Hotel pushes boundaries — strawberries turned into fried chicken, fried rice, and sushi

A fantastical strawberry scallop fried rice perfectly blends dried strawberries, scallops, and diced ham, creatively flipping guests’ traditional perception of fried rice. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

Strawberry-scented fried chicken is marinated in layers to infuse the meat with flavor, then coated in batter and fried until golden. Topped with strawberry powder and fresh strawberries, it delivers a rich, aromatic taste. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

The mayonnaise strawberry shrimp ball features shrimp coated in egg yolk powder and deep-fried until crispy, then drizzled with a strawberry yogurt mayonnaise sauce and topped with diced fresh strawberries and kiwi for a refreshing sweet-and-sour kick. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

The strawberry Hawaiian pizza incorporates fresh strawberries into a classic Hawaiian-style pizza, generously topped with rich condensed milk and a sprinkle of blueberries — a truly tangy and dreamy flavor you shouldn’t miss. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

Grilled berry beef nigiri sushi uses premium American boneless short ribs paired with Koshihikari rice. Topped with a specially crafted chef’s strawberry cream and grilled, the rich aroma of the beef pairs beautifully with the fragrant, sweet-and-sour strawberry cream, leaving a lingering taste in the mouth. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

The A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef noodles can be considered a work of art in the world of beef — tender in color with evenly distributed marbling, and an astonishingly delicious flavor. (Photo / The Lalu Garden Hotel)

Every year starting in January marks the strawberry season. Many food and beverage businesses take advantage of this pink-hued business opportunity to launch seasonal strawberry dishes, adding vibrant splashes of red to the winter dining table. While most chefs opt to make strawberries into desserts, The Lalu Garden Hotel goes the creative route, turning strawberries into fried chicken, pizza, and even fried rice — successfully carving out a unique niche in a sea of pink.

The Lalu Garden Hotel is known for frequently refreshing its menu offerings. Its self-service rainforest restaurant, located next to the lobby on the first floor, has also announced that its Colorful Strawberry Season theme will officially begin on the 15th of this month. This time, The Lalu Garden is pushing the boundaries of what strawberries can do — breaking away from the notion that strawberries are only for sweets — and using creativity to turn this winter berry into a range of savory dishes such as strawberry scallop fried rice, strawberry-scented fried chicken, mayonnaise strawberry shrimp balls, strawberry Hawaiian pizza, and grilled berry beef nigiri sushi.

These attempts have opened up more possibilities for strawberries. Thanks to their distinctive fragrance, which can elevate a dish beautifully, and their refreshing taste that doesn’t overpower the main flavors, these creations have already attracted many strawberry lovers to make reservations. The Lalu Garden is also very generous — diners visiting before the strawberry season officially begins will each receive a complimentary bowl of A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef noodles. With the costly wagyu beef noodles plus all the strawberry dishes, the weekday lunch set is available for just NT$780+10%, offering excellent value for money.