its original flavor and color with no dyes or additives.
Taking the richly fragrant Shoal cured meat braising liquid, steeped with the unctuous sweetness found only in marinated pork belly, it is blended with the exceptionally elegant aroma of Jui Chun original soy sauce, a century-old pure-brewed brand from Xiluo. The fragrant and mellow braising liquid permeates deeply, yielding a rich elegance of soybean and sauce aromas. The thinly sliced dried tofu, tinged with a tea-brown sauce hue like a misty wash, offers a soft, tender, moist, and sweet texture, punctuated by the aromatic touch of Shoal chili oil.
Pork Strips with Fragrant Bamboo Shoots
NT$150
Recreating the home-style flavors of founder Su Wen-wen's childhood, forsaking the crisp Guizhu bamboo shoots in favor of simmering the plump and tender Jiaogao bamboo shoots. An Alishan specialty, Jiaogao bamboo shoots—the tender stems of early spring shoots—are soft-hearted giants, their soft fibers thick and delicate. The Jiaogao bamboo shoots are braised and stir-fried with rich, pure lard and soy-marinated pork collar; the meat borrows the freshness of the shoots, while the shoots are enriched by the meat, placing fresh clarity and richness side by side. Accompanied by soy sauce and sugar, this warmly familiar classic flavor profile is anchored by the elegant aroma of Xiluo's Jui Chun original soy sauce. Appetizing and perfect with rice, it entirely preserves the appetite.
Cumin Lima Beans
NT$155
Commonly known as emperor beans, crowned king among beans for their immense size, they originate from Central and South America. Blanched until cooked and soft, we spare no trouble in peeling them one by one.
The emperor beans are served as a spiced cold dish; atop the carrier of bean puree, lemon brings a crisp sharpness, the lingering aroma of cumin circles about, and the loose, powdery, and delectable flavor presents a stunning new image.
Coir Raincoat Cucumber
NT$120
Coir Raincoat cucumbers are coiled like a curling dragon, utilizing the artisan's snake-belly cutting technique; the silent fall of the knife cultivates the mind and character. Fresh, crisp, and refreshing, yet richly appetizing; soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorn oil, and rice vinegar form a harmony of spices, dedicated solely to the duty of cutting through richness.
Kinpira Burdock
NT$180
A classic vegetable dish from “Zheng Xingze’s Shoal Bento.” The burdock is cut into fine shreds, with knife work ensuring the proper texture, then stir-fried in sesame oil with threads of chili added, balancing the Japanese kinpira flavor profile of soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Soft-braised until seasoned through, it may be served hot or cold, fragrant, sweet, and pleasing. Originating in the samurai culture and home cooking of Japan’s Edo period, burdock is tough and fibrous. The name “Kinpira” invokes the bravery and righteousness of the legendary warrior Sakata Kintoki, symbolizing a spirit of fearlessness and unyielding resolve. Shoal took part in the rescue efforts in the wrongful conviction case of Zheng Xingze, taking responsibility for regular visits, psychological support, and transition placement, personally delivering meals to the detention center, continuing without interruption for three years. In the Zheng Xingze case, acquittal and exoneration came on November 21, 2017.
Pork Liver Rolls
Lactic Acid Pickled Radishes
NT$220
Pork liver rolls are an aristocratic dish of old Taiwanese cuisine, fastidious about ingredients and processes. In the early years, pork liver was costly, and the wealthy A-she used it in dishes to flaunt their prosperity. Rolled in caul fat into the shape of spring flower shrimp dates, pork liver paste is added to the filling to enhance richness, while scallions and water chestnuts are mixed in to provide a refreshing balance that cuts through the fat. The pork liver is reduced to a paste and puree, possessing a visible texture, dark and glossy like volcanic mud, enveloped into a rich unctuousness. Fried in warm oil until golden and crisp, a single bite allows the fragrance of fat to instantly unseal the aroma of the liver.
Plum blossom radishes, short, plump, and perfectly round, with delicate flesh and rich fiber, cleverly utilize the fat aroma and lactic acid bacteria of Shih Fang fresh milk, rendering them crisp and delectable.
Dong'an Chicken
NT$290
A famous Xiaoxiang dish, also known as "Dong'an Spring Chicken," originating from a land of fish and rice free from the disaster of famine. Originally a local dish of Dong'an, Hunan, it is tied to the terroir and local produce, while preparation methods vary from household to household, whether casual or fastidious. Shoal adopts the most labor-intensive approach: the skin is roasted, the chicken meat is simmered in superior broth, then cut into pieces and quickly stir-fried over high heat. The julienned ginger is pure gold, the julienned chili is fiery red, the julienned scallion is emerald green, the Sichuan peppercorn is spicy and fragrant, and the rice vinegar carries a fermented aroma. The fragrant, fresh, and lively Dong'an Chicken is moist, tender, and delectable; it is appetizing and awakens the palate. The presence of spices is absolutely more than just a single flavor.
Kao Spare Ribs
NT$300
A recreation from the family banquets of Yung Fu Lou founder Yeh Hsin-ching, reflecting the aristocratic culinary taste of the 1970s, and a former family picnic snack. Shoal personally received instruction from Ms. Yeh Lin Yueh-ying, adopting the private family heirloom recipe. The spare ribs are lightly pan-fried and deep-fried, utilizing a Suzhou-style smoked fish sauce with added soy sauce; sea and land share the stage, fresh and sweet. Braised over high heat, then reduced over low heat until the sauce's aroma is rich and the thickened sauce permeates deeply, making it suitable for deboning.
Lipu Pork Belly
NT$320
Taro and pork are a perfect pairing. Following a recipe by Fu Pei-mei, one generation’s godmother of cooking in Taiwan, pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean is cut into large rectangular slabs from the breast and belly, poached to set its shape, marinated with soy for color, fried to heighten its fragrance, then sliced thin. Betel nut heart taro is sliced, marinated in soy sauce, and fried. One slice of pork belly and one slice of taro are arranged in alternating order, sauce is poured over, and the dish is steamed over high heat for four to five hours. Steaming is the soft yet bone-dissolving palm technique of the culinary martial world: the richly aromatic purple taro turns soft, floury, and glutinous, while the pork belly becomes tender to the point of collapse, full and rich in meat flavor, the two tastes merging together. To eat one slice of taro with one slice of pork is essential to the proper enjoyment of Lipu pork belly.
One source of the betel nut heart taro is Wutu Village in Lunei Township, Yunlin County, blessed with the fertile black soil of the Zhuoshui River’s origin, with favorable timing, favorable terrain, and human harmony besides. It is grown by natural farming methods, with care given to seedling selection, soil analysis, organic fertilization, weed coexistence, and effective field management. The resulting taro is deeply aromatic, loose yet dense in texture. Another source is Lin Yizhi, a small farmer in Dajia, Taichung, who works with the Homemakers United Foundation, using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers, relying on manual weeding and pest control; his taro grows large and weighty. Shoal uses the century-old vat-brewed Ruichun from Xiluo, its versatile original soy sauce cordial, balanced, and dutiful in its supporting role of drawing out flavor.
Guota Prawns
NT$240
Pan-frying in a wok to set the shape, followed by simmering; the "guota" technique originated in Shandong and is commonly seen in northern cuisines. What "guota" is serves as an archaeological question at the dining table; it is a rarely seen, highly skilled dish that one might not recognize even if encountered. Applied to prawn cuisine, fresh prawns are peeled, deveined, butterflied, and flattened, then dusted with flour, coated in egg wash, pan-fried first and then braised (kao). Golden brown on both sides, they are simmered over low heat to make them crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, exuding aroma. After being removed from the wok, they are sprinkled with dark red, fine sand-like shrimp roe, further enhancing the freshness of the juice and the richness of the flavor, making them deliciously aromatic. Shrimp roe is an exquisitely fresh ingredient; shrimp eggs are sun-dried and dry-roasted in a wok until fragrant, used to enhance umami. An old-fashioned banquet dish, referencing the recipe of Fu Pei-mei, the godmother of Taiwanese cooking of her generation.
Clams with Purple Eggplant
NT$185
An ingeniously fresh and moist take on eggplant! Just as mochi eggplants are about to reach peak production and clams are still plump, the two are combined, cooked in shrimp broth, and seasoned with Yuan Hsing thick soy sauce, a double-brewed mixed-bean koji product from Huatan, Changhua. For those who like it and those who do not, the reason is the same: the taste and texture of eggplant have always been a unique existence. Much like the complexity of "Qiexiang" written in "Dream of the Red Chamber," loving or hating eggplant never walks a middle path. Eggplant is a frequently used ingredient at Shoal. Guests who arrive on any given day without picking a date, meeting it on a narrow path, brace themselves to try it and then make moved confessions; thus, we have participated in many important moments of people reconciling with their first bite of eggplant in life.
Four-Treasure Duck Soup
NT$125
Home-style yet abundant, simple yet distinctive. Referencing the Shandong Four-Treasure Soup from Tseng Hsiu-pao's recipe book "The Chef's Fundamentals," we use osmanthus salted duck broth to elevate rustic ingredients to a realm of splendor. In the duck soup with tomatoes, creamy napa cabbage, and egg drop, floats a single, fresh tofu ball... Sipping the soup and savoring the vegetables, how beautiful. Shoal's classic osmanthus salted duck sources Tufan ducks from Fangyuan, Changhua; the broth is simmered using the salt-marinated, steamed, and cooked duck heads, necks, wings, and webbed feet. The duck aroma is rich and distinct, full of the multiplied sweet and unctuous fragrance brought about by the melding of duck meat and spices.
Champion White Rice
NT$30
Rice grown by Tian Shou-Xi, the rice king of Zhubei, a pioneer in planting Taoyuan No. 3 rice, who once won the National Top Ten Classic Good Rice for two consecutive years and was the national famous rice production champion in 2014. The sweetness of the rice is instantly recognizable without needing to chew or savor deliberately; the taste buds immediately perceive the sweetness. The grains are distinct, with a moderate texture. The rice is milled fresh and delivered promptly, sun-dried rice cultivated with sustainable agriculture, without using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Orange ladybugs and hardy morning glories are common in the fields. Green manure is sown annually to enrich the soil, plowing and sun-drying to activate the soil, intentionally limiting rice yields.
| Pre-order Delicacies |
Chicken Rice
NT$250
Founder Su Wen-Wen's nostalgic recollections of her childhood and hometown. Originally a family dish made only for a few days during the anniversary celebration, it has accumulated countless fans who praise it as "the world's most delicious chicken rice!" Ma Shifang acclaimed it as "a peerless delicacy," while Feng Xiaofei said, "We need food like Shoal's chicken rice to increase rice consumption." One mother's comment was the most heartfelt: "This is exactly the kind of chicken rice a mother wants her children to eat!"
In a white porcelain bowl, soft and fragrant rice is topped with sweet, tender chicken, drizzled with rich chicken broth blended with aromatic traditional black bean soy sauce, and then finished with a generous pour of rich and fragrant chicken oil... One bite will bring you joy! The fragrant and silky chicken rice, accompanied by various exquisite side dishes, is both homely and refined, making it irresistible to finish every last bite.
| Wind-Resisting Warmth |
Sour Mandarin Tea
Preserved Orange
NT$80
A unique Hakka tea drink, sour mandarin tea is made by repeatedly steaming and drying tea leaves stuffed into tiger-head mandarins, following the "steamed into rounds" method dating back to the Tang and Song dynasties. This rare compressed tea is used for health and wellness, with the lightness of aged tangerine peel aiding in vitality and warmth.
Shoal continues the tea-making tradition passed down from Zheng Xingze’s mother, Zheng Wang Qin-zi, who followed ancient tea-making methods. The tea blends twenty-year-old roasted tea with various herbs, following field research on Taiwanese herbal tea formulations, which often adapt to local needs. These practices honor the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine.
The tiger-head mandarin from Miaoli’s Yuanli is grown with natural farming methods. Thick-skinned and juicy, the fruit’s sour and sweet flavor is released by opening the stem end and stuffing the cavity with tea leaves and herbs. The fruit is carefully steamed, compressed, sun-dried, fermented, and baked, undergoing nine rounds of steaming and drying. Over time, it becomes dark, firm, and shiny, embodying labor-intensive craftsmanship.
After being used in New Year offerings, these mandarins are transformed into tea, symbolizing blessings of peace, hence known as "peace tea." It takes six months to turn a single sour mandarin into sour mandarin tea, with its sweet and mellow flavor becoming richer as it ages, offering a glimpse into the wisdom of ancestral diets.
We select organic-certified, tree-ripened oranges from Chu Chang-hui’s orchard in Xidiyao, Zhongliao, Nantou. Pure, natural, and additive-free, the whole fruit is preserved in stir-fried sugar and aged. A finger-licking candied treat, it is approachable and delicious, dispelling wind and nurturing health.
Preserved Pomelo Tea
NT$110
Organic white pomelo, whole fruit candied and aged for ten years. All natural, with no additives. A folk remedy in Taiwan to dispel external chill, it leaves the body light as if shedding a layer. A time-honored common wisdom for well-being. Juice vesicles, segment membranes, and peel are all candied with Shoal’s house made malt syrup and red rock sugar, the emperor of whole-fruit pomelos. After long aging the lustrous, plump vesicles steep in time, and the peel’s signature pungent bitterness turns soft and fragrant. A limpid sweetness, a crystalline acidity, and a tea infusion of poised elegance.
Preserved Grapefruit Tea
NT$80
Green-skinned grapefruits from Yuanli grown with friendly practices are candied whole with red rock sugar, Shoal’s malt syrup, and Shoal’s winter melon caramel. All natural, with no additives. Aged four years so the peel’s sharpness mellows to tenderness. The drink is clear and bright, dispelling wind and lightening the body, leaving the chest open and at ease.
Mint and Orange Tea
NT$150
Chen Shiduo’s Qing-era “New Compilation of Materia Medica” records an old formula: “When someone is struck by external evils and burdened by stagnant qi and will not take medicine, counsel the use of thin-orange tea for immediate effect. Use one qian mint, one qian tea, one qian orange peel, and pour a large bowl of boiling tea to drink.” “Mint not only excels at resolving wind evils but is especially good at easing melancholy.” We apply this to Shoal’s tankan cakes and candied tankan, hoping to sweep away life’s many wearinesses, the five labors and seven injuries.
Tankan Cakes are whole fruits candied in syrup, sweet, spicy, and aromatically vivid, documented since the Qing and now part of Taiwan’s Hakka foodways. Nourishing and home style, they perfume the teeth and gums. We source from Zhong Jing-feng, head of the production group in Emei, Hsinchu. Following Miaoli Hakka tradition, the tankan is scored, pressed into cake shapes to release their juices, then simmered whole with Zhubaoyuan hand made wood fired malt syrup, Shoal’s winter melon caramel, and red rock sugar until the rind softens to orange, the pith turns translucent, and the syrup is as thick as honey. After an overnight rest they are baked to dry: the peel taut, the flesh tender, textures layered, sour and sweet in fragrant balance. With careful heat and aging, time transforms flavor and the peel’s sharpness becomes supple sweetness.
Starfruit Drink
NT$90
A traditional beverage rich in Taiwanese local flavor. In Taiwan History—Volume 27, Agriculture—Fruits, it's noted: "The fruit has five or six ridges; the sour ones are made into candied fruit or soaked in sugar water to make a drink." The greenish-yellow star-shaped fruit, with ridges like a sword's spine, preserves the sweet and sourness of starfruit with sugar. The clear amber-colored drink overflows with natural fruit aroma. The honey-soaked starfruit transforms into a gentle force, quenching thirst and soothing the throat. We select honeyed starfruit from the Liu family's Starfruit Drink in Tainan, a legacy spanning three generations over 85 years. It brings back warm childhood memories of roadside starfruit juice stands—drinking it is like savoring a gentle poem of nostalgia.
Stewed Pear with Chuan Bei Mu and Rock Sugar
NT$100
Pears are listed second among fruits in the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” where Li Shizhen wrote: “The pear facilitates flow by nature.” We stew wild-grown Hengshan pears from Dongshi whole with Yongliang handcrafted golden rock sugar, adding Chuan Bei Mu for benefit. Pure and additive-free, refined through careful heat and a period of resting, the result is gentle and harmonious. The pear is like uncut jade, and its nectar like jade dew, a clear and softly sweet restorative.
Longan and Ginger Stove-Simmered Milk Tea
NT$160
Pesticide-free longan, ginger with no pesticide residue, organic black sugar, unbleached rock sugar, and six hours over the flame. Our longtime friends at Xidiyiao Learning Farm prepare a concentrated longan ginger infusion. We combine it with Si-Fang Fresh Milk and Sun Moon Lake Assam black tea for a stove-simmered milk tea that is dense, sweet, and sumptuous, vividly warming. Si-Fang Fresh Milk comes from its own dairy farm, growing its own forage through natural farming methods, without using additives to adjust flavor.
| Refreshing Cool Drinks |
“Elegant Abode” Sour Plum Drink
NT$95
A standout woody bouquet with the deep aroma of smoked black plums and a lingering return of red cardamom. After a long soak and two clay-pot decoctions, the herbal profile is fully expressed. It moistens and quenches without sticky afterfeel or heavy finish. The recipe draws on Professor Chang Wen-te of China Medical University and researches Liang Shih-chiu’s “Essays from the Elegant Abode,” tracing materia medica sources to recreate a concentrated, robust formula.
Preserved Oriental Plum Sparkling Juice
NT$130
Shoal proudly presents its sugar-preserved oriental plums, sourced from wild ancient trees in Yushan National Park and safeguarded by the Bunun people of the Meishan community. Grown without chemical fertilizers or herbicides, these plums ripen into brilliant ruby-like gems—so enticing that even macaques and wild boars are left with a lingering taste. Hand-picked at full ripeness rather than plucked unripe by poles, they are meticulously de-pitted by hand to retain whole fruit pieces. The naturally sweet, sugar-preserved plums are pure and free of additives, exuding a fragrance as delightful and aromatic as cherry blossoms. Blended into a sparkling juice, they yield an exquisitely refreshing cold beverage.
Preserved Plumcot Sparkling Juice
NT$120
These plumcots boast a brilliant red skin and fragrant yellow flesh, yet their short harvest season and low yield make them truly rare. In Taiwan, the most coveted varieties come from Baolian Garden in Lishan—revered in Notes from a Female Farmer on the Mountains and honored as the Taiwanese equivalent of Lakeside Musings, cherished as both a prized and sacred offering. Hand-pitted and sugar-cooked whole using only natural methods and zero additives, they yield a radiant red syrup that is sweet, beguiling, and reminiscent of strawberries—showcasing the captivating fragrance unique to red fruits. The finely pulped flesh reveals layers of plum tang, peachy perfume, and plumcot essence, fresh and refined.
Preserved Pineapple Sparkling Juice
NT$120
Pineapple, so emblematic it’s like holding a Taiwanese ID card, representing the fervent summer of the south. Shoal preserves the whole fruit in sugar, first peeling the skin and boiling it into syrup until aromatic, then continuing to cook the fruit, capturing its fresh taste and fragrance through precise heat control. This southern flair sealed in sugar is bright and sweet. We select Tainong No. 2 pineapples from Songlinmei Organic Ecological Farm in Luye, Taitung, certified by MOA. Forgoing artificial flower forcing, the farm allows natural growth without inducing early bud formation. Farmer He Jiachen thanks beneficial birds for pest control, leaving some fruit for the wildlife. The result is tree-ripened fruit with a distinct acidity, intense aroma, and complex layers of flavor.
Preserved Orange Sparkling Juice
NT$130
Sourced from Zhu Changhui Orchard in Zhongliao, Nantou, where eco-friendly farming has been practiced for eleven years, achieving organic certification. The oranges are fully ripened on the tree, then sugared and aged—purely natural with no additives. With its pleasant, sweet-tart fragrance, this member of the citrus family is like a friendly star in the fruit world. Oranges are Taiwan’s most widely grown citrus, with a long harvest season. The mother trees trace back to Xinhui in Guangdong, famed for its dried tangerine peel. In the autumn breeze and dewy nights, orchards are dotted with spheres of yellow and green. As early winter arrives, piles of oranges appear at roadside stalls, offering sweet, refreshing juice that embodies the scenery and flavor of Taiwan.
| Tipsy Quadrant |
Pomelo Ferment
NT$160
"My brewing represents freedom!" states Kou Yan-ding, author of "You've Committed the Crime of Subverting Taiwan's Fruit Brewing." A single bottle can create a universe, once deeply immersed in Yilan's secluded self-brewed pomelo, before leaving Taiwan, he entrusted his precious brew to Shoal as a living testament to his existence. The brewing process is highly experimental, dissecting the pomelo's peel, vesicles, and seeds to explore the detailed flavors of brewing, a unique and astonishing experience.
| Desserts Supreme |
Taro Jujube
NT$130
The long oval taro jujube is the anticipated closing note on the holiday table. The black-brown outer skin is pared from the taro, revealing its powdery purple tuber; it is steamed through, pressed through a sieve into a purée, mixed with sugar and potato starch into a dough, divided into small pieces and first rolled into balls, then shaped by hand into jujube forms, and fried over low heat until golden. Crisp outside and soft within, the moment it is bitten open, the fragrance of taro fills the mouth. A thoroughly Taiwanese crisp-fragrant taro jujube. The sound of "taro" is the same as "abundance," and "jujube" is a homophone for "good," expressing the wish that everyone may have ease and abundance in life.
Betel nut heart taro is selected from Wutu Village in Lunei Township, Yunlin County, blessed with the fertile black soil at the source of the Zhuoshui River, with favorable timing, favorable terrain, and human harmony besides. It is grown by natural farming methods, with seedling selection, soil analysis, organic fertilization, weed coexistence, and effective field management. The betel nut heart taro is deeply aromatic, with a texture that is loose yet dense. Another source is Lin Yizhi, a small farmer in Dajia, Taichung, who works with the Homemakers United Foundation. He uses no pesticides or chemical fertilizers, relying on manual weeding and pest control, and his taro grows large and weighty.
Longan and Ginger Glazed Sweet Potatoes
NT$160
A home-style dessert from founder Su Wen-wen's childhood; its appeal is timeless and enduringly fresh. The distinct rice and wheat notes of Zhuboyuan’s handmade wood-fired malt paste, combined with the "Old Friend" Longan Concentrated Ginger Soup from Xidiyao Learning Farm, enwrap the sweet potatoes in a dense, rich sweetness. We select Zhuang Zheng-deng’s Tainong No. 57 sweet potatoes—golden in hue and sweet in flavor. Selecting pieces roughly the thickness and length of two fingers combined, we braise them in a thick syrup until glazed. They are then refrigerated and rested to allow the sugary aroma to penetrate deep within. Each piece is perfect in form and flavor—warm, dense, and luscious.
Plumcot and Shiso Ume Granita
NT$180
Plumcots, rare jewels with ruby skins and amber flesh, arrive from Baolian Orchard in Lishan, famed in the memoir A Female Farmer’s Mountain Journal. Each short-season fruit is hand-pitted and gently candied without additives, yielding a shimmering scarlet compote whose bouquet recalls strawberries and other red-fruited delights. We fold the plum purée into shaved ice together with Shoal’s decade-aged shiso ume; the resulting granita mingles tart ume undertones with the honeyed, floral notes of plum, creating a refreshingly elegant tribute to high-mountain orchards.
Orange Granita
NT$175
From Zhu Chang-hui’s orchard at Xidiyao, Zhongliao, Nantou, where eleven years of patient, friendly farming have yielded organic certified tree ripened oranges. All natural, with no additives. Whole fruits are candied, gently simmered, and aged. Garnished with Meyer lemons from a Pingtung supplier practicing friendly cultivation. This gentle citrus lends a clear, lovely freshness that brightens the finish.
Longan Ginger Chocolate Granita
NT$200
This inventive granita features pesticide-free longan and ginger free of pesticide residues, complemented by organic brown sugar and unbleached rock sugar—all slowly simmered over six hours. It incorporates a concentrated longan-ginger soup, a longtime favorite from Xi Di Yao Farm, which melds with the subtly bitter roasted, nutty, and citrusy aromas of Michel Cluizel’s Mangaro Chocolate—rated by Forbes as “the world’s rarest and most precious chocolate”—to create a richly sweet and sumptuous flavor.
