Sakura Leaf Café and Light Meals Introduction
Chueh, born in Tainan, met the owner of Sakura Leaf, Yvonne, through a series of events. She resigned from her previous job and began serving as the manager of Sakura Leaf in a tranquil alley at Lane 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 principle of "using local ingredients from Chiayi." This led her on a journey to seek out delicious ingredients, such as searching for fresh and sweet oysters in Dongshi, looking for rich honey in traditional markets, and tasting fragrant sesame oil in oil mills. The hard work did not end upon returning to the restaurant; it was soon followed by spending a considerable amount of time studying cookbooks, watching cooking shows for inspiration, and brainstorming how to incorporate these delicious elements into innovative local dishes. Through this process of trials and struggles with recipes, unique and creative dishes emerged: duck meat savory pie, Dongshi oyster sauce noodles, lamb milk soup curry, Chiayi purple sweet potato panna cotta, and mousse latte, each carrying Chueh’s thoughtful creativity and her emotional connection to the locality. In the restaurant's garden, a cherry blossom tree quietly thrives, a variety that is typically difficult to survive in flatlands, yet it has steadfastly stood guard at the restaurant's entrance since its opening over a year ago. The restaurant itself is over 50 years old and was once a private residence. During the Japanese occupation, Zhongshan Road in Chiayi City was a bustling area for Japanese merchants and successful Taiwanese businesspeople. Upon stepping onto the second floor of Sakura Leaf, one can see tatami mats extending from the floor, covering the entire level, with a strong Japanese sentiment leading out to the balcony’s shoji screens and the outdoor rain shelter, creating a beautiful vintage scene together with the cherry blossom tree in the garden. Chueh, dedicated to authentic cuisine, along with the friendly and warm staff, Chu Chu, continues to passionately provide sincere dishes in this little alley, embodying the same fervent spirit as that of the cherry blossoms.
