Man Guan Tea Garden Introduction
Enjoying a pot of heartwarming tea. In an era where tea shops and bubble tea stores are on the rise, most people prefer quick and convenient drinks to take away, often forgetting one important fact: a good cup of tea requires time to brew. Fan Yizhen, the proprietor of Manguan Tea Garden, understands this well, which is why she opened the tea garden on Cultural Road in 2014, determined to brew her own tea for customers to enjoy. Yizhen believes that drinking tea requires a platform for face-to-face communication; she must guide customers through the complete tea-brewing process to help them appreciate the aroma, flavor, and characteristics of each type of tea. For example, the natural fruity aroma of Honey-scented Oolong subtly carries delicate honey notes, while the rich tea broth of Qingxin Oolong transforms into a refreshing and smooth spring water after taking a sip. With the changing climate each year and season, the same type of tea can adapt its flavor accordingly, and these stories need to be shared over several pots of tea, which is why she often spends over an hour hosting a group of guests. However, Yizhen enjoys these interactions, saying that the time spent with customers has been her greatest reward since opening the shop. Manguan Tea Garden does not seek fancy packaging but insists that every step from planting, harvesting, roasting, to packaging and selling the tea must be done in-house—no part of the process can be entrusted to others. In 2017 alone, the tea underwent 457 inspections by SGS certification entities, as the quality of the tea has always been Yizhen's top concern. Once, a South Korean who had worked in Taiwan for ten years visited the shop with his secretary. Every time he enjoyed a pot of tea, he would instruct his secretary: this is the tea he drinks in the morning, this is the tea for after lunch, and this is the tea for the evening—reflecting how the teas in the shop meet the important moments he needs to bask in tea fragrance throughout the day. This Korean man's attitude toward tea resonates with Yizhen's philosophy of "lifestyle tea." The carefully cultivated Alishan tea is waiting for the day when we step in to discover it and become a significant guest in the moments of our lives. Recommended dishes: Honey-scented Red Oolong, Charcoal-baked Aged Tea (Private Tea).
