The Rock Garden Yaotai Japanese Restaurant at Laoji in Jiaoxi Unveils Spring Blossom Seasonal Dishes – Available Only Until After Mother’s Day

▲ The chef uses butterfly pea flowers in the chicken soup.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Yilan

Laoji in Jiaoxi Celebrates Its 12th Anniversary！In line with this anniversary's theme of "Exploring the Five Senses", Yaobuting Yilan Restaurant—helmed by Taiwan’s top 100 chef Huang Qinzhou—has also launched a limited-time seasonal menu called “Spring Blossom Seasonal Flavors”. Featuring flowers that symbolize spring, these dishes are not only delicious but also a feast for the eyes.

The Spring Blossom Seasonal Flavors set menu is not only tasty but also vibrant in color. The chef incorporates organic butterfly pea flowers, cucumber flowers, and chayote flowers into the dishes. The Garden Prawn Italian Salad is also beautifully accented with edible blooms. Meanwhile, organic butterfly pea flowers from Sanyi are braised with king oyster mushrooms and chicken to make a chicken soup that’s naturally sweet and delicious without any added seasoning—the most distinctive feature being its light blue hue, making the soup truly unique.


▲ Garden Prawn Italian Salad.

Other dishes include steamed abalone with cucumber flowers and pumpkin tofu, pan-seared black pomfret served with roselle sauce alongside spiced roast chicken, spring vegetable-roasted duck steamed rice, and a medley of orchard fruits with Daxi agar jelly and dragon fruit juice. The pumpkin tofu, enriched with whipped cream and baked, offers a tender texture, while the ingredients are marinated and then roasted with cumin, garlic, and scallions to bring out their aroma. The spring vegetable-roasted duck steamed rice uses the unique cherry duck fat from Yilan to stir-fry seasonal vegetables, which are then steamed together with diced roast duck and rice, creating an incredibly fragrant dish—best enjoyed after mixing everything together.


▲ Steamed Abalone with Cucumber Flowers and Pumpkin Tofu.


▲ Pan-Seared Black Pomfret with Roselle Sauce and Spiced Roast Chicken.


▲ Spring Vegetable-Roasted Duck Steamed Rice.


▲ Orchard Fruits with Daxi Agar Jelly and Dragon Fruit Juice.