Old Time Fresh Things Introduction
"I am very interested in the preservation of historical sites, cultural heritage, and artistic appreciation," said Zhang Jia-xiu, the CEO of "Old Times, New Freshness," who began by explaining why they decided to restore a 70-year-old house and run a cross-disciplinary restaurant. "However, we cannot just retain the historical feel of the old house; we must also keep pace with the times," she added, explaining the reason for incorporating "freshness" into the restaurant's name. With her strong ideas about management, CEO Zhang insists on using local ingredients and incorporating local characteristics as the decoration theme of the interior space, allowing customers to eat healthily while enjoying the landscape and cultural beauty of Chiayi. For example, the ceiling leading from the first to the second floor is painted by artist Lu Ming-shi to depict the night sky of Alishan, showcasing the entire Milky Way; utilizing the old name of Minxiong, "Dajia," there are many cat-related decorations and clever designs in the store. With a nursing background, she fully utilizes the two-story old house space, with the first floor serving as a restaurant and the second floor preserving the original Japanese wooden style while incorporating many new installation artworks, becoming a new social media hotspot. The second floor is specially planned as a "foot bath" space, hoping to promote the concept of foot care in Taiwan. Not only is there a lot of creativity in the creation and use of the space, but the dishes are also noteworthy. The "Flower Cup - Takeaway Set Meal," which has undergone multiple rounds of development and improvement, embodies a commitment to low carbon and environmental friendliness: using a cookie base shaped like a flower to serve the dishes and incorporating local ingredients to enhance the flavors of the past. While praising her dedication to environmental efforts, CEO Zhang didn’t forget to mention that the "Little Pig Applause Encouragement Set Meal," topped with golden cheese lava, has become one of the most popular dishes recently, delivering the sweet aftertaste of pork oil mixed rice and a surprising visual impact. "Eat seasonally, use locally" is a determination and belief that CEO Zhang has always upheld. Next time you come here, why not revisit the old times of the old house and experience the creativity of the space design!
