Taiwan has been constantly listed as every foodie’s travel goals. This is because you will find a lot of delicious and mouth-watering foods in Taiwan, especially in Taipei. During our four days in Taiwan, we were able to taste a lot of peculiar but certainly delicious foods. I’ll list them for you and where you can taste them.
- Xiao Long Bao. Since Michelin-star restaurant Din Tai Fung opened in Manila, we Filipinos have already been fortunate to taste the famous Xiao Long Bao here in our country. But nothing beats eating this famous dumpling in its home country, Taiwan. We were able to taste various xiao long bao flavors at Din Tai Fung in Taipei 101. The price is quite expensive but all worth it.
- Oyster Omelette. Oyster Omelette ranked no. 3 in CNN’s Favorite Taiwanese Foods last 2015. We were able to try this at the street market at Yehliu Geopark. It didn’t cost so much, not more than TWD 100.
- Braised Pork on Rice. Braised Pork on Rice ranked no. 2 in CNN’s Favorite Taiwanese Foods last 2015. The same with Oyster Omelette, we were able to try this at the street market at Yehliu Geopark. We had this for lunch together with the oyster omelette and balls of seafood soup. It is affordable as it wouldn’t cost more than TWD60 per serving.
- Baby Octopus Takoyaki in Four Cheese. One of my favorite foods in Taiwan. This is just like the regular Takoyaki, only upgraded (to the nth power) version. It has baby octopus with lots of cheese. Very mouthwatering. We tried this at Shilin Night Market for TWD 100. The seller is a Japanese 😊
- 50 Lan Milk Tea. Milk Tea is a big thing in Taiwan. You can buy milk tea in every corner. We are not really into milk teas but since we are at Taiwan, we decided to try some. Hubby’s Taiwanese officemate recommended 50 Lan Milk Tea. We tried it at Ximending and it cost us TWD50 for a large cup. PS: We loved it! We thought we would love other milk teas too, and we tried some milk teas here in Manila, but sadly, they didn’t compare ☹ Hopefully 50 Lan Milk Tea opens a branch here
- Yakult Smoothie. We tasted one of the best smoothies in Taiwan, specifically in Shifen Old Street – the Yakult Smoothie. We all love Yakult and tasting it as a smoothie is definitely a happy experience for our taste buds. The Yakult smoothie costed us TWD 60.
- Pineapple Tarts. Pineapple tarts or any fruit tarts make the best pasalubong when you visit Taiwan. You can avail these pastries at various night markets. A box of fruit tart differs in price per seller so I suggest you haggle.
- Miyahara Tea Cakes. We visited Miyahara in Taichung and we don’t want to go home empty-handed, so we bought Miyahara Tea Cakes. A box of 8 cost TWD 340. I personally wasn’t too fond of it. Too bland for my taste.
- Hot-Star Fried Chicken. This is just your regular fried chicken with a big serving. We were able to try this at Shilin Night Market for TWD 70. We saw a lot of branches in other areas in Taipei night markets, so you wouldn’t miss this.
- Stinking Tofu. We didn’t try this. There are recommendations of trying the Stinking Tofu, but we begged off. We really can’t stand the smell ☹ You can try the stinking tofus at night markets and even in Jiufen Old Street.
Taiwan is definitely a foodie haven. So, when you visit this place, prepare your budget and make sure you try a lot of its delicacies. A happy tummy makes a happy traveler 😊
