Vie a la 鄉食村活 restaurant & cafe — Restaurant in Zhanghua City

Got the risotto and spaghetti lunch sets, which came with rolls, salad, and soup, plus a latte and tiramisu.

The rolls were multigrain — something many people appreciate, though not quite to my taste. Then again, most rolls are an afterthought. These didn’t come with butter or olive oil but with a side of balsamic instead. Shockingly, it was real aged balsamic — a detail most wouldn’t notice, but I was genuinely impressed. I’m not sure how many Taiwanese diners would recognize the difference, but that made it all the more remarkable.

The salad, paired with dragon fruit, was unexpectedly flavorful and well balanced. Very respectful to use local ingredients.

The soup was beef and potato, but surprisingly complex a wonderful addition to the rolls.

Both the risotto and spaghetti were excellent. The truffle flavor in the risotto was perfectly balanced, and the texture spot on. The spaghetti sauce was incredible, though the noodles themselves weren’t actually spaghetti — a small surprise, but forgivable given the rustic concept.

These flavors felt distinctly countryside-inspired — rich, comforting, and homey — but not strictly French or Italian. The dishes were adjusted just slightly for a Taiwanese palate, though not enough to lose their European roots.

Anyone expecting traditional French cuisine might be disappointed, but if you’re looking for European countryside fusion, this is a genuinely enjoyable experience. I don’t mind that the rice or pasta aren’t textbook examples — this is heartfelt countryside cooking. (And let’s be honest, Europeans are offended by everything anyway 😘)

I happened to visit the same day a health inspector arrived — first thing I did was check the bathroom, and yes, there was soap, AND it was partially used, so I know people are washing their hands 💕 Bonus points. The inspector made the cook (the owner’s husband) watch a video right then and there, which felt a bit absurd and unnecessarily harsh for a small business during service hours. As you can see from other photos, the decor is quite thought out and purposeful.

The owner herself, who upon meeting her was very warm and inviting, but is quite sensitive and emotional based on her online replies to previous reviews. Honestly, it almost made me hesitate to visit — but I’m glad I did. Still, a bit of advice: arguing with customers is a 100% no-win situation. Her attitude reflects a very typical Taiwanese tendency — slightly controlling, well-intentioned, but not always received with sympathy by strangers. I say this not to criticize, but to help; I understand the impulse, but restraint goes further in business.

Now, the tiramisu — absolutely incredible. The texture is authentic, and they refuse to sell it to-go — a rare case where that controlling instinct benefits the customer (don’t be mad!!!🤫) It’s easily the best tiramisu I’ve had outside of Europe, and probably the best in all of Taiwan.

If running a full restaurant ever becomes too much, they could easily pivot into a café — just refine the coffee a tiny bit. The coffee is great and currently at the level of a good Taiwanese café (which is not a bad thing), but given their skill, I know they could elevate it further.

Rating: 5/5. If they continue refining their craft, they would come close to Michelin quality. But honestly, the effort that it takes is not really worth the toll. Take care of yourselves — don’t let running a restaurant run your life.

Also a $6000 dish is too much to...

The French cuisine served was absolutely exquisite, bursting with authentic flavors and expertly crafted dishes. Every bite was a delight, leaving me thoroughly impressed and eager to return....

團體用餐習慣都先預定餐點，避免久候餐點或等人到期還要花時間討論

到現場時，闆娘有建議因有3份同口味燉飯，建議保留一份再換其他餐點一起分食共餐

也因此多品嘗到多種不同風格的餐點 (感謝闆娘願意花時間說明)

在臉書預定時剛好有看到評論事件 , 用餐時就有多留心店內情況

2個小時內 , 最心疼的是闆娘懷著三寶

忙進忙出 細心注意每桌動靜 ，雖然有請工讀生 ，仍舊親力親為

櫃台周邊有大寶 二寶 在睡覺 ，超優秀的各自睡的好香甜

用餐完畢時二寶睡醒(未滿1歲)，很安靜的自己拿水喝 自己玩玩具

後續大寶睡醒 也是很乖巧….都是非常體貼父母辛勞的小孩

闆娘收盤時還貼心的提醒營業到10點~放心聊(期間不斷補伯爵紅茶跟香草檸檬水)

內心OS – 好辛苦! 10點後光能離開店裡就不知道到幾點 ，回家還要忙小孩 !

店內眾多綠化盆栽 (都很漂亮) …平時又得花多久時間照顧

以上內容都跟餐點沒關係….

想表達的是 - - 每家店都是很用心在營業 ， 開店成本也都難以估計

每個顧客的飲食口味都不同 ，光是市面眾多咖啡品牌就各有粉絲支持

不合個人口味的話 ，頂多就是沒二訪 ，沒必要留一星又批評

本身保有正向思維與能量時...