【Shu Shi Boy: A Dining Revolution Started by a Child’s Words】
【Delicious Vegetarian Lo-mei in the Hualien-Taitung Rift Valley】
I first encountered Vegetarian Boy during a trip to Eastern Taiwan.
The itinerary at that time fell in the Chishang and Guanshan area. Moving along the Rift Valley as lunchtime approached, I simply wanted to find a place that wasn’t too oily, where I could have a simple meal without it feeling too casual. While searching the map for suitable fast food or set meal options nearby, the name “Vegetarian Boy” appeared on the screen.
I didn’t think much of it at the time, just thinking, “Vegetarian is fine, something a bit more refreshing.”
Little did I know, this stop would become the reason for coming back again and again.
Starting from Lo-mei, Slowly Walking into a Family’s Story
At first, we thought Vegetarian Boy was just about vegetarian Lo-mei.
Later, we discovered there was also a space for set meals where one could sit and eat slowly. Since then, whenever passing through Chishang or Guanshan around mealtime, we almost always detour back in. It feels natural, not a forced arrangement, but a thought that occurs simply by being on the way.
It was also through repeated visits and conversations that the true story behind this name was slowly heard.
“Vegetarian Boy” is Actually a Real Boy
The “Boy” in the shop’s name is not an abstract concept, but a real person—
Zheng Ruiyun’s son.
In high school, his school promoted “Meatless Days.” One day after coming home, he said something very serious to his mother:
“How about we go vegetarian together to save the Earth?”
Those words became the starting point for this family’s transformation.
Originally, Zheng Ruiyun and her husband already had the habit of eating vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, so it wasn’t completely foreign. Facing their child’s proposal, they didn’t object much, but instead felt: “Since the child is willing to try, why don’t we all see what happens as a family?”
And so, starting from a child’s suggestion,
the family really began to adjust their diet.
From Trying, to Realizing It’s a Path That Lasts
Changing dietary habits doesn’t happen overnight.
But in actual life, they slowly felt the difference—
the body felt lighter, the spirit more stable,
and choices regarding food became more conscious.
More importantly, they began to realize that this way of eating wasn’t just good for the body, but also closer to the environment and the land.
Through repeated practice, Zheng Ruiyun discovered:
Vegetarianism wasn’t a brief experiment, but a path that could be walked for a long time.
From Meat Vendor to Vegetarian Cuisine
Before the transition, Zheng Ruiyun was actually a meat vendor.
Inspired by her son, she made a decision that seemed simple but was quite significant—
to switch directly from meat to vegetarian cuisine.
She was already interested in cooking and had great skills. This transition became an opportunity to reorganize her culinary style. She began adjusting the dishes she normally cooked at home one by one, experimenting with how to use seasonal and local ingredients to create vegetarian food without relying on processed meat substitutes.
With the support of friends and relatives, she established “Vegetarian Boy Shop No. 1” in her home in Guanshan, Taitung.
Starting from Home Cooking, Gradually Becoming What It Is Today
Shop No. 1 started with the most ordinary home cooking.
There was no intentionally designed menu; the content was adjusted according to the season and the ingredients available that day. As experience accumulated, the cuisine gradually moved toward more refined handmade forms.
Because of the limited seating, Shop No. 1 was often full. Later, it was decided to expand the shop in Chishang, becoming what everyone knows now as—
“Vegetarian Boy Shop No. 2.”
But whether it’s Shop No. 1 or Shop No. 2, the starting point of the cuisine remains consistent:
letting people eat with peace of mind, clarity, and without a sense of burden afterward.
The Owner Introduces Personally and Works Personally
Every time I visit the shop, the most vivid impression is always the owner’s presence.
He personally introduces every dish, explaining clearly what was used and how it was cooked; he doesn’t shy away from staff duties just because he is the owner. Serving food, explaining, and cleaning up—he does it all.
Those introductions don’t feel like a sales pitch,
but more like sharing what the family eats every day.
It is precisely in these chats that the family’s story is heard piece by piece.
What Children Remember is the People
My child, every time we come to the Lo-mei shop, always chats with the owner’s sister. After finishing the meal, he often doesn’t want to leave, saying “I want to come again next time,” and finally giving a reluctant hug before departing.
That isn’t because of toys or special treatment,
but because the child feels:
the people here remember him.
A Shop That Carries More Than Just Cuisine
Vegetarian Boy is not a designed brand.
It is a place that slowly accumulated from a child’s words and a family’s willingness to try.
Between Chishang and Guanshan, it has become a place where travelers are willing to stop repeatedly.
It records the transformation of a family, the dialogue between generations,
and the delicious vegetarian flavors that one craves whenever passing through Chishang and Guanshan.
https://www.foodnext.net/life/placemaking/paper/5616962266