Sakura Leaf Cafe Introduction
Born in Tainan, Chueh met Yvonne, the owner of Sakura Leaf, through a series of events that led her to resign from her original job and become the manager of Sakura Leaf, located in a quiet alley at No. 366, Zhongshan Road, Chiayi City. Although Chueh did not come from a culinary background, her passion and interest in cooking drove her to develop new dishes for the restaurant, adhering to the philosophy of "persistently using local ingredients from Chiayi." This journey took her to Dongshi in search of deliciously sweet oysters, to traditional markets for rich honey, and to oil factories to sample fragrant sesame oil. The efforts didn’t end upon returning to the restaurant; she spent countless hours researching cookbooks and watching cooking shows for inspiration, brainstorming on how to transform these delightful ingredients into innovative local specialties. Throughout this iterative process and her struggles with recipes, a series of creative and unique dishes emerged, including duck meat quiche, Dongshi oyster sauce noodles, lamb milk curry, Chiayi purple sweet potato pudding, and mousse latte, each reflecting Jing Jue's thoughtful creativity and her emotional connection to the locality. In the restaurant's courtyard, a cherry blossom tree quietly flourishes, a variety that is known to be difficult to survive at sea level, yet has stood steadfastly at the restaurant's entrance for over a year since its opening. The restaurant itself is housed in a residential building that is more than 50 years old; during the Japanese colonial period, Zhongshan Road in Chiayi City was a place where successful Japanese merchants and Taiwanese operated. Upon stepping onto the second floor of Sakura Leaf, one can see tatami mats extending across the entire floor, with a strong Japanese ambiance continuing onto the balcony’s shoji screens and the rain shelter outside, complemented by the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, creating a beautiful vintage scene. Chueh, dedicated to the spirit of authentic cuisine, along with the friendly and enthusiastic staff member Chu Chu, continues to provide the most sincere dishes in the alley, embodying the fervor of cherry blossoms.
