臺灣餐飲老店 Long-established Restaurants in Taiwan

以現撈海鮮聞名的梅子餐廳，在台中沙鹿經營近三十年，第一代為民國42年次的李清榮先生，現在經營權已傳至第二代的三位兄弟，大哥負責海鮮採購、老二李逢家，綽號阿家，則負責外場管理，雙胞胎弟弟李建逸則是掌管廚房，擔任餐廳主廚一職。梅子餐廳在當地以現撈海鮮聞名，與這一整個家族的人和客人持續搏感情三十年不無關係。

梅子餐廳於民國74年在現址的騎樓設攤，主要販賣海鮮熱炒。與海鮮的結緣來自李清榮的工作背景。由於李清榮是高雄人，曾經做過捕魚工作，結婚後來到台中沙鹿，改開貨車，專門載冰給漁船使用，民國66年梧棲漁港開放觀光，於是李清榮改在市場賣魚，但因為要養四個小孩，家中開銷很大，於是看上當時鹿寮成衣加工區的人潮所帶來的商機，開了專門賣海鮮熱炒的路邊攤。當時路邊攤主要以快炒為主，還有炒螺肉、剁鵝肉、炒飯、炒麵等。阿家說「當時生意很好，曾經有四個客人就喝掉17,000元，菜錢根本不到1,000元，天天都客滿，賺酒錢就夠了。」民國83、84年台灣經濟沒落，許多產業轉移到大陸，店裡生意也開始變差，促使他們決定轉型。

The Meidz seafood, which is famous for the freshly fished seafood restaurant has been run for nearly 30 years in Shalu Taichung. Its first generation manager was Qing-Rong Li, who was born in 1953. Now, it’s run by the second generation managers, that is, the three brothers. The eldest brother is in charge of seafood purchasing; the second brother Feng-Jia Li, whose nickname is A-Jia, is responsible for field management; and his twin brother Jian-Yi Li is the restaurant’s chef. In the local area, Meidz seafood is famous for providing freshly fished seafood, which has close relations with the whole family’s unceasing interaction with the customers. 

In 1985, Meidz seafood founded a stall under the overhang of the current site, with the main business selling fried seafood. Why they chose seafood had something to do with Qing-Rong Li’s job background. He came from Kaohsiung, and once did the job of fishing. After his marriage, he came to Shalu, Taichung to drive a truck loaded with the ice used by the fishing ships. In 1977, Wuqi harbor was opened for sightseeing. So, he began to sell fish in the market. But the expense of raising 4 children was every high. And he saw the business opportunity brought by the huge crowds, so he opened a stall to specialize in selling fried seafood. At that time, stalls mainly sold quickly fried food, including fried conch meat, chopped goose meat, fried rice, fried noodles etc. A-Jia said that, “at that time, we had very good business. Once, 4 customers even drank 17000 yuan of beer, while their dishes cost less than 1000 yuan. Every day, our stall was filled with people; just the beer income was enough.” In 1994 and 1995, the Taiwan economy declined, and many industries moved to Mainland China. The business of their stall also worsened, so they decided to reform.

梅子的第一次轉型是將路邊攤的廚房移進入店裡，改成餐廳與快炒各半的經營型態，希望能做到一些企業的生意。修正之後的梅子餐廳，加裝了玻璃、冷氣，菜色開始修正，並請外面的師傅掌廚。阿家提到，請師傅來工作，除了人手不足的原因之外，最重要的是想要跟他們學做菜。因為過去的海鮮快炒不屬於大菜，既然要兼顧到”餐廳”的經營型態，許多宴席菜都需要專業廚師的手藝，而李清榮則利用這個機會精進廚藝，他們相信自己有了技術，梅子的菜色品質便能控管。這樣的經營理念，讓餐廳的傳承有了機會。

做了廿年的餐飲，李清榮原本想要休息，將餐廳頂給別人，沒想到客人的一句「那我們以後就沒飯吃了？」迫使家族開了一次會議決定餐廳存廢，結果沒想到分別就讀景觀設計、機械、與電子的三兄弟決定一起扛下傳承的使命。由於大哥的大舅子在澎湖捕魚，於是決定投資五艘漁船，由大哥負責漁獲採購，目前餐廳的海鮮有六成來自澎湖，四成來自台中本地；阿家則負責外場管理、網路行銷；最小的弟弟因為對烹飪有興趣，先前曾到台中福華飯店海鮮坊、新天地餐廳學習廚藝，加上爸爸負責指導招牌菜的部分，李建逸後來便成為梅子的廚房靈魂，於是梅子在民國95年進行第二次轉型，由第二代的三兄弟正式接手。
當年餐廳取名梅子源自於媽媽拿手的「醃梅子」，因此媽媽醃製的梅汁淋在乾煎的現撈魚--「梅汁白鯧」成為店裡的招牌菜。阿家提到店裡還有一道特色菜「三杯石斑」，則是由店裡的客人建議並一炮而紅的菜餚，「將現撈的龍膽石斑以台菜的三杯手法烹調，沒想到客人讚不絕口，這道菜色從早期的路邊攤到現在定價都是450元，客人一直很捧場。」

「七成的客人都是老主顧帶進來的。」阿家強調將客人當作朋友、情人，生意便能長長久久，「梅子餐廳與客人的關係不只是金錢上的交易關係，而是有感情的成分存在。」梅子餐廳的品牌已經做到客製化的海鮮料理，會因客人的喜好而做修正，梅子餐廳等同新鮮海產料理的代名詞，而這項的經營理念帶領著梅子走向下一個三十年、五十年。

The first change was to move the stall kitchen into the shop to change it to the business of combing both the dining hall and the quick frying, hoping to win some companies’ business. The improved Meidz seafood was further equipped with glassware and air-conditioning. Its dishes also changed and other cooks were invited. A-Jia mentioned that, the reason they invited other cooks is that, beside the lack of manpower, they wanted to learn how to cook. Since the former quickly fried seafood were not formal dishes, and now that the business mode had changed to that of a dining hall, many banquet dishes required the skills of professional cooks and meanwhile Qing-Rong Li could also improve his cooking skills. They believed that only when they had the skills, could they obtain control over the quality of Meidz seafood. Such business ideas gave opportunity to the restaurant’s continuity. 

Qing-Rong Li who has been in the catering industry for 2 decades, had wanted to have a rest and give the restaurant to another person. However, one customer said, “If so, what do we eat then?” The family had a meeting to decided whether to keep the restaurant or close it. Surprisingly, three brothers who respectively learned Landscape Design, Mechanics and Electronics decided to take up the mission together. Since the eldest brother’s uncle fishes in Peng-hu, so they decided to invest in 5 fishing ships and the eldest brother took responsibility for fishing and purchasing. For the moment, 60% of the restaurant’s seafood comes from Peng-hu and 40% from local Taichung. A-Jia is responsible for the field management and network marketing. And the youngest brother, who’s interested in cooking, has successively learned cooking in the Howard Prince Hotel Taichung’s Seafood Workshop and New Palace Restaurant. And his father also guided him in cooking the specialties, so Jian-Yi Li later became the soul of Meidz seafood. And in 2006, Meidz seafood ushered in the second transformation, being taken over by the three second-generation brothers.

“70% of our customers are brought in by the old customers.” A-Jia emphasized that the restaurant regards customers as friends or lovers, so that their business can last a long time, “the relationship between Meidz seafood and its customers are not just a trading relationship about money, but also the integration of emotions and feelings.” The brand of Meidz seafood has achieved custom seafood cuisine, making adjustments according to the customers’ preferences. It also stands for the representation of fresh seafood cuisine and this business concept will lead Meidz seafood into the next 30 or 50 years.

梅汁白鯧：乾煎的白鯧來自台中港漁獲，加上由媽媽負責醃製來自南投水里、信義鄉的梅子，成為餐廳的招牌菜。

Pomfret in Salted Plum Sauce: The pumfret is fished in Taichung port. Pan fry it, and add the salted plum sauce made by mother from the plums picked from Shuili and Xinxi Township Nantou. This dish becomes the signature dish of Meidz seafood.

紅鰷涮涮鍋：來自澎湖的紅鰷為石斑魚的一種，以蛤仔熬湯，讓客人自行將紅鰷涮熟入口，魚肉不僅新鮮，蛤仔與魚肉涮過的混和湯頭更是甜美。

Red Minnow Shabu-Shabu: The red minnow from Peng-hu is a subtype of grouper. Boil the soup with little clams. And let the customers rinse the red minnow by themselves. Not only is the fish fresh, but also the combined soup of little clams and rinsed red minnow tastes sweet and delicious. 

大蛤蜊生吃：將野生的蛤蜊冰鎮後淋上檸檬汁，由於蛤蜊肉遇酸會緊縮，較為紮實，此道菜改良自火烤蛤蜊。

Raw Big Clam: Spread lemon juice onto the wild clam which has been frozen. Since the clam tightens when it meets the sour elements. The meat becomes elastic and firm. This dish is an improvement from Toasted Clam.

三杯石斑：一般拿到現撈石斑多以清蒸處理，但因客人建議，改採三杯烹調手法處理。先將石斑裹粉後炸過，再以三杯的麻油、醬油、和米酒烹調製作。魚肉多汁、鮮甜。

Three-Cup Grouper: Usually the fleshly fished grouper are steamed (in clear soup). But, as the customers suggested, we cook it in the three-cup cooking method. Wrap the grouper with flour first, then cook it with three cups of sesame oil, soybean sauce and rice wine. The meat tastes juicy, fresh and sweet.

蚵仔麵線：食材是採用澎湖的蚵仔加上台中清水的手工麵線，以麻油煨麵線製作而成。

Little Clam Noodles: The ingredients adopt little clams from Peng-hu and hand-made noodles from Taichung Qingshui. The dish is made by boiling the noodles in sesame oil.

地址：台中市沙鹿區中山路473號之2
電話： 04-2662-5365
營業時間：11:00-14:00；17:00-21:00；全年無休
招牌菜：梅汁白鯧、大蛤生吃、三杯石斑
交通方式：自行開車則往台中梧棲方向：搭乘公車則至沙鹿童綜合醫院站牌下車，步行三分鐘；搭乘火車則至沙鹿火車站下車，改搭計程車往清水方向約十分鐘

Address: No. 473-2, Zhongshan Rd., Shalu Dist., Taichung City
Telephone: 04-26625365   
Business Hours: 11:00-14:00; 17:00-21:00; open all year around
Specialty: Pomfret in Salted Plum Sauce
Transportation: Drive there yourself in the direction of Wuqi, Taichung City; take the bus and get off at the Shalu Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital stop, and then walk for another 3 minutes; take the train to Shalu Railway station, and then take an approx. 10-minute taxi ride in the direction of Qingshui