Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan
issue date

Leye: fine detail, fine dining
November 19, 2003
Article & Photos By Rebecca

乐也日本料理
地址：禾祥西后滨路7-10号
Address: 7-10 Houbin Road, Hexiangxi Road
Tel: 2224801

The name itself, Leye (in Chinese characters “乐也”) brings a sense of quiet pleasure. 乐 means happiness and pleasure.也 in ancient Chinese is a tone word for the affirmative.

The name matches the reality. A couple of hours can easily be spent at this Japanese restaurant nestled quietly in the busiest part of downtown Xiamen—Hexiangxi Road.

It took Leye three months to complete internal decoration, design and construction. For the investors, taste and quality are top priority. The combination of natural beauty and modern art is the design philosophy. Elements of nature, such as clay, wood, stone and rocks, bamboo and paper, are taken full advantage of in the restaurant decor. There are two seating areas. The first is a series of small wooden tables and straw mattresses along a French window. The window itself is a clever design bringing the existing gardens of the neighborhood into its panorama. If you are after a more private corner, rooms are available on the second floor. A row of green bamboo is grown along a clay wall and a square wooden table is surrounded by four cushions.

The immaculate detail that has gone into the interior design of the restaurant and the precision with which the chef prepares the food, make Leye the perfect place to stop and appreciate the smaller things in life.