A standalone double-story glass house in the garden – Yilan’s super-popular à la carte cuisine

Text and photos byLittle Beluga

There are over thirty à la carte restaurants in Yilan, and the uniquely designed [glass house] is widely known but also receives mixed reviews. The so-called “à la carte cuisine” means diners pay per person (or per table), with prices ranging from 600, 800… and even no upper limit. As for what dishes you’ll get? It depends on the ingredients the restaurant has purchased that day (or that season), or the creative dishes that pop into the chef’s mind. Dining on à la carte cuisine is like going on an exciting, adventurous fantasy journey. Not knowing the dishes in advance is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking.

*This article was written in April 2013.

Features of the [glass house]: The building has floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the simple, rustic beauty of the countryside to flow seamlessly into the interior.

The two-story dining space operates by phone reservation. If you plan to dine on a holiday, you usually need to book more than two months in advance.

Two years ago, my colleagues and I went on a one-day trip to Yilan, and a big group of us had a great meal at the glass house at noon.

I really enjoyed that meal with my colleagues at the glass house, and I’ve been wanting to bring my family here to try it too. Last December, after visitingLeigongpi Reservoirwith my family, we stopped by the [glass house] to see if we could book a table in January.

On Provincial Highway 9A, after passing Dahu Elementary School, there’s this row of exotic-looking bald cypress trees by the roadside that are super eye-catching.

The gentle sunlight at 4 p.m. in December gently slants across the cosmos flowers by the road, which have just sprouted delicate little blooms.

To make a reservation, you can simply call: confirm the date, number of people, and price per person (600, 800, 1000…).

Since we happened to be nearby, my family and I took the opportunity to visit in person while making the reservation, and also strolled around the outdoor garden for some fun photos.

Holiday lunch and dinner slots in January, as well as the Lunar New Year holiday period, were already fully booked, so we had to reserve a dinner slot on a non-holiday in late January. Fortunately, because we came to reserve in person, my family and I were pleasantly surprised to see the large Dendrobium flowers that are supposed to bloom in summer and autumn.

After much anticipation, the day of our reservation in late January finally arrived. Yay – before it got completely dark, we set up a tripod and captured colorful night views of the [glass house] from different angles.

Before introducing the dishes we had this time (600 NTD per person), I’d like to offer some candid suggestions to the [glass house]:

1. The service staff could be more graceful when serving dishes:
(1) I don’t know what the rush is, but everyone had just sat down and hadn’t even warmed their seats when three dishes were slapped down in quick succession?
(2) Precisely because it’s à la carte, guests always want to know what they’re eating so they can fully appreciate the chef’s care. However, when the staff serve the dishes, although they say the names, they rattle them off in a rapid-fire manner?
(3) More than ten dishes served in just one hour? There’s no time to eat them all. The table isn’t big enough to fit everything. The relaxing atmosphere of enjoying delicious food and chatting with family goes out the window. Sob.

2. The lighting on the second floor during dinner hours could be brighter:
Various restaurants deliberately use warm, yellowish lighting to create a romantic dining atmosphere, but they shouldn’t make it hard for guests to distinguish the color of the dishes either. For example, everyone has eaten cauliflower – it’s either green or white, but have you ever seen purple cauliflower? Later I’ll introduce the milk pot dish that includes purple cauliflower, but when you’re eating it, your eyes see gray cauliflower instead?

In dim lighting, it’s not ideal for taking photos with a compact camera. At F/2.0 aperture, the ISO sensitivity starts at 1000, even hitting 1600? And if you turn on the flash, everything turns washed out. Sigh – I had to take photos without flash and then edit each one at home afterward. So, the names of the following dozen or so dishes: made-up by Little Beluga; the flavors? Gulped down without much thought...

First dish:Seaweed embracing cabbage and shrimp　　

What’s this delicious taste? My family forgot entirely. But it was tasty, anyway. Hehe.

Second dish:Sea & Land Wild-Flavor Natural Japanese Salad　　

I’ve never had a seafood salad with so much seaweed before!! The slightly tangy sauce really whets the appetite. The portion is super generous—four people had a great time digging in.

The third dish:Red Bean Matcha Tofu – Red Meets Green　　

Actually, the first three dishes all arrived at the table around the same time. Everyone was momentarily stunned, not knowing which delicious dish to try first.

The fourth dish:Looks pretty intimidating—a lavish seafood platter　　

All you diners, take a good look at this huge spread of various seafood: clams, squid... no need for me to say more, grab your chopsticks and dig in!!

The fifth dish:Shrimp hiding inside cake crumbs　　

“Cake crumbs”? If you come to Yilan next time, please give them a try. The Glass House has upgraded the traditional filling for cake crumbs—it’s a refreshing surprise.

The sixth dish:Baby Anchovies Swimming Right Into Your Belly—So Tasty　　

Under the dim lighting, I couldn’t quite tell what I was drinking, but it sure was delicious!! My family kept scooping bowl after bowl, and the plate was soon empty.

The seventh dish:Crab & Clam Mushroom Hotpot with Milk　　

Only after adjusting the white balance on the computer did the purple cauliflower regain its true color. This hotpot—awesome!! Couldn’t finish it all? No problem, packed it up to take home.

The served starfruit vinegar is cool and refreshing. It cuts through grease and heaviness, neither too sour nor too sweet—the flavor is just perfect!! Since there are starfruit orchards all around the Glass House area, if you like it, you can buy some starfruit vinegar to take home.

The eighth dish:Eel Rolling on Grilled Rice Balls

The surface of the rice balls is grilled just right, with a nice toasted rice crust—but not overly hard or tough to bite. Just… are those eel pieces a bit too small!?

The ninth dish:Yellow Mustard Skating on Pork Bone

Forget about refined manners or elegant poise—just pick up that pork bone with the extra kick from yellow mustard and chomp down heartily!!

The tenth dish:Fish & Mushrooms Dancing on Rocks

Don’t let your hunger get the best of you!! Those round little things are just rocks!! Don’t be tempted to pick them up and eat them—you’ll definitely regret it!!

The eleventh dish:Stir-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs in a Highball Glass in Repulse Bay Style

Ever eaten crab? Ever had Repulse Bay-style stir-fried crab? But you’ve definitely never had Repulse Bay soft-shell crabs served in a highball glass before!! Haha

Dish 12:What’s inside this huge snow-white ball?

When the server brought it to the table, everyone instinctively widened their eyes and stared at the giant ball in front of them.

Then, we watched as the server took out a big mallet and started whacking the huge snow-white ball—whack, whack, whack!!

After cracking open the salt block and peeling away the steaming foil, it turned out to be shrimp inside!! Such intricate preparation, all just to give guests a taste of something sweet and fresh.

Dishes 13 + 14:Honey Blueberry Cheesecake + Strawberry Kiwi

These two sweet fruit-based dishes marked the finale of this whimsical journey in the glass house—time to wrap up feeling full and satisfied.

Tasting “chef’s choice cuisine” is itself a fantastical experience, and personal preferences can vary greatly. Looking online at reviews and responses about the [Glass House], opinions are mixed—some people were pleasantly surprised, while others felt it didn’t live up to the hype. For 600 NTD per person (with a 10% service charge added starting 2013/2/1), the [Glass House] offers extremely generous portions and great cost-performance value.

I sincerely hope that chefs’ innovative and thoughtful cooking is paired with an elegant dining environment reminiscent of European restaurants. Only then can Taiwan’s culinary culture truly elevate.

[The Glass House]
Address: No. 6, Lane 154, Aijie Rd., Yuanshan Township, Yilan County　
Phone: 03-9229898

Little White Whale who loves sharing, photography, and travel
Learning photography happily lets me see the world from different angles; savoring delicious food happily lets me enjoy the world through simple happiness.

Delicious flavors all day long
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