10 Must-Eats In Taiwan - For the First-Timer (and repeats)
If like me, it's your first time visiting Taiwan and you want the local experience, these are the 10 foods I'd suggest to try. We ticked these off the list over our 4 days (See our trip's vlog here - credits to Hui Min) in Taiwan, so it's definitely achievable.
1. Soy Milk and Dough Fritters 豆浆油條
Simplicity can be simply the best at times and here, it is so. Soy milk and dough fritters may be found throughout Asia easily, especially Singapore, but in Taiwan, this tastes so much better somehow.
We didn't go to the famed Fu Hang Dou Jiang 阜杭豆漿 as the queue was spanning two floors when we arrived at 11am. Plus, it's dough fritters and soy milk, so I think the difference may just be that negligible enough to ignore and save 20-30 minutes of queuing on a tight itinerary.
Nearby Fu Hang luckily is a Yong He Dou Jiang 永和豆浆. It's a chain known for their soy milk, fritters and xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Fun fact, the name is so ubiquitously used with soy milk and fritters that people just use Yong He to represent stores that sell soy milk and fritters. Apparently, our Airbnb mentioned that while the name is the same, each outlet has a slightly different menu.
The soy milk (ask for hot so you get it served in a bowl) was smooth and chock-full of soy bean flavour without being diluted. It's not in the least too sweet. Dip in the golden crisp, airy dough fritters and it all yields to a satisfying crunch.
Breakfast here was just NTD 45 per pax, or S$2.30 with two soy milks, a portion of dough fritters, egg crepe and pancake respectively. Value is superb to quality.
2. Braised Meat Rice - 卤肉饭
There's no way anyone can miss this if you are able to eat meat. The city has a few top names for Braised Meat Rice 卤肉饭 and the one I picked was Jin Feng 金峰. It's near the Chiang Kai Shek memorial and waiting time was 10 mins at Saturday noon.
Don't expect much meat because these are glistening morsels (yes not even strips) of more pork fat than lean pork, atop a bed of short-grain rice doused with the savoury braised dark sauce. Got the small bowl ($1.40) and out came a bowl that had barely any meat. The meat in the picture was after an addition of more for $0.70, but alas the addition was more fats and gravy than meat. Would suggest you go for medium at least.
The dish is oily yes, but so more-ish and comforting. The fats are melt-in-the-mouth and the flavour of the braised sauce is a homely one but with a depth. In a way, lucky I don't have this near me daily otherwise I would balloon.
3. Egg Crepe 蛋餅
This humble dish is again everywhere in Taipei and commonly had as a breakfast dish.
While the night markets are full of stalls who can do the dish justice, this particular one from Guru House in Ximen Ding stands out because of its presentation, ambience and quality.
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| Original Egg Crepe; 4-cheese Egg Crepe |
It's served piping hot in two cut pieces placed in a cute pan. The pancake is crackling-crisp on the outside yet fluffy and cheesy within. Your choice of toppings from plain/4-cheese/chicken floss. Remember to dip into the accompanying chilli, which simply adds to the deliciousness. At $3.30 per pan, I totally wish to have it for breakfast again.
4. Bubble Tea
Taiwan is the original birthland of bubble teas, so do yourself a favour and get one. With so many bubble tea names almost every street, you can be quite spoilt for choices and I dare say almost any one would be more than decent. The more popular names include 50 岚 (or Koi in Singapore) and 清新福全(yes I find the name peculiar too). For something different and well-loved by both locals and tourists though, this will be Chen San Ding 陳三鼎青蛙撞奶 at the Gong Guan 公館 area near National University of Taiwan.
Apparently the best milk tea in Taipei, as pronounced by my Airbnb host and the amount of people outside. Happily, they are efficient and though the queue may likely look long, the waiting time was barely 3 minutes for me. Each cup is at 40 yuan (S$1.85). The differentiating point is the addition of brown sugar to the fresh milk.
The drink itself isn't too sweet and there's a hint of caramel finish thanks to the brown sugar. The sweet part comes at the chewy bouncy pearls at the bottom, which I'd prefer lesser. It's worth a visit at least once, if not for the hype and experience.
5. Bittergourd Juice
Freshly blended juice kiosks are as ubiquitous as bubble tea kiosks in Taiwan, so pick any you come across at convenience. When I first heard bittergourd juice recommended, I was initially skeptical because not everyone is a fan of the bitter vegetable. Still, I went ahead to try. Firstly, the bittergourd in Taiwan is different as we know it in Singapore or other parts of Asia. The Taiwanese variety is white.
I had mine blended with apple and at first taste, there is a tinge of bitterness but the sweetness comes through after. It made for a refreshing drink. I actually liked it much better than I thought and wanted another cup before I left, though that didn't happen because there were too many things to try. Not for everyone's taste still perhaps, but try to see for yourself.
Night markets The following are foods to try from the night markets
6. XXXL Chicken Cutlet
Hot Star, known for its 豪大雞排 (XXXL Chicken Cutlet) has its presence in Singapore, so people may think - why try? You have to try, because the one which they sell in Taiwan is so much better and easily accessible across all night markets.
The Hot Star stall I visited at Shihlin night market 士林夜市 had the chicken cutlets freshly fried one after another without stop. As a result, the queue beside the stall moves fast, so get ready your cash of NT$50 (S$2.40) with the provided empty plastic bag. The chicken cutlet is slotted in the bag.
The wonderful thing about the cutlet is the absolute juiciness and moistness of the meat within when you bite into it. Piping hot, needless to say. The only drawback is that the cutlets in Taiwan come with bones. Otherwise, it's all perfect.
Another name to try, which I will be sure to the next round is Bornga 猛甲鸡扒. They have their own storefront for this, so you don't have to go to a night market specially for it. That said, they have a store located in Shihlin.
7. Seared Steak Cubes
Available basically in all night markets with multiple stalls selling, you can't miss this. With the fire burner torched directly onto steak cubes, the end result is very flavourful, chewy cubes of steak for just NT$100 (S$4.60).
There's a choice from 8-10 options of sauces/condiments, such as black pepper to cumin. The choice was simple for me: Rose salt to bring out the full meat flavour. I would eat this multiple times again.
8. Double wrapped Biscuit - Big biscuit wrapped in small 大餅包小餅
Apparently another iconic Taiwan street food. Literally translated as a large biscuit wrapping a small one, it's actually a crispy puff pastry with filling, sprinkled with more crisp bits and wrapped into thin crepe skin.
Every mouthful is a wonderful mash of chewy crepe skin contrasted by the crisp bits of the puff pastry and finally the sweet/salty (depending on what filling you chose) filling. Our pick was the savoury yam, which was just great.
9. Pepper Bun
One for NT $50 (S$2.30) and each bun is piping hot. The crispy baked layered crust reveals a moist meat filling within that's peppery and full of spring onions. It's worth the hype.
One bun is very filling though, so if you want to chomp down on food, it's suggested to share.
10. Taro
Be it taro balls, mashed taro, fried taro, taro drink, you must have the taro in Taiwan. As an agricultural produce of Taiwan, their variety is a signature - sweet and lightly fragrant.
I had my taro fix in the form of fried taro balls from the night markets. Crunchy golden on the outside leading into a soft creamy purple mash within. So so good.
Other items which I'd suggest for you to cover, if time allows:
- Ah Chung Oyster Vermicelli 阿宗面线
- Sweet potato fries with sour plum powder
- Cold soya beancurd which comes with peanuts
- In Tamsui 淡水：1）阿给 A Gei - A tofu(beancurd stuffed with fish paste) in vermicelli and gravy of red glutinous wine lees; Fuzhou Fishballs - these are fishballs with a meat filling within.
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