Changhua’s “Carousel” Restaurant — Golden Egg Fried Rice with Jasmine Flowers!

Text and photos by /Ah Mon

A while ago, I heard from a friend that a new restaurant called Gomokuho Jasmine Hall, featuring a carousel, had opened in Huatan, Changhua. It specializes in Japanese-style egg fried rice. Being a big fan of egg fried rice, I decided to check it out with my friend. Gomokuho Jasmine Hall is not far from the Huatan Station of the Taiwan Railways. You can also take the train to Huatan Station and walk there — it only takes about three minutes on foot, so it’s very close to the station exit.

The most famous local agricultural product in Huatan, Changhua, is jasmine flowers. So, on the way to Gomokuho Jasmine Hall, you’ll pass by the Huatan Jasmine Flower Dream Museum. This place also serves meals, but it’s not Gomokuho Jasmine Hall — they are two different places, so don’t go to the wrong one!

A few meters past the Huatan Dream Museum, you’ll see an inward-facing building on your right. Turn in, and when you look up, you’ll spot the signboard for Gomokuho Jasmine Hall. And there you are — you’ve reached the restaurant. The dining area is located on the second floor, while the first floor houses other shops, so just head upstairs to the second floor to dine.

At the entrance, there are Jasmine Princess dolls and large posters where you can take photos for social media.

The stairs to the second floor are right at the first-floor entrance. You can take the stairs up, and if you’re feeling lazy, there’s even an elevator — XD.

Once you reach the second floor, you’ll see the entrance to Gomokuho Jasmine Hall. All I can say is the restaurant is really quite hidden. It’s pretty amazing to have a restaurant on the second floor — XD.

If you’re driving here, there’s a reserved parking lot nearby. Dine in-store with a minimum spend of NT$500 and you can get NT$20 off your parking fee. So no worries about finding a parking space.

As soon as you walk into the restaurant, right in front of you is the legendary, super dreamy carousel — it’s actually been moved inside the restaurant. The décor is mainly white and pink, giving off a romantic vibe. Both adults and kids are sure to be delighted upon seeing it. The space is also really spacious, with well-sectioned seating areas offering more privacy. But you’d never guess how big it is from the outside on the first floor. You only realize it’s a whole different world once you step inside — XD. Looking around, the place was filled mostly with female customers. So many were having major girly moments taking tons of photos — XD.

On the right side of the restaurant is the sofa area, where there are comfortable armchairs against the wall for dining. The brick walls, windows, and little flower garden give off a romantic feel like you’re dining in a European-style restaurant. Hmmm… aren’t we here for Japanese egg fried rice, though? XDD? The ambiance is so romantic and dreamy, which feels a bit disconnected from egg fried rice.

In the center of the restaurant is a carousel with three horses. I think the craftsmanship of the horses is quite delicate, really reminding me of the carousels in amusement parks from my childhood. But these horses are fixed in place and can’t move. For safety reasons, they’re not open for riding and are just for photo ops. Don’t try to ride them — you might damage them and then they won’t be around for the next visitors. There are also dining tables and chairs within the carousel area, so you can choose to sit in the middle and enjoy the romantic experience of dining surrounded by horses — something you can’t get in an amusement park — XD.

Whaaat?! There are even free USB charging ports. This place is so high-tech. You can charge your phone here without any extra charge. There’s also free Wi-Fi, so you can post to IG without any issues.

Menu – Egg Fried Rice

After you’re seated, the server will bring over the menu for you to order. There’s a minimum spend of NT$200 per person, but those under 12 years old are exempt. During busy times, the dining duration is limited to one hour after the last dish is served. The restaurant’s signature dish is the egg fried rice set, which includes one portion each of egg fried rice, a main dish, salad, soup, and dessert. There are three sauces to choose from for each meal: Japanese teriyaki, apple curry, and creamy white sauce. Among them, the apple curry is the most popular. For the main fried item, you can choose from pork cutlet, fish cutlet, croquette, etc., with the pork cutlet being the most popular.

Sandwiches, Rice Bowls, Set Meals

If you’re worried about ordering too much food, there are also smaller portions such as rice bowls and sandwiches. The menu is quite diverse, mainly featuring Japanese cuisine.

Fried Items

These are considered side dishes. I heard the restaurant originally started by selling croquettes in Kaohsiung, so croquettes are also a signature here. Be sure to try some. If you want to order a variety of fried items, consider the fried combo platter. One item is NT$50, two items for NT$89, and three for just NT$119, so it’s a better deal. So in the end, we ordered a fried combo platter to share — XD.

Crepes / Pancakes, Drinks

The restaurant provides free chilled water. Since drinks aren’t included with the meals, you’ll need to order them separately if you want a cold beverage.

Fried Combo Platter NT$89

Because the server highly recommended the croquettes, we went with two fried items as appetizers: Exploding Cheese Croquette and Spicy Pork Loin. They were great for snacking on before the main set arrived and for chatting. The fried items came out pretty quickly, and within minutes of chatting, our dishes arrived. The enticing aroma of meat wafted over, making our mouths water. The dipping sauce served was tartar sauce.

Exploding Cheese Croquette NT$50

One of the restaurant’s signature items, this croquette is actually square-shaped, unlike the usual round ones. When it’s served, they’ll cut it in half for you, which makes sharing easier. Looking at the cross-section, you can see that besides the fluffy mashed potatoes, it also contains rich cheese and corn kernels. The texture is crispy and fluffy at the same time — we all thought it was delicious and definitely a must-order.

Spicy Pork Loin NT$50

This fried item made us all want a beer — it’s practically the perfect drinking snack. The meat is chewy and elastic, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s so addictive, you’ll finish a whole portion by yourself easily. It’s truly a snack with some magical charm.

Cheese Pork Cutlet Miso Egg Fried Rice (Apple Curry) NT$290

The store’s most popular signature dish is this red miso pork cutlet with cheese and egg rice. As a guy, I’d say the portion is just right—it includes egg rice, curry sauce, a side salad with honey mustard dressing, kelp soup, and jasmine tea jelly. It’s quite a hearty meal, though I think it could be even better with an extra drink XD.

Apple Curry

The curry sauce looks thick and rich, with ingredients like mushrooms, corn, onions, and broccoli. The curry flavor is intense, and at first bite, you can detect a hint of fruit sweetness, which then gives way to a gradually emerging spiciness. So this curry has a bit of heat, but it’s mild—enough that even someone like me, who doesn’t usually eat spicy food, can enjoy it thoroughly.

Egg Rice

After eating so many egg rice dishes, this is the first time I’ve seen one with such a three-dimensional shape—it’s seriously cool. The egg is perfectly made, completely covering the rice so you can’t see it, and the eggshell isn’t broken either. I wonder how much skill it takes to make egg rice like this. The waiter mentioned that the rice here is freshly milled daily using the store’s own rice mill, so the freshness is top-notch. On closer inspection, I even noticed jasmine flowers mixed into the eggshell—they’re edible and a nice touch of local produce incorporated into the dish. It’s clear a lot of thought went into it.

Then, the curry sauce is poured over the egg rice, and voilà—a delicious curry egg rice dish is complete. When eating, it’s recommended to start from the bottom sides, scooping out the rice and dipping it into the curry sauce. The creamy egg and rich sauce pair really well. After a few bites, I realized the rice isn’t just plain white rice—I could taste something nutty XDD, adding layers of texture and making it even tastier.

Curious about what exactly was in the nutty rice, I asked the waiter. Turns out there’s a small sign on the table that explains: it includes bodhi seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and more. The nuts seem to change with the seasons, adding variety in texture and a unique aroma—not just the plain smell of rice. This dish alone makes me want to come back. I’ve never had anything like it before, and it’s clear the owner put real effort into developing this menu item. Be sure to savor this nutty rice medley when you visit.

Red Miso Pork Cutlet

Besides the egg rice, this fried pork cutlet is also the star. When it first arrived, the thick layer of chopped scallions, white sesame, and red miso sauce on top made it look super generous, so we couldn’t tell how thick or big the cutlet was. It wasn’t until we saw the cross-section that we were amazed—this cutlet is seriously thick. I personally love miso sauce, so I sneakily tried a bit first. The saltiness is moderate, just right for most palates, and the aroma is rich. It’s delicious without being overly salty.

Cross-Section Show

The pork cutlet is made from pork tenderloin. From the cross-section, you can see it’s a thick-cut piece—almost 1 cm thick—with a very thin batter coating. It’s really generous. Right after it was served, I picked up a slice to try. The tenderness and aroma are unforgettable, and the combination with sesame, scallions, and sauce takes it to the next level. The cutlet is delicious on its own, but for those who prefer stronger flavors, pairing it with the apple curry sauce adds a spicy kick that’s also great. Because it was so good, we were reluctant to eat the last piece, and by the time we did, it had cooled down. Surprisingly, it didn’t lose much in flavor, and there was none of that greasy feeling you get with cold fried food. It was still awesome—though obviously best eaten hot.

Jasmine Vinegar Drink $80, Specialty Milk Tea $90

For drinks, we chose two staff-recommended options: the jasmine vinegar drink and the specialty milk tea. Since Huatan is known for jasmine, the jasmine vinegar drink is a popular menu item, so we felt we had to try it. My friend picked the specialty milk tea, which arrived with a noticeable layered look—it wasn’t pre-mixed. You could clearly see a layer of fresh milk at the bottom, and it needed to be stirred before drinking. Because of the layers, we first tried the black tea on its own, and it was a pleasant surprise—similar to old-fashioned black tea, with no astringency, making us want to keep drinking more.

Jasmine Vinegar Drink $80

I’ve had drinks at many restaurants, but this was my first time trying jasmine vinegar. It’s made by fermenting jasmine into vinegar—a local specialty drink that shows the owner’s dedication to promoting regional cuisine. The surface of the vinegar drink is topped with dried jasmine flowers, enhancing the aroma. A touch of honey is added for sweetness, so it’s best to stir it first to mix the petals with the vinegar. It has a mild tanginess that won’t hurt your teeth, and it’s refreshingly cool, stimulating the appetite. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Shrimp Lover’s Sandwich $270

If you don’t want a full meal, you can also opt for this light sandwich. Before ordering, I asked the waiter how many shrimp were in the “shrimp lover’s” sandwich XD? The waiter said it was super generous. Since everyone loves shrimp, we decided to share it. The order came on a wooden tray, looking elegant and high-quality. And it’s not just a sandwich—there’s also a small portion of fries and jasmine tea jelly, adding variety to the meal. The jasmine tea jelly is homemade, with a delicate floral aroma and none of that artificial jelly powder taste. It’s really lovely.

Shrimp Lover’s Sandwich

The sandwich is served pre-cut in half and wrapped in a paper bag for easy, mess-free handling—such a thoughtful touch. Inside, there are two huge fried shrimp patties, and the cross-section reveals plump, springy shrimp. It’s definitely not skimping on ingredients. There are also tomato slices and shredded cabbage, adding freshness and crunch to balance the richness of the fried shrimp. The combination of ingredients is spot-on. Taking a big bite, the soft bread, crispy yet tender shrimp patties, crunchy veggies, and juicy tomatoes are absolutely perfect. You can literally taste shrimp in every bite—highly recommended.

Ultimate Banana Crepe $200

After the sandwich, I was so full I could barely swallow, but my friend insisted we get a dessert to complete the meal XD, so we added this banana crepe... It’s made to order, so it takes a while—perfect for letting my stomach digest a bit. While the crepe was being made, the air filled with an incredibly fragrant aroma, which probably helped whet our appetites again.

There are two crepe flavors, and we went with the universally loved banana chocolate option—banana and chocolate are truly a match made in heaven, always delicious. When the crepe arrived, it was another pleasant surprise—the jasmine princess made another appearance. The chef used the crepe as the princess’s skirt, topping it with whipped cream flowers, banana slices, and looking absolutely appetizing. Under the “skirt,” there was even a scoop of President Vanilla ice cream—I initially thought it was just whipped cream, but one bite proved me wrong XD.

The crepe is made in a softer style, so it’s not crispy, but there are also nuts mixed into the batter to enhance the texture. It’s full of surprises, and I have to say this crepe exceeded my expectations in taste. Though I could do with a bit less whipped cream—I’m not a big fan of it, haha.

Wu Mu Fang Jasmine Hall

Phone: 04-7877959
Address: No. 428, Huatan Street, Huatan Township, Changhua County
Price: $200 and up
Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/wmfmrk/

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