Ruins Restaurant at the Art Corner of Tainan – Slow Food + Eco-Friendly Architecture = A Healthy New Lifestyle

Text and photos excerpted from 《Tasting Taiwan: 74+ Great Restaurants》

Whether it's for personal health, reducing environmental pressure... countless reasons have made “vegetarian food” one of today’s most popular dining trends. The Water Curtain Restaurant at Tainan’s “Art Corner of the Ancient City” also offers a vegetarian hotpot. But while most restaurants serve vegetarian dishes primarily made with vegetables and fruits, the Art Corner of the Ancient City serves unique herbal hotpots featuring a mix of ingredients like king oyster mushrooms, moringa, small red flowers, and native Asahi grass. These herbs are blanched and then wrapped in meat rolls—offering nourishment, better taste, and an exclusive flavor you can only find at the Art Corner of the Ancient City.

Longtime residents of Tainan might recall a large, overgrown vacant lot at the corner of Health Road and Datong Road, fenced off by metal sheets for years. Now, through collaboration between the local government and businesses, the wasteland has been leveled, weeds removed, and flowers planted. A lotus pond was created, and lighting and landscaping transformed the space into an urban garden vibe—giving rise to the “Art Corner of the Ancient City” arts and performance plaza.

Repurposing abandoned land for leisurely slow living
The Dongdong Catering Group, which established the “Art Corner of the Ancient City,” currently operates 14 restaurant brands and is a household name in Tainan. Chairman Lee Ridong developed a passion for food, making “gastronomy” his dream. “Opening a unique restaurant” has always been his life mission, and “serving customers only the best cuisine” remains his guiding principle as a chef. As such, despite each restaurant having its own character, using fresh ingredients and creating innovative dishes is his core belief—no matter the location.

Lee Ridong, who loves sports and values wellness, has worked in the food and beverage industry for years. He had long dreamed of opening a restaurant that aligned with modern health and eco-conscious values. After successfully bidding on the vacant lot at the corner of Health Road and Datong Road, he finally realized his vision. He planned the Art Corner of the Ancient City, integrating art and culture, and designed a glass water curtain house with floor-to-ceiling windows to serve as the dining space. The restaurant highlights a medicinal vegetable soup hotpot, aiming to offer guests healthy and reassuring meals.

The Art Corner of the Ancient City has won the hearts of Tainan locals with two standout features: its commitment to health, sustainability, and green principles, and the artistic ambiance of the area. Lee Ridong established an arts and performance plaza next to the restaurant to promote cultural arts at the grassroots level. He also hired a renowned designer to create the Victorian-style “True Love Corner” outdoor wedding venue—the first of its kind in Tainan. These two features perfectly embody Lee Ridong’s belief: if you’re going to do something, do it differently.

Enchanting herbs for a pure, high-fiber, body-cleansing experience
Beyond the building’s appearance, what has earned this restaurant widespread praise is its medicinal vegetable soup hotpot. The star of the show—the “herbal bowl”—is inspired by the owner’s passion for mountain climbing and sourcing ingredients from indigenous communities. Using herbs instead of typical hotpot vegetables allows diners to enjoy a healthier, more authentic flavor.

These herbs come from mid-to-high altitude mountainous regions in Taitung, hand-picked by specialists and delivered fresh daily from their place of origin. Depending on the season, you might find rare ingredients like divine grass, powder greens, Physalis alkekengi, chicken intestine herb, and long-leaf kidney fern... Some are rarely seen elsewhere. When the server brings out the white heart-shaped ceramic bowl filled with herbs, they kindly explain the contents and how to enjoy them, and even provide written guides to help you identify each herb as you eat.

However, although the focus is on herbal cuisine, it’s not purely vegetarian. The idea is to encourage more fresh vegetable consumption to support energy-saving, carbon reduction, and earth care. To reduce intake of meat and chemical additives, the buffet offers dozens of dishes—only a few are handmade meatballs—the rest are all fresh, unprocessed foods. The dishes are mostly served cold or steamed, avoiding frying to preserve their natural flavors. This approach significantly cuts carbon emissions throughout cooking and dining, earning the restaurant the honor of “2012 Low-Carbon Vegetarian Action Restaurant.” At the Art Corner of the Ancient City, you can embrace a LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) and slow-living attitude while enjoying the most natural foods, reconnecting with the original joy of eating through these primal ingredients.

“Different” architecture
This “different” philosophy becomes evident the moment you step into the Water Curtain Restaurant at the Art Corner of the Ancient City. First, the high-ceilinged glass-walled space is filled with green elements. Faux grass walls separate tables, offering privacy while creating a lush, comfortable atmosphere that helps diners relax unconsciously. Natural light filters through the glass, keeping the interior bright. Meanwhile, the circulating water curtain on the exterior glass helps cool the building, reducing reliance on air conditioning and saving energy—making it a true eco-friendly green building.

Foodie recommendations

Seasonal Seafood Hotpot

Main ingredients include oysters, shrimp, clams, and more—all sourced from local Tainan seafood. Paired with a broth made solely from natural herbs and free from artificial MSG, just a quick dip is enough before enjoying these fresh, natural flavors.

Beef Hotpot

The beef hotpot at the Art Corner of the Ancient City is enjoyed in a unique way. First, dip a slice of beef quickly into the broth, then wrap it in blanched herbs, and dip it into various health-promoting sauces. The result is a crisp texture and nourishing taste.

Health-Boosting Herbal Bowl

One of the restaurant’s biggest highlights. Served alongside main dishes, the bowl resembles a green bonsai and contains nearly 20 types of herbs—90% of which grow wild in Taitung’s mid-to-high altitudes. Just blanch them in the soup before eating. They’re fresh and not bitter, pair well with meats and seafood, and completely shatter the usual “herb” stereotype.

King Grass Egg Rolls
King grass, named for its top nutritional value among vegetables, was the secret to the Egyptian queen Cleopatra’s eternal youth and beauty. Rich in calcium, iron, and lutein. Made with low-sugar, low-oil principles, these crispy yet hearty egg rolls are aromatic and leave a lingering aftertaste.

Delicious Landmarks
No. 77, Section 1, Health Road, South District, Tainan City　
(06) 213-3355
Weekdays: 11:00–14:30; 17:00–21:30
Weekends: 07:30–10:30; 11:00–15:00; 17:00–21:30
Vegetarian hotpot from NT$360 per serving; weekend LOHAS breakfast: adults NT$149, children NT$60 (under 110 cm); Corner LOHAS Bar drinks
$20, children 60 RMB (under 110 cm); drinks at Corner Happy Bar
From 20 RMB
Card payment accepted
artcorner.dondom.com.tw