Rustic countryside brunch in Tainan—seafood salad as big as your face!

Text and photos byGui Xiaosun

I probably first discovered this place, ‘WOOW House 我屋,’ on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to its exterior—a one-story grayish-white old house. The windows on both sides are framed with light brown, and the entrance pillars are adorned with retro green ceramic tiles. There’s some open space all around the house, giving off a relaxed, garden-like vibe... It’s truly the kind of space that makes you envious. The low wall is so short you could step right over it—such a casual, laid-back feel that suits Tainan’s friendly atmosphere perfectly.

This trip to Tainan happened to coincide with rare rainfall, so we didn’t visit many places over the two days... Instead, we leisurely picked a few favorite spots to sit and relax. Because of the summer heat, we really enjoy seeking out ‘salad light meals’ that are as appealing in appearance as they are in taste. So when we saw that ‘WOOW House 我屋’ actually served our beloved ‘salad bowls,’ we came straight here—even though we’d already had a slow, comforting breakfast of mullet roe porridge that morning... XD

Stepping into ‘WOOW House 我屋,’ you’re greeted with a strong rustic and Japanese aesthetic. I’m not sure if the building used to be a residence or a historic site, but I absolutely love the space. The entrance hallway features rustic-style decor, and the bold Chinese characters for ‘我屋’ (My House) are both rugged and memorable. To the right of the entrance, there’s also a boutique selling clothes that would appeal to the hipster crowd. XD

While staying here, I suddenly noticed an elderly lady in one of the partitions—casually leaning by the window, sipping tea and snacking during the afternoon. She might have looked a little lonely on her own, but perhaps enjoying life at this age is a form of happiness. Many things in life really do have two sides—it just depends on your perspective.

The house is filled with enchanting charm everywhere. Whether it’s the window nook in the partition, the small Japanese-style room in the corner, or the cozy space enclosed by a few old sofas—you can imagine it being the perfect spot for friends to gather and chat about shared topics...

At some point, you realize that the meaning of food isn’t just about the dish itself—but the space. A place where you feel completely at ease, where you want to sit for hours... It could be the breakfast shop just downstairs from your home, the café by the park... or those little shops in other cities that captivate you.

Actually, whether the food is a perfect 100 sometimes doesn’t even matter that much. What matters is that this day is your rare moment of leisure, spent cherishing the time at a place you’ve been wanting to visit.

I’m an extremely subjective person. If I like something in my pocket of favorites, I like it—and nothing can change that. I’m hard to persuade, utterly stubborn. But I’ve learned to respect, as much as possible, different perspectives and to write stories without forcing them.

I slowly tell myself that some things can’t be forced. I’m gradually learning to see my own strengths and limitations. It’s not easy, but doing it little by little... you’ll find it’s truly better for yourself.

And so, the food almost steered me off-topic again. XD I came here full of anticipation and left with lasting satisfaction. The salad bowl here is literally as big as my face. (I took a selfie, but I can’t share it here.) Naturally, the seafood salad was mine. I mean, I probably should’ve come from the seaside—I just love seafood so much.

This seafood salad bowl is packed with fresh seafood: fried fish, peeled shrimp, squid, and piles upon piles of greens. The dressing is slightly tangy and spicy, with a Thai-style savory flavor. There’s also a small portion of angel hair pasta—paired with the greens, it’s incredibly satisfying. Every bite makes me feel like I’m being super healthy. XD

My friend’s fruit salad bowl—I can say this dish is practically made for girls. It’s a colorful mix of seasonal fruits: lychee, mango, tomato, dragon fruit, orange, kiwi, kumquat, banana, raisins, and all kinds of greens. The vibrant colors won us over first, and then the sweetness of each fresh fruit bite, along with the special dressing... layers of sweet and sour flavors danced in our hearts.

A pot of hot tea, a cup of iced black coffee... two salad bowls as big as our faces... We felt like we were doing an internal detox, enjoying these light meals... chatting in the afternoon while watching the rare rain in Tainan...

I think this is the beauty of travel—so genuine. It lets you experience all facets of a city, all kinds of weather, all sorts of possibilities. When you visit Tainan again and again, you’ll find yourself growing more and more accustomed to returning. It’s a kind of attachment, an unshakable pull. You miss the people you’ve met, the little shops that captivate you, and you look forward to going back.

WOOW House 我屋:
No. 63, Section 1, Zhongyi Road, West Central District, Tainan City 
06 215 0585 
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[Enjoy life without boredom. By Gui Xiaosun],FB