Watermelon is pickled and grilled—its unexpectedly silky texture is a delightful surprise.

▲ The impressively memorable “Pickled Red Snapper Sashimi, Watermelon, Feta Cheese, Black Onion Seeds.”

Text and photos by Jeff, who keeps a Croton pet plant

How can ingredients like basil, sweet corn, watermelon, and marshmallows be transformed into six savory dishes and two desserts? That was the theme of this collaboration at ACHOI Restaurant in Taipei’s Zhongshan branch of amba, where the head chef invited Austin Hu (胡正威), the chef of Shanghai’s top restaurant Madison, for a guest stint. The focus was on showcasing boundless culinary creativity. Honestly, what intrigued Jeff the most was how watermelon could be incorporated into savory dishes.

When the dishes were served, Jeff immediately started searching for the watermelon among the ingredients. On the plate, aside from the easily recognizable fish, the only red item was a shape resembling a sea urchin, with an incredibly vivid red color—could this be watermelon? Taking a bite, it was slightly sour, slightly salty, yet also sweet, and most importantly, had a silky texture without any fibrous feeling, completely different from the usual impression of watermelon. This was the taste when eaten alone, but when paired with the pickled red snapper sashimi, it further highlighted the two distinctly different textures and flavors.


▲ “Pan-Seared Scallops, Daikon, Yuzu, Dried Tangerine Peel, Basil.”

This dish, “Pickled Red Snapper Sashimi, Watermelon, Feta Cheese, Black Onion Seeds,” was created by Chef Austin. He marinated the watermelon in Japanese soy sauce, sugar, salt, chives, and garlic for an hour, then slow-roasted it at 140°C for one hour and 30 minutes. In addition to developing a caramelized flavor, the texture was completely transformed. Beyond the watermelon flesh, Austin filtered the juice, mixed it with lemon juice, chili, ginger, and salt to create a sauce. As for the watermelon rind, Austin didn’t let it go to waste either—he sliced it thinly and marinated it overnight with vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt, and coriander seeds.

Additionally, three other dishes sampled included “Pan-Seared Scallops, Daikon, Yuzu, Dried Tangerine Peel, Basil,” “Slow-Cooked Barramundi, Treasure Rice, Maitake Mushrooms, Butter Popcorn,” and “Braised Pork Belly, Spicy Passion Fruit Marshmallow, Figs, and Horseradish.” These also cleverly combined basil, sweet corn, watermelon, and marshmallows with other ingredients, merging them harmoniously. It’s quite intriguing how these unconventional pairings turned out.

▲ “Slow-Cooked Barramundi, Treasure Rice, Maitake Mushrooms, Butter Popcorn.”

ACHOI Consulting Chef Lin Ming-Jian and Chef Austin Hu (胡正威) used basil, sweet corn, watermelon, and marshmallows to present a four-hands culinary performance themed “Summer Vacation.” The event took place on the evenings of July 15 and 16, featuring eight uniquely creative dishes. Each set costs NT$3,200 + 10%, and for an additional NT$1,200 + 10%, diners can enjoy a wine pairing that includes one glass each of sparkling wine, white wine, red wine, and dessert wine.


▲ “Braised Pork Belly, Spicy Passion Fruit Marshmallow, Figs, and Horseradish.” The white square is the marshmallow, toppedwith chili powder.