The first Michelin Guide to Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, was released this spring. However, if you ask any locals where to eat, they will tell you that the night markets are the city’s main food scene.
Indeed, even now and again with financial difficulty, Taiwan’s night markets have represented overflow. They’re spots where anybody from big names and legislators to metropolitan laborers and understudies can — and do — eat to their souls’ substance.
At these business sectors, columns of sweet frankfurters barbecue in the outside, local people sit on plastic stools at traffic intersections getting a charge out of bowls of noodles, and in the bedlam of sights, sounds, and neon the undeniable smell of stinky tofu waits. Small bites, or x iao chi, are the specialties of the markets; sellers at the north of twelve-night markets in Taipei persistently adjust their xiao chi contributions to keep up with the developing impacts — including migration, the travel industry, city rezoning, and maybe more remarkably, virtual entertainment — on the city’s road food scene.
The Classics
If you can get past the stench of stinky tofu and the dishes like fried pork chops on rice, thick oyster noodles, and sticky red braised pork feet, which you can find everywhere, you’ll find some underrated heavy hitters that discerning regulars still enjoy and keep a secret.
Although these recommended xiao chi can be found at many Taiwanese night markets, the recommended locations are where you’ll find the lines (addresses are provided whenever possible).
Gua Bao
Eddie Huang played a major role in Gua bao’s rise to fame in the United States; He serves these steamed buns with a variety of fillings at his New York restaurant Baohaus, including the traditional braised pork and fried fish with tartar sauce.
The original is the best in Taipei; the pillowy bun is loaded down with a flavorful piece of red braised pork tummy, then, at that point, finished off with impactful cured mustard greens, sweet and crunchy nut sugar, and cilantro.
Four Gods Soup
The four primary medicinal ingredients that are used in Four Gods Soup are the inspiration for the soup’s name; however, a quick glance at the bowl will reveal some potent flavors. Its rich stock encompasses a blend of lean pork, small digestion tracts, and Chinese grain.
The gamey flavors of the small intestines are tempered by an unflinching earthy hit of medicinal herbs. This soup is just as good for health as it is for getting over a hangover.
Ice Cream Wrap
The trifecta of taro, pineapple, and peanut make up Taiwan’s most traditional dessert flavors. A vendor uses a wooden grater to scrape powdery flakes off of a large block of peanut brittle. The combination of taro, pineapple, peanut ice creams, peanut brittle powder, and cilantro wrapped in a crepe appear to have been invented for Instagram.
Three scoops of ice cream are placed on top of the peanut fluff, topped with cilantro, and wrapped in a soft crepe. The same Ah Zhong Ice Cream, made without cream (before dairy was readily available in Taiwan), is still sold by most vendors today. It is more of a rich, creamy sorbet.
Large Sausage Wrapped Small Sausage
The enormous hotdog wrapped little frankfurter’s name gives a false representation of its virtuoso. Pickled mustard greens and a drizzle of sweetened garlic soy sauce atop a larger, slit-open sticky rice sausage are the components of this char-grilled sausage. Most of the time, this filling bite is served in a paper bag for easy snacking while on the go.
“Nutritious Sandwich”
Most certainly don’t ask me for what valid reason a sandwich made with firm seared bread is known as the “nutritious sandwich.” After World War II, an innovation led to this now-classic sandwich: Taiwanese merchants, lacking stoves to make customary American sandwiches for the meeting maritime mariners, made a panko-crusted frybread sandwich loaded down with sweet Kewpie mayo, ham, tomatoes, and cucumber or pickles.
Black Pepper Buns
A line is already forming outside the Raohe Night Market’s gates at around 3 p.m. on weekday afternoons, an hour before most night markets are scheduled to open.
For the juicy pork and green onion-filled black pepper buns, which are pressed against the clay walls of a hot oven and baked until crispy, people arrive early. The dark pepper bun began in Fuzhou, China and acquired notoriety in Taiwan where numerous merchants are of Fuzhou heritage.
Stinky Tofu Fries
At this stall in Roahe, stinky tofu is served cut into French fry-shaped batons, fried crisp, and covered in sauce. You might recognize stinky tofu by the smell, but you might not recognize it.
Genuine devotees decide on the “nacho cheddar sauce” to draw out that additional funk, and afterward pursue the entire thing with housemade kimchi, yet different choices incorporate Thai zest, honey mustard, wasabi pepper, or tartar sauce.
Frog Placed in Milk
Milk took off like wildfire when dairy finally arrived in Taiwan. It became so well-liked that a drink called Frog Placed in Milk has it in place of bubble tea: Straight virus milk poured over warm, dark sugar-splashed custard bubbles. This dish is prepared without harming any frogs; the custard pearls’ similarity to frog eggs gives the beverage its name.
Hot Star Fried Chicken
Hot Star Fried Chicken Small fried chicken poppers served with skewers have always been a Taiwanese staple. At the point when Hot Star came on the scene, it appeared fiery broiled chicken steaks bigger than a human face.
The marinated chicken bosoms are hammered out into huge steaks, then dug, pan fried, and prepared intensely with a mystery flavor blend which loans light intensity and zest.
Conclusion
Taiwan has a plethora of night markets and street food districts from which to choose. In the event that you’re intrigued exclusively by the greatest and most famous, this rundown of thirteen can assist you with restricting it.
This Taiwan night market guide, like all of our travel and food guides, is a work in progress that will only improve with each subsequent visit to Taiwan.
Although this article discusses a few interesting dishes that can be found at night markets, our Taiwanese food guide contains a list of the best dishes to eat in Taiwan and more information about Taiwanese cuisine and street food.
You May Also Like:
- Hotels in Taipei: Elegance and Charm at Taipei’s Top Hotels
- Dine Like a Local: Eating in Taipei’s Night Markets
Frequently Asked Questions
Is street food in Taipei’s night markets safe to eat?
The night markets in Taipei are generally very clean and well-regulated, so eating street food here is not likely to make you sick.
Yet, there is consistently a gamble while eating any sort of road food, yet as long as you play it safe, (for example, just eating food that has been cooked before you, and staying away from food that looks or scents suspect), you ought to be fine.
Do you have to leave a tip at the night markets in Taipei?
Tipping in Taiwan is for the most part not expected at any café so no you don’t have to tip at the night markets, however, is generally welcome on the off chance that you accept you’ve been offered great support.
