Look at any set of postcards of Jiufen, Taiwan and it’s likely that you’ll find at least one - or more - picture of the gorgeous Ah Mei Tea House. Thanks to its beautiful architecture and unmistakable hanging red lanterns, Ah Mei Tea House has become one of Jiufen’s most iconic structures. It is said that this very building is the model for the bath-house in Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning animated movie ‘Spirited Away’. When I visited Jiufen, I got the chance to visit Ah Mei Tea House twice: for lunch in the afternoon and for tea in the evening. So, were the food and the view worth the price tag?

AT FIRST GLANCE: A FEAST FOR THE SORE EYES

Since Taiwan was ruled by the Japanese for quite some time in the past, it’s no surprise that Ah Mei Tea House - along with the rest of the town - has a ‘Japan’ feel to it. One proof of that is the three impressive Noh masks - hanging on the exterior walls of the tea house - greeting the guests silently. The soft pitter patter of the falling rain enhanced the melancholy atmosphere; it reminded me so much of Bonnie Pink’s - a Japanese singer - ’It’s Gonna Rain’ music video.

The interior mostly uses wood furnishings and is embellished with random knick-knacks, giving it a comfortable, homey feeling. Hanging oil lanterns and masks are placed throughout the room.

Looking out the window was a story of its own: gloomy grey sky, vague outline of the mountain and the sea from afar, and a plethora of colourful umbrellas - my favourite shot out of my entire adventure in Taiwan. Everything is so picturesque; it isn’t hard to see why some people come to Jiufen and never want to leave. We actually met an Indonesian worker named Lina, who have stayed for 16 years.

It is also possible to sit upstairs and enjoy the open-air terrace.

LUNCH

Lunch was a set menu that costed NTD 400 per person. At first I thought it was a bit expensive, especially considering I wasn’t that hungry and I had no idea what I would get with that amount of money. However, curiosity killed the cat and YOLO and all that jazz, so lunch at Ah Mei Tea House we did! And I’m happy to report that the lunch was satisfying.

A cup of hot tea was the first thing served. It was perfectly brewed, refreshing, and fragrant - you’d want nothing else to drink on a rainy day like that day in November. See the smoke coming out of the cup? Yep. Perfect.

Cold salad with abalone and meat cold cuts:

Green beans with mayo and roe, served over lemon slices:

Okra and soy-sauce with sesame on top:

Pickled vegetables:

Fish meatballs soup with carrots and radish, and rice:

Kungpao chicken:

Omelette with ham, radish, and spring onions:

Tofu with sweet sauce, served with dried bonito and seaweed:

Sweet, sticky mochi for dessert!

All of those plates were portioned for three persons, and we almost couldn’t finish them! Anyway, I’m a little bit embarrassed to say that I can’t exactly say how each of them tastes, as I forgot to write it down on my pretty little notebook… but I can assure you I liked them almost equally and all of them are quite tasty. Considering the taste, the amount of food, and the beautiful view, the NTD 400 price was worth it.

TEA

Satisfied with lunch, I came back later at night for more tea. It was both a good and a bad decision. Good because the tea was delectable and I learned a lot about the traditional way to brew tea; bad because it kept me very much awake (and hyper to the point of laughing at virtually everything) until quite late at night! Trust me, coffee holds no candle to this tea.

There’s a staff who will guide every guest in the brewing process. The steps are incredibly long and impossible to get right at the first time - unless you have a photographic memory, obviously. All I remember is that it involves a lot of pots and cups, hot water, tea leaves, Bunsen burner, and some flipping. 

I sincerely apologize to every master of tea ceremony who is reading this post and shaking his head furiously because I most likely have put the pictures in the wrong sequence.

The price of the tea depends on the number of guest and the quality of the tea leaves. Hot water costs NTD 100 per person, and the cheapest tea leaves cost NTD 400 per bag, which I picked. I wonder how does the more expensive tea taste like.

THE VERDICT

Not visiting Ah Mei Tea House won’t lessen your Jiufen experience in any way, but I think it has the potential to be one of the highlights! The tea is great, the food is nice, and the view is oh-so-lovely. 

A. 

Jiufen Ah Mei Tea House

Opening Hours: 8:30 am - 1:00 am (one of a few venue in Jiufen that still opens after 9:00 pm)