臺灣餐飲老店 Long-established Restaurants in Taiwan

「上海鄉村」這個名稱其實來自於香港九龍。創辦人薛其尉先生某一年到香港，路途中看到一家名為「上海鄉村」的餐廳，由於上海菜深受寧波人的影響，而鄉村料理往往又保留了最多地方口味，於是便借用其名，做為自家餐廳的名稱。

薛其尉先生來自江蘇無錫，薛家在無錫可謂大戶人家，祖上三代都曾當官。民國71年，創立了上海鄉村餐廳。最初，餐廳位在台北市仁愛路與杭州南路口，掌廚的則是隨薛先生來台的家廚，餐廳裡僅有二張桌子。每天，薛老板總是要親自走遍附近的市場採買當天要用的材料，因此常有菜單之外的意外好料。沒有多久，二張桌子就不夠用了，用餐時間客人往往得排隊等候。秉持著以客為尊的精神，於是搬遷至目前仁愛路較大的店面。由於作工精緻、口味道地，服務又好，很快便聲名遠播，顧客絡繹不絕，政商名流都要來嘗嘗道地的江浙菜。

“Shanghai Kitchen” actually got its name from Kowloon, Hong Kong. One year, its founder Mr. Qi-wei Xue saw a restaurant named “Shanghai Kitchen” during his journey to Hong Kong. Since Shanghai cuisine is deeply affected by Ningpo people, but Shanghai’s folk cuisine often keeps most local tastes, so he decided to use “Shanghai Kitchen” as the name of his own restaurant.

Mr. Qi-wei Xue comes from Wuxi, Jiangsu province. His family is one of the wealthiest in Wuxi with three generations of ancestors being officials. In 1982, he founded “Shanghai Kitchen”. Initially, the restaurant was located at the crossing of Ren’ai Road and Hangzhou south Road in Taipei, only having two tables. The chef was his family cook who came to Taiwan together with him. Every day, boss Xue would personally go to the nearby market to buy the ingredients used for that very day, so the restaurant usually had unexpected delicacies on the menu. Before long, two tables were not enough; customers always had to wait in line. In the spirit of customer-orientation, the restaurant was moved to a large restaurant—the restaurant on Ren’ai Road at present. With exquisite workmanship, authentic taste and good service, the restaurant soon became well-known and customers, including politicians, businessmen and celebrities all came to taste the authentic Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine in an endless stream.

開業三十多年，上海鄉村的私房菜單多不勝數，「紅燒下巴」算是歷史悠久的一道經典菜，也是能吃出廚師真功夫的一道老菜，味道濃郁的紅燒赤醬，讓人能吃到細嫩的嘴邊肉和軟滑的魚頭膠質。從開業時就擔任外場服務經理的顧問鄭允成先生表示，對於上海鄉村的菜單如數家珍，例如松子燻肉，因為有些台灣客人不太能接受燻的味道而放棄；還有豆腐乳燒肉，則是店家覺得不登大雅之堂而從菜單上消失。但是最有名的，則是如同「鎮店之寶」的「烤方」，其實就是杭州名菜東坡肉。能把一塊五花肉變成令人垂涎三尺的烤方，這配料功年可是不能隨便外傳，據說早先都是老闆自己關起門來做。就算顧問在家自己嘗試，仍做不出那在唇齒留香的滋味。

從事餐飲業的辛苦，不是局外人所能理解。薛其尉先生學習管理的兒子薛永祥董事長接手經營後，在他的擘畫之下，上海鄉村發展成為一個餐飲事業集團，然而隨著一家家分店的開設，挑戰才剛要開始！以往只要顧及一家店的餐飲品質，如今則要擴及每一家分店。食物的製程容易標準化，但菜餚的味道和口感往往才是真正的挑戰。以往靠著師徒一脈相傳的烹飪技法，在一個餐飲事業集團裡則未必可行，如今則是靠著集團內部的烹飪教室，分享老師傅們的技藝和知識；並透過老員工和老顧客，確實保留地道的口味。

After 30 years’ business, “Shanghai Kitchen” has had numerous private home cuisines. “Stewed fish head in brown sauce” is a classic dish with a long history. It is also an old dish which can make you feel the real skills of the chef. The stewed thick sauce with rich flavor can make people taste the tender meat near the mouth and the soft fish head collagen. The counselor, Mr. Yun-Cheng Zheng, who has been the field service manager since its opening, said that he was extremely familiar with the menu of “Shanghai Kitchen”, for example, they had given up the “bacon with pine nuts”, as some Taiwanese couldn’t accept the smoky taste. What’s more, the “pork braised in tofu” also disappeared from the menu, because the restaurant owners consider it as unrefined. But the most famous is the “Braised Cube” - the treasure of the restaurant, actually it is the Hangzhou famous dish “Dongpo Pork”. This dish makes belly pork into a mouth-watering “Braised Cube”, whose recipe cannot be taught to others at random. It was said that this dish used to be made by the boss himself without letting anybody see the process. The counselor even tried to make this dish at home, but it is still impossible for him to make it and have the aromas lingered in your mouth.

Outsiders cannot understand the painstaking trial of engaging in the catering industry. President Yong-Xiang Xue, the son of Mr. Qi-Wei Xue, who learned management, has made “Shanghai Kitchen” develop into a catering business group. However, with the set up of its branches, challenges also appeared. In the past, they just needed to focus on the quality of one restaurant, but now they should take each branch into account. It is easy to standardize the food-cooking procedure, but the real challenge lies in the flavor and taste of the dish. The cooking skills passed down from the master to the apprentice may not be feasible in a catering business group. So today by sharing the skills and knowledge of the experienced workers in the culinary classrooms of the Group and through the feedback of older workers and customers, they are trying their best to retain the authentic tastes.

餐廳的老員工鄭顧問表示，上海鄉村的經營雖然只到第二代，但主廚可是換了四代。他說，四十歲的師傅最好，不但體力尚佳，經驗也夠豐富。現任主廚洪加傳師傅自從十五歲國中畢業後，便陸續在各家餐廳工作學藝。早年在廚房學藝的老師傅總是很兇，這幾乎是目前許多正值壯年主廚的共同回憶，沒有一點慧根、堅持、毅力，是成不了大師傅的。著名的江浙菜餐廳古今食府、敘香園等，還有主打北平菜的悅賓樓，洪師傅都曾經服務過，因此累積了相當豐富的江浙菜手藝和知識。

加入上海鄉村團隊已經十三年的洪師傅說：烹調江浙菜的重點在口味、技巧、顏色，說起餐廳的招牌菜做法琅琅上口，各式菜色烹調與品嘗的要點，完全不需思考便能脫口而出，不難想像他熟稔技藝的程度。

江浙菜餐廳在台灣曾經四處林立，隨著政權的更迭，曾有的榮景亦隨時悄悄落沒。然而上海鄉村何以能在市場上屹立不搖，便是那一直以來不變的味道和品質。「中餐廳不能制式化」鄭顧問這麼說，要保留「『人』的味道和感覺」，儘管從事餐飲事業很是辛苦，但得以認識很多不同的人，讓客人用餐食覺得幸福，便是最令人高興的事。餐廳如何贏得顧客的心，如何能經營數十年，「堅持」品質、味道和服務，應是不二法門。

Jiangsu and Zhejiang restaurants were once scattered everywhere in Taiwan, but with the change of the regime, the prosperity it once had is fading. However, what makes “Shanghai Kitchen” survive in the market is its consistent taste and quality. Counselor Zheng said “Chinese restaurants cannot be standardized, we should retain the taste and feeling of the ‘human being’, although it is hard to engage in the catering business, we can meet different people and it is of great pleasure to let customers feel happy when they are having dinner”. So, the only way to success should be to learn how the restaurant attracts customers and how it can operate for over ten years - “persistence” in quality, taste and service is the only proper course to take.

無錫脆鱔：精選鱔魚去骨及內臟洗淨後，以高溫油炸。此道菜的重點在控制油炸時的油溫火候，過與不及都不行。炸好的鱔魚，淋上鹹香帶甜的醬，口感鬆脆香酥。

Crispy finless eel in Wuxi style: Carefully choose the eel, take out the bones and guts, and wash it clean to be deeply fried at a high temperature. The temperature can neither be too high nor too low. The key point of cooking this dish is the control of the oil temperature during the frying. Spread salty, tasty and sweet sauce onto the fried eel, and it will taste puffy, crispy, delicious and soft.

紹興醉雞：上海鄉村只選擇雞肉中口感最佳的部位－土雞腿肉，蒸煮後以獨家配料和台灣紹興酒浸泡十八小時，讓肉質嫩中帶脆，上桌時散發淡淡酒香。

Chilled marinated chicken with Shao-shing wine: Shanghai Kitchen only chooses the part of the chicken which has the best taste - free-range chicken thigh meat. After the stewing, marinade the meat with exclusive ingredients and Shao-shing wine for 18 hours to make the meat tender and crispy. When served onto the table, it will give off delicate wine fragrance.

鄉村烤方：精選厚度10-12公分的帶皮豬五花肉，以濃醇醬油佐以冰糖，微火慢燉六小時，肥瘦相間、口味濃郁卻不油膩，是上海鄉村招牌菜中的招牌菜。

Braised Cube: Carefully choose 10-12cm pork side with the skin on, then douse it with soybean sauce and rock sugar, simmer it for 6 hours. With both fat and lean meat, this is richly flavored but not oily, being the best of all the signature dishes.

鎮江肴肉：精選大塊豬後腿肉，先以醬料醃漬、蒸煮，溫火取肉汁精華，經過層層功夫，多日工序，才能完成粉紅晶透的肴肉。吃的時候沾些鎮江醋提味。

Zhenjiang pork aspic: Carefully choose chunks of ham buttock, marinade and steam with sauces, and get the essence of the gravy over a gentle heat. After a lot of effort and procedures spread over multiple days, we can finally get the pink crystal pork aspic. Dip it into vinegar when you eat it, to enhance its flavor.

清炒蝦仁：選用口感大小最適合的新鮮劍蝦，以手工剝殼、去腸泥，經過洗淨、醃漬，雖然只是簡單清炒，卻最能品嘗鮮甜的口感和味道。

Stir-fried shrimp meat: Choose fresh shrimps of the best taste and size, remove their shells and de-shell them by hand, and then clean and marinade them. Although the shrimp meat is just simply stir-fried, this dish can best allow you to taste the fresh taste and flavor.

地址：台北市濟南路2段37號(近金山南路口)

電話：02-22266277      

營業時間：11:30-14:00；17:30-21:00

招牌菜：烤方、紹興醉雞、無錫脆鱔、鎮江肴肉、清炒蝦仁

交通方式：捷運淡水線台大醫院站2號出口往仁愛路方向步行約10~15分鐘；公車搭乘15、22、37、208等路線，於仁愛林森路口下車即可

Address: No.37, Sec.2, Jinan Rd., Taipei City(near the crossing of Jinshan South Road)
Telephone: 02-22266277  
Business Hours: Lunch 11:30-14:00、Dinner 17:30-21:00    
Signature Dishes: Braised Dongpo pork, Chilled marinated chicken with Shao-shing wine, Crispy finless eel Wuxi style, Zhenjiang pork in aspic, Stir-fried shrimp meat.
Transportation: Take the MRT Tamsui line, get off at National Taiwan University Hospital Station, and get out from Exit No.2, and then walk for 10-15 minutes in the direction of Ren’ai Road; or take Bus No. 15, 22, 37, 208 etc. and get off at the station of Linsen Intersection.