When you think you have acquainted the various aspects of life, you could meet an unanticipated creature by a casual moment.

    When you think you have well known the city you stay, you could get to know a sincere and pure story buried deeply somewhere in it by one sudden coincidence.

    Such as this “Midnight Diner”, hiding midst the hustle and bustle of downtown Chengdu.

 

 

    Dong Ying Ge from Jinjiang Hotel is the most first Japanese restaurant opened in Chengdu, even the first one in southwest China.

    The boss is a native Taiwanese, being usually called by his customers “old Chen”. Being fully influenced by family tradition of Japanese cuisine since born, he becomes the successor in the family. Since everyone comes from the family lives on making Japanese foods, his techniques are very undoubtedly authentic.

    The story began with his start of Tibet trip 25 years ago. When he traveled to Chengdu, he became suddenly attracted to beauty of this city. Then the idea of opening a Japanese restaurant came out with his love of this beautiful tourist stop.

    For the past 22 years never advertising, and nearly no redecoration after its opening in order to catch up the current Japanese cuisine style, he put his efforts only on choosing the freshest food materials and promoting his techniques, harboring artisan spirit in his heart since the very beginning of this business.
 

 

 

    While stick to the traditional Japanese Cuisine, he has always been trying some new dishes and new techniques. He is always being in pursuit of renewal, but never to drop the essence of traditional Japanese Cuisine. All his efforts to cater to our Chinese taste never make us missing the enjoy of the essence of Japanese Foods.
    According to his saying: the hardest opponent faced himself is himself. He is always trying new styles of dishes, or to look for the possibility of new food materials. He said: as a independent man, you have to be pride, will powered, and artisan spirited.
 

 

          As the interview goes on, I become gradually realized his Japanese restaurant mirrors the midnight diner in everyone’s heart.

          Old Chen is very generous to share his recipes with us. We are astonished by his life-long efforts of artisan spirit through these two dishes.