Jiufen Shimi Store Introduction
At this restaurant, you can always hear the melodious tunes of the famous Taiwanese singer Wu Bai while enjoying a piping hot serving of stinky tofu. You might suddenly ask, "Boss! Why is your restaurant named 'Food Riddle Shop'?" The Food Riddle Shop is the first stinky tofu restaurant in Jiufen. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with dozens of Taiwanese proverbs, allowing customers to understand the wisdom of the Taiwanese people. The wooden couplet on the wall, "Taste all the delicious food in the world, riddles rest with Taiwan's wisdom," is the inspiration behind the restaurant's name, "Food Riddle Shop." The owner wanted to display these proverbs because he has been interested in riddles and colloquialisms since childhood, often reciting sayings spontaneously. He even bought books to learn the proverbs dictionary and ultimately transformed his restaurant into a "riddles classroom." Besides the proverbs, the owner also shares great stories, engaging in passionate conversations with customers about various anecdotes, and is well-versed in the unique proverbs of the Jiufen area. The owner believes that modern people, living in a technological and commercial society, have little opportunity to connect with Taiwanese culture and wisdom—specifically, Taiwanese proverbs. Therefore, he aims to let everyone know the wise sayings passed down by ancestors and their meanings. Another aim is to spark discussion among dining guests, allowing them to guess or share interpretations, reminiscing about the proverbs that grandfathers and grandmothers used to casually say.
