【食記】南投 - 天祥 @ il Giardino Romantico

After our much satisfying but energy-consuming bike ride, we both got really hungry. We had a small argument, because my friend wanted me to decide which restaurant to dine in. There were so many of them around, and each one of them seemed so similar to each other, I just couldn't decide on which one to go with! Finally, I gave up deciding, and we just picked one we happened to be standing next to. There is nothing more intriguing than the surprisingly pleasant results when you act spontaneously. This restaurant will always be remembered as 'the restaurant' of Sun Moon Lake, and you shall see why.

滿足的騎完單車之後，體力也差不多用盡了。肚子當然也就餓了。此時我們有了一點小爭執。因為我朋友希望我決定要在哪間餐廳用餐。可是一路上那麼多間雷同的餐廳，是要我如何做抉擇呢？最後，我終於放棄了。於是就走進當時離我們最靠近的一間。不過有的時候這種突發行為衍生出來的結果，常常會讓你感到更驚奇。這間餐廳在我們心中將永遠是＂日月潭的那間餐廳＂。

半天花 Half-heaven flower

This dish was recommended by the owner of the restaurant. When she made the recommendation, I said jokingly, 'is it good?'. She said, 'of course! if you don't like it, I won't charge you!' With that bold remark, we decided to go for it. In the end, we paid for it, willingly.

此道菜是老闆娘推薦的。老闆娘推薦時我還開玩笑的問：『好吃嗎？』老闆娘篤定的說：『當然好吃啊！不好吃不收你錢啦！』就因為老闆娘如此肯定的口吻，讓我們決定來試試看。最後，我們當然是很樂意的付了這道菜的錢。

蝦仁煎蛋 Shrimp scrambled eggs

清蒸魚 Steamed fish

過貓 Fried vegetable fern

This was a complimentary dish from the owner. And here comes the story, as to why we will never forget this restaurant. As we were finishing up our meal, she walked over and talked to us about her English menu. She had initially asked me how to say a few dishes in English. Then, seeing her enthusiasm in her desire to satisfy her foreign customers, I offered to translate the menu for her. So in the end, she wrote on a piece of paper, all the dishes she'd like to have in English. Meanwhile, also asking if I could write it. Unfortunately, with my poor Chinese writing ability, I refused. She finished the list in the end, I took it home, and sent her the translation a couple of weeks later. The owner was so thrilled to receive it, that she called and showed her appreciation once again. And thus we made a new friend at Sun Moon Lake.

這是老闆娘招待的菜。而難忘的故事是這樣的：就在我們正要結束用餐前，老闆娘突然走向我們然後開始問我們一些基本的菜色名稱的英文。剛開始我們只是口頭上敎他怎麼說。但看他如此認真的想要滿足國外來的旅客，我便提議願意幫他翻譯菜單。緊接著老闆娘拿起筆來寫下國外觀光客常會點的菜色。甚至還希望我幫他寫下中文菜名。但中文不好的我回絕了。老闆娘在滿般不解的情況下還是把他想要有英文對照的菜名列出。我拿著這單子回到家中，過沒多久就將英文的版本記回給他。老闆娘開心的回電話跟我道謝。我們就這樣在日月潭交了一個新朋友。