Melt Girls’ Hearts: Hualien’s Most Beautiful Building Features a Dreamy Dried Flower Ceiling

The end of Zhongshan Road was once the site of Hualien’s old train station. During the Japanese colonial period, it was the bustling hub known as “Black Gold Passage,” the main road in the city area. It earned its name because the road surface, paved with asphalt early on, had a nearly black-gold hue. However, after the demolition of the old train station area, the district gradually declined before seeing a revival in recent years.

No. 48 Zhongshan Road is a century-old three-story building that has witnessed decades of transformation in Hualien. It holds the memories of many locals and is arguably one of the most beautiful houses in the city. Originally serving as the Hualien office of the Hakodate Group during the Japanese rule, it later housed the Risen Daily News, Qiguan Customs Brokerage, and A-Zhi-Bao Handicrafts. This year, it has been taken over by the local F&B team Qiao Yuzhou, who introduced “Black Gold Passage” as their second dining brand, giving this beautiful building a fresh new look.

▲ The rice-based meals at “Black Gold Passage” come in generous portions—pictured here is the Teriyaki Tender Chicken set.

“Black Gold Passage” is still in its trial operation phase. The first floor mainly consists of the checkout counter and an open kitchen, while the second floor is the dining area, and the third floor remains closed to the public. The restaurant offers nine types of rice-based meal sets, each main dish served with rice made from carefully selected East Rift Valley rice, Peruvian black quinoa, and organic black rice. The meal also includes locally grown vegetables, daily freshly prepared soup, sesame tofu, borax-free white shrimp, two side dishes, fruit, and a sugar-free drink—all arranged on a large wooden tray that fills the entire plate, delivering maximum satisfaction.

▲ %This content is not available in English%