Zhuanghua’s Quirky Bistro — Pink Cream Pasta & Handmade Bread

Text & Photos /A Man’s Daily Life
(Text / Man E, Photography / Man J)

A spontaneous one-day trip to Yuanlin, all because J spotted Leju’s roadside window coffee shop online. It happened to be the last day of the holiday season, and a friend’s gathering was suddenly canceled. In less than 10 minutes, I booked train tickets for 60 minutes later. Everything felt like perfect timing — the right place, the right moment, and the right people. We took a nearly three-hour train ride and arrived at Yuanlin Railway Station for the first time in our lives. After meeting up with our long-awaited afternoon tea, coffee, and desserts, we headed straight to our second stop: “About Tables.”

A three-story Western-style retro building with a large parking lot out front. The pizza kitchen window on the side gave off the vibe of a Seoul-style café. By the floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor, there were elaborately set tables that looked incredibly stunning and imaginative. Many people were taking photos here. At first, we thought it was a reserved dining area, but only today did we learn that it was just decorative display.

We were seated on the second floor. About Tables’ bright and cozy space is quite comfortable, with plenty of seating. The staff, dressed uniformly in white tops and black pants, were friendly and polite, offering attentive yet appropriately reserved service. As an Italian restaurant, About Tables offers a fairly extensive menu. In addition to pasta and risotto, there are Roman-style thin-crust pizzas, seafood, meat dishes, as well as desserts and Lavazza coffee.See more menu options ←

%Crushed & Fragrant Tomato Cream Pasta $215 / Comes with handmade bread

Clam and chicken spaghetti with tomato creamy sauce

About Tables serves handmade bread with every main course. On the day we visited, it was a sea salt and olive oil focaccia roll — aromatic and chewy. J ordered the pink cream pasta, which had a tomato cream flavor with umami. The portion was generous, but the chicken was a bit dry, and eating the whole portion by myself felt a bit heavy.

%Lightly Stir-Fried Olive Oil Veggie Pasta $185 / Comes with handmade bread

Linguine with sauteed vegetables

I ordered the lightly stir-fried olive oil vegetable pasta, which included sweet peppers, broccoli, king oyster mushrooms, {J white bamboo shoots, baby corn, and other fresh vegetables. The portion was also generous. The flat noodles had a nice texture, but the dish was overall a bit oily.

Postscript

With a time limit of 100 minutes, About Tables seems to be quite popular in the Yuanlin area. During our meal, we noticed the place was fully occupied. Near the end of our time, the staff kindly reminded us. When we went to pay at the first-floor counter, we saw business cards for other restaurants on display and realized the owner runs several other brand restaurants in Yuanlin. About Tables is actually the sister branch of Xila Restaurant. In the evening, About Tables looks quietly vibrant from the outside.

About Tables
Address: No. 25, Beihé Street, Yuanlin City, Changhua County (15-minute walk from Yuanlin Railway Station)
Business Hours: Monday – Sunday: 08:00–21:30
Phone: 04 839 3318
Facebook:About Tables
10% service charge / 100-minute time limit / Minimum spend of NT$100 per person

Two Guys from Taipei
One thinks with the left brain, the other with the right.
Man E is the rational free spirit; Man J is the stubbornly spontaneous one.
When life is not crazy, it is not life.
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