Lynda's Taiwan-logue

< Visited in Jul 2019 >

A name that popped up when I was researching tea plantation tours, Just Pinglin 坪感觉 is owned by a couple from other parts of Taiwan who decided to be part of the Pinglin community. With a travel service workshop set up in 2013 - Pumpkin No. 3 金瓜三号 - this cafe is their new venture and recently launched in May 2019, sitting at a prominent entrance of Pinglin Old Street.      

Though I didn't take on their tour this time (something to consider for future trips, I guess), lunching here after visiting BY-TeaMaster 白青长茶作坊 was part of my highly-anticipated Pinglin day trip 坪林一日游.  

Strategically occupying an old corner house, you can hardly miss it.  

Dead roots from a long-removed tree stubbornly attach themselves on to the old brick walls. A resident looking in his late 50s stopped by me admiring the image, and told me both the building and the tree have been here for ages, since he was a kid. Saying that must have brought back childhood memories, when the old tree was still around. I commented in awe that (what is left) it's beautiful. A memento of nature, a trace of the old town's and building's history.   

The cafe, a welcomed retreat from the afternoon sun and heat, occupies two floors. 

On the ground floor, the cashier counter checked my 1pm reservation (made through FB PM) and brought me upstairs to the dining area. Significant space is allocated to a good range of local products, so you can spend some time shopping with or without dining in. (It was here that I realised I had gotten carried away chatting and forgotten to buy tea sachets from BY-TeaMaster 白青长茶作坊. Unfortunately, their tea was sold out here.)

Still, I didn't walk away empty-handed - bought 2 packets of yummy tea peanut candy, a heavenly combi of 2 ingredients I love, after a free sample from the cashier counter. 

There is a beautifully done up corner and small table at the back of ground floor, if you don't mind people passing you by up and down the stairs.  

I counted my blessings for having made a prior reservation as the cafe was packed (thus hesitating to shoot the entire floor - but their official website's got a nice photo if you want to see what 2F looks like :-). Looks like many visitors - young or old - to Pinglin knows about this new cafe and have included it in their itinerary like I did.  

I had a lovely seat by the window, not defeated by the glare as I wanted to enjoy the street view out of the 2F window.  

⇩ The menu. There are currently 4 main set meals to choose from - rice, with choice of mains, side dish & a soup of the day. There are also lighter bites, desserts and a good variety of beverages. 

⇩ Curry with pork, tomato and greens 番茄蔬菜咖喱猪 NTD280.

The curry was Japanese-style, non-spicy and flavourfully tangy, making a palatable meal for my (by then) famished tummy.  

You can have a 2nd bowl of the rice for just NTD10. The black bits on top of the rice should be tea bits. 

I welcomed the soup and sides - you can never have enough greens in Taiwan where they come fresh, tasty and often in generous portions. 

⇩ A nicely refreshing Yuzu Tieguanyin 柚香铁观音 NTD150.

⇩ Off the limited specials page - Tieguanyin crepe mille cake 铁观音千层蛋糕 NTD150 to complete my satisfying lunch.

The ambience on a crowded Sunday was cheeful and happy - perhaps due to a big group lunching in and engaging in loud chatter, though I could still tune out by my window seat and write my notes. On quieter days, the cafe could make a good spot to chill out and read or write over tea and cake.

Something worth mentioning, I met one half of the founding couple, a cheerful and bright looking young man (whom Bai from BY-TeaMaster had briefly told me about, especially his expertise in marketing and branding, and the challenges this couple from out of town faced, before hitting it off with the younger generation of tea plantation owners). I didn't get a chance to speak with him much for fear of disrupting his work - maybe next time. I'm not sure if it's hiring the right crew with the right personality, or the passion driving them, but the rest of them were smiley and very helpful too. It must be really happy working, or rather, being part of the team here. I am sure I will be back when I revisit Pinglin.  

Check out my entire Pinglin Day Trip here:
[Taipei 新北] ☼ Pinglin Day Trip 坪林一日游 ☼

============== 

Just Pinglin 坪感觉
FB | Web
Address --- Pinglin Old Street, No. 12 Pinglin Street, Pinglin District, New Taipei City 新北市, 坪林区, 坪林街12号, 坪林老街

檢視較大的地圖
 

==============