As long-term customers of Tengu, we decided it was time to set out on the one-hour trek from Ikebukuro. When we arrived for lunch, we were so pleased with the excellent food and relaxing ambience that we spent the better part of the day on the spacious riverside deck, which adds a good measure of fresh air to a cosmopolitan menu of tasty, healthy dishes. 

We opted for a Thai curry (¥800) and a pesto and feta cheese sandwich (¥650) with a shared nori and rice salad (¥800). The curry, a vivid mix of colors, oozed coconut and lemongrass while the cashews proved surprisingly flavorful thanks to long, slow roasting in a bit of sesame oil. The sandwich was enough to satisfy any pesto junkie, served on the kind of natural multigrain bread that's hard to find anywhere in Japan. The salad, rich in hijiki, parsley, rice, and all manner of goodies came on a bed of crisp nori-handy to wrap the leftovers into an onigiri to finish on the spot or take away. 

Alishan's menu changes with the seasons and the whim of the chef, but remains varied and reasonably priced to appeal to both the conservative and adventurous. Curries, pizzas and soups are popular mainstays-as proven by the gentleman at the next table who demolished a plate of lentil and vegetable curry with brown rice in record time.

During our meal, an interesting collection of characters filed through the restaurant, many of them middle-aged Japanese hikers hastened down from the surrounding hills by the dark clouds gathering overhead. Although it started raining we remained outdoors, the canopy of trees providing a natural umbrella. The hum of nature and the buzz of conversation thankfully rose above the noise of the nearby road and we settled in for coffee and cake. We sank our teeth into a slice of Jack's carrot cake (¥400), served with a dollop of cream and a sprig of mint, plus a couple of home-baked cookies. The latter tasted just the way cookies ought to taste-totally unlike the overly sweet mass-produced variety. The coffee (¥380), Ecuadorian dark roast, was fair trade, organic and delicious. 

Alishan is definitely off-limits for dedicated hamburger eaters but, surprisingly, smokers are accommodated in the outdoor section. And with so many hiking trails in the vicinity, the café is simply a great excuse to head for the hills.