Shimen Lodge

“Shimen Lodge” is in the mountain at 400 meters high. There are layers of clouds and mists surrounding the green mountaintop and the air is fresh so that dining alfresco is really an enjoyment. Looking down from the terrace, you will see a vast field of Asian pears, red bayberry, and mandarin orchards. Every June through September is the harvest season for grafted pears, which are juicy and sweet. There are too many to harvest so that the Tian Ma Ma, Yuli ZHANG figured to incorporate the fruits into her cuisines and therefore when strawberries and Asian pears are in season, they become the signature dishes of the restaurant.

In winter, there are “Fried Strawberries” and “Strawberry Hot Pot”, and in summer the grafted pear is creatively cooked as “Japanese Style Pear and Chicken Roll”, “Stewed Beef and Pears”, and “Candied Pears” so the consumers can taste not only the freshness and sweetness of the seasonal fruits, but also Ma Ma Zhang’s creativity.

“Pear and Almond Chicken Soup” has been the signature soup since the lodge opened 10 years ago. Ma Ma Zhang recalled when she was little she had the throat issue and her mother used the loquat cough mixture as the soup base, added in the pears and almonds then stewed for 30 minutes to take care of her throat and trachea. After she started the business, this soup has always been popular and she would think of her mother’s love whenever she makes the soup.

As its name suggests, Shimen Lodge is a comfortable space for customers to enjoy meals and take a rest. They can pick fruits, DIY pounded tea and also stay overnight here. Ma Ma Zhang wants to make customers feel as if they were at home. Asides from the fruit meals, the repeat customers never fail to order the Hakka dishes such as “Shimen Dongpo Braised Pork”, “Marmalade Corn Chicken” and “4-season Intestines”. She said confidently, “The greatest thing about the homemade cuisine is that customers will always remember its taste, no matter how many restaurants they have been to.”