Eye-catching old buildings and soft green wooden doors – a canteen loved by girls of all ages

Text & photos byGui Xiaosun


This trip to Tainan was a relaxed and leisurely one. Since we were bringing along a child, we especially avoided places that required a lot of walking and exploring on our own. We had promised to take her around Xiaoximen, so I searched online for shops nearby and found Shijiu Tang. It’s right on the roundabout of Ximen Road. Just make a turn, and you can park the car right in front of the shop.

The eye-catching old building instantly made me decide to come and explore – especially that soft green painted wooden door, which is simply adorable. As soon as I got to the front, I took quite a few photos. The girls, both big and small, also took a photo here. It’s clearly a great spot for photos, with a retro vibe and a playful youthful charm！




The yellow car and the wooden door beside it are a perfect match. The wooden seats in the corridor and the red tiles on the floor, telling old stories, fully capture the warmth and history of Tainan.

Actually, Shijiu Tang was formerly the well-known Xiaoximen Time Inn. I haven’t been there before, but this time it has a new look, with a Japanese atmosphere. The character “堂” (tang, meaning hall) also makes me think of a “canteen” – that homely and welcoming feel. There were just so many things to love at first sight！




Once inside the house, the cute walls are full of little thoughtful touches. Japanese-patterned colored paper decorates the all-white walls, and adorable signs point out where the restrooms are. First, we followed the staff upstairs. The second floor has much more space, and the walls are covered in handwriting everywhere, showing their love for hand-written and handmade details！




When you look up, you’ll see the structure of the house itself – the straightness of the wooden pillars. I’ve always longed to have an old house. It’s even more charming than a luxurious single-family home！

After ordering, we went downstairs to stroll around. The stairs going up are quite steep, so be careful when going up and down！




The first floor also has seating areas, with about two or three tables. The second floor is clearly the main dining area, but if going upstairs is inconvenient, the first floor is actually great too. There’s still plenty of natural light from the large floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the space with Tainan sunlight. It seems like the window seats are especially popular. Humans really do love freedom – because being able to see the scenery outside gives a feeling of flying.






To the right of the cashier counter leading from the first to the second floor, there’s a semi-open kitchen. But the chefs were so busy that I felt a bit awkward taking photos, so you’ll have to go explore it yourselves！XD

There are little flags decorated everywhere, and there are also vintage sofas. I love this atmosphere where wood is used so extensively – it naturally makes you feel in harmony with your surroundings.





The “Shijiu Tang” sign on the glass window outside – don’t you find yourself drawn to it at first glance, just like I did? It always feels like there’s some secret or treasure here. It feels like you could have a drink, almost like a izakaya.






Colorful juices and sodas. We ordered grape and watermelon flavors, and of course, they’re both from Japan！The important thing is, no matter the flavor, they’re all transparent – truly no artificial coloring！We each had a can, drinking with ice cubes. The kid absolutely loved it, and we thought it wasn’t too sweet either～In the summer, having one of these is really refreshing！XD




The free side dish before the meal – a small plate of cold onion salad. I love their tableware, it’s very Japanese and great for photos！

The kid’s curry rice. I could only quickly snap one photo because she was already so eager to eat. Judging by how fast she ate, was she just really hungry, or was it really that delicious？ XD






This should be pork N<。（欠文太久的下场就是会忘了名称这件事 XD）分量不多但刚刚好，因为还会点其他的菜色搭配。猪肉本身不错，调的味道也不会过咸过重，大口吃下一口饭＋肉＋洋葱，超棒的！




Crispy fried chicken cartilage. It was bigger than we expected！We all love cartilage, and this didn’t get tough after frying. One bite and you can still taste some chicken fibers, so it’s quite tender and juicy. But watch out, it’s hot！XD



Another dish – beef short rib？(Oh my, I’ve completely forgotten！)

Both girls love beef, and their eyes lit up as soon as this was served！Actually, I did too, because the aroma was so inviting, and the surface color made your mouth water！




It was about medium-rare. With every bite, the aroma of the beef was really delightful, and a bit of onion helped cut through the richness. The portion size was also not small. With the above dishes, the three of us shared and it was just right, leaving some room in our stomachs for the soufflé at Xiaoximen！！



When you visit a place more than once, slow down and travel in a different direction.

You don’t have to fill your itinerary again. Instead, spend a day visiting just one or two main spots, and take the rest of the time to walk slowly and look around. It can be more charming than you imagine, and you’ll gain more than if you crammed your schedule.

It’s not about how many places you’ve successfully checked off, but about truly and relaxedly resting！


Article by：[Enjoying Life Without Boredom. Gui Xiaosun]
[Shijiu Tang]
Address：No. 2, Section 2, Ximen Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: (06)222-5768
Remarks:Closed on Tuesdays