It feels like stepping into a tropical rainforest！ Kaohsiung’s Nature-themed Fusion Restaurant

Text & Photos /Shadow

The Xinzuejiang commercial district used to be a popular spot for many young people to hang out and shop. Even though it’s not as bustling with shoppers as it once was, we still come here from time to time to find our favorite snacks. Recently, a new shop opened here with a distinctive exterior and an even more unique name — O’IN Tea House. It’s a fusion restaurant that offers a place for shoppers to dine and relax.

Owner Mr. Wang, who grew up in the countryside, has been surrounded by nature since childhood and is very familiar with local agricultural products. Having grown up on this land, he has deep feelings for it. That’s why he came up with the idea of connecting familiar local products and incorporating them into his dishes, aiming to create a unique market differentiation. With a talent for understanding the characteristics of plants in nature, he even brought the outdoors inside by using lighting and graffiti decorations to create a one-of-a-kind space. From the entrance all the way to the interior, the space is almost entirely surrounded by greenery and flowers, making you feel as if you’re walking into a tropical rainforest — lush greenery everywhere, lifting your mood.

In addition to the dining area on the first floor, there’s another dining area on the second floor. No matter where you go, various potted plant decorations are visible everywhere. The appearance of a toucan at the staircase adds liveliness and vibrancy to the entire space.

The black-and-white floor on the second floor contrasts strongly with the bright orange-yellow walls, interspersed with red and blue wooden chairs, creating a visually colorful and vibrant atmosphere — giving off strong vacation and relaxation vibes.

Each table has a menu placed on it, and the dining style is semi-self-service: you check off what you want and then order at the counter on the first floor. The menu includes Chinese, Hong Kong-style, Taiwanese street food, and Thai dishes, and the drinks also offer customization options.

Homemade Char Siu Scallion Dry Noodles 95 NT

These scallion dry noodles can easily outshine many other noodle stalls. The pork lard and scallion oil are all handmade by the shop, with perfect flavor and aroma. The noodles are springy and chewy — it’s surprising that such delicious dry noodles can be made in a fusion restaurant.

Chengdu Spicy Stir-fried Noodles 95 NT

For those who like spicy food, this spicy stir-fried noodle dish comes highly recommended. The sauce is made using a secret recipe passed down by a Sichuan chef, featuring Dahongpao chili peppers, green Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices to make a numbing-spicy oil, which is then stir-fried with ground hind leg pork to make the sauce. The freshly cooked wide knife-cut noodles are extremely chewy.

Truffle Crab Roe Steamed Char Siu Pastry 120 NT

Hong Kong-style dim sum is another specialty of the shop, prepared by a dedicated dim sum chef. At first glance, the char siu pastry looks ordinary, but after my husband tried one, he strongly urged me to try it — the savory-sweet filling and non-greasy pastry left us wanting more.

Master Chef’s Handmade Shrimp Dumpling Cheung Fun 120 NT

The cheung fun skin has a distinct rice aroma, and it’s filled with whole shrimp — a simple yet classic flavor.

Crystal Shrimp Dumplings 95 NT

The crystal-clear skin wraps around whole shrimp, offering a springy texture.

Truffle Crab Roe Steamed Shumai 90 NT

The black dots on top exude the aroma of truffles, and the shumai has a firm texture packed with juicy meat.

Old-school Black Pepper Pork Rib Rice 160 NT

A classic Taiwanese pork rib rice served in a restaurant setting. Tender pork ribs are paired with a few side dishes and slightly spicy turmeric rice, satisfying anyone who misses Taiwanese street food.

Opium Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken Leg Rice 200 NT

The side dishes for the opium Szechuan peppercorn chicken leg rice are the same as the pork rib rice. The so-called “Szechuan peppercorn” here is a black sauce made with black sesame and Dahongpao Szechuan peppercorns, offering a very different flavor from traditional Szechuan peppercorn chicken, highlighting an alternative creative spicy taste.

Singapore-Malaysia Curry Laksa Chicken Strips 160 NT

The chicken strips are processed to avoid being dry, and they’re served with a special laksa sauce made by the shop. To me, the sauce is slightly on the salty side — it might be more convenient to dip the strips directly into the sauce, which is a small suggestion for the shop.

Exclusive Thai Colorful Rice Shrimp Balls 160 NT

The three-dimensional shrimp balls are very eye-catching, and shrimp fritters are even used for decoration to perfectly showcase the shrimp balls — very creative！

They’re made with squid paste and shrimp paste, coated in Japanese rice flour and deep-fried, served with a Thai sweet-and-sour dipping sauce. The outer rice flour coating is crispy, while the squid-shrimp filling inside is springy — it’s a unique and fun fried combination I’ve never had before.

Damascus Rose Milk Foam Tea for NT$120 (left), Forest Berry Iced Tea for NT$120 (right)

This drink is made from Damascus roses and specially blended golden green tea, offering a floral aroma. The milk foam is crafted using Parmesan cheese, and is topped with organic roses from Jiuru, Pingtung. It’s a romantic, girly beverage full of fragrant charm. The Forest Berry Iced Tea contains a variety of berries, with a flavor that’s not overly sour and sweetness you can adjust to your preference.

Classic Venice Milk Foam Tea for NT$95

Who would have thought the base black tea alone combines three types: Sri Lankan, Darjeeling, and Taiwan No. 18 tea, all blended in proportion. While enjoying the black tea, you can also savor the tiramisu-like taste brought by the Venice milk foam—two delightful experiences in one cup.

We rarely visit this alley, and never expected it to hide such a uniquely charming restaurant. Nestled between clothing and accessory shops, it may seem out of place, yet the design is surprisingly delightful. Perhaps it could inject new vitality into the local business district, invigorate commercial activity here, attract more visitors looking for good food, and even offer international guests a taste of Taiwan’s soft power—a café that combines fruit tea made from local agricultural produce with floral and plant-themed décor. Highly recommended.

O’IN Tea House
Address: No. 19, Lane 167, Wenhe 2nd Road, Xinxing District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-2150786
Business Hours: 15:00～22:00

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