Bam! Right back with another Top 10 post, this time coming from a surprise location: Taipei. After almost a month in Sapporo, we were ready to see (and eat) something new. So we booked a super cheap flight on Singapore’s incredibly low-budget airline called “Scoot.” (How cheap was it you ask? How about this- we only got the luxury of small lukewarm cups of free water on the plane because our flight was delayed an hour). Anyway, here we are!
Taiwan means Chinese food with a twist, so let’s dive right in and get down to the nitty-gritty with Item No. 1.
(once again, I don’t feel like ranking them – just deal)
1. Scallion Pancake
Taipei is all about street food and one of the favorites of locals and tourists alike is the ubiquitous scallion pancake. A scallion pancake is exactly what it sounds like – a savory pancake with scallions mixed into the dough. With a light brushing of chili oil, it’s a simple and mouth-watering snack. I had two scallion pancakes from two different vendors on my first day in Taipei.
The first scallion pancake was from a stall on Yong Kang Street called Tian Jin Flaky Scallion Pancake 天津蔥抓餅.
This scallion pancake had the consistency and texture of a tortilla, but it was much more flavorful. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it so good – is it the chili?
The second scallion pancake was from a stall at the Ninxia Night Market.
The difference in texture between this scallion pancake and the previous one was enormous. While the first was soft and chewy, this scallion pancake was crispy and flaky, almost like filo dough.
These scallion pancakes are the perfect street food – cheap (inexpensive to make), easy to eat while walking, quick, and most importantly, tasty. Let’s move on to Item No. 2.
2. Bubble Tea
This beautiful beverage goes by many names – bubble tea, boba tea, pearl tea – no matter what you call it, it’s amazing. This drink originated here, but is now a staple of American malls.
If you thought bubble tea (my preferred term) was good at home, Taiwanese bubble tea from Taiwan is even better. My favorite is a milk tea, with lavender bubbles. This is my go-to morning caffeine vehicle here in Taipei.
3. Xiaolongbao – Soup Dumplings
Soup dumplings are possibly the greatest food on planet Earth. It’s the beautiful baby of a bowl of piping-hot soup and a plate of delicious dumplings. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity eat soup dumplings at a Michelin-starred chain of Dim Sum restaurants called Dai Tai Fung.
Dai Tai Fung has locations in East Asia, Australia, and the USA, but they started in Taiwan in 1958 as a cooking oil retail business. They reinvented themselves in 1972 as a Dim Sum restaurant, and they’ve been popping out delicious dumplings ever since.
Anthony Bourdain called eating their dumplings, “a deeply religious experience”. And I completely agree. Right before you pop that soup dumpling into the lowest hole in your face, you dunk it into a mixture of raw grated ginger, rice vinegar, and a splash of soy sauce. Then you pop it into the lowest hole in your head, and your taste buds will sing in perfect harmony as the soup explodes in your mouth.
4. Hu Jiao Bing (Black Pepper Pork Buns)
My strategy for eating at night markets is as follows: When I see a humongous line, I get in it. And that’s what I did at the Raohe Night Market. Right by the entrance, I spotted a massive line snaking from a large stall. Once I got to the front of the line, I saw what was cooking – pepper pork buns.
The stall had no less than six large ovens like the one pictured above overflowing with pork buns. Several people were making the dough and stuffing them with the peppery char siu filling right there in front of my eyes. When I finally got my bun, I had to wait almost 20 minutes for it to cool off so I could actually eat it.
But once the temperature lowered from deadly to just scalding, I bit in and was rewarded with a rush of flavors. The richness of the pork was accompanied by the bite of scallions, and it all finished with a peppery kick. A solid 11/10.
5. Beef Noodle Soup
On our first day in Taipei, we went on a food tour guided by a gentleman named Lynton. He took us to many a location, and we sampled some truly new foods that day (including a bite of century egg… yeesh). Beyond just the food tour, he also advised us on what and where to eat after the tour as well.
One of the places he suggested we hit up a few days later. Yong Kang is an unassuming little hole in the wall that has been dishing out beef noodle soup since 1897.
Lynton met us at the nearby subway stop and accompanied us to the restaurant to make sure we ordered correctly. Upon arrival, we discovered that Bourdain had visited here some time ago.
After Lynton conversed with the waitress for what seemed like a very long time, we figured out what Bourdain ordered – beef noodle soup and fried Chinese water spinach. So naturally, that’s what we got.
The soup arrived, giving off a fragrant scent of cinnamon. Surprising, really. I definitely didn’t expect it to smell like cinnamon. But when I sipped the broth, it was subtle and understated. Much of Taiwanese food favors more of a in-your-face approach to flavors, so it was an interesting twist. I can see why Bourdain enjoyed this.
The fried Chinese water spinach was deliciously garlicky – it’s a staple of any self-respecting Chinese restaurant. Delicious!
6. Kumquat Juice
At every night market, there are always stands with big vats of different fresh juices – many of which you cannot find in America. You walk right up, and point at one of the brightly colored liquids. The shopkeeper ladles a bunch into a plastic cup (don’t get Jo started on the plastic abuse in these hot Asian countries) with ice, and hands it over. You take a sip, and an unfamiliar fruit dances upon your taste buds.
Before this, I had heard of kumquats and I knew what they looked like, but I had never tasted anything like this before. It tasted like a sweet orange with a sour twist – which makes sense, as kumquats are a citrus. With that said, this would be amazing as a Popsicle.
7. Spicy Shrimp and Pork Wontons
Previously, I mentioned Din Tai Fung, the Michelin-starred chain of Dim Sum restaurants…so when we visited Taipei 101 (it’s a really tall building, click the link for more info), we were pretty excited to discover a branch of Din Tai Fung on the first floor. We ended up eating a little impromptu meal at 3 PM. We decided we would order different dishes from last time. This day, it was some spicy shrimp and pork wontons.
Let’s examine these wontons starting the outside. The sauce was spicy enough to tickle the back of my throat, but not spicy enough to overwhelm the flavor of the wontons themselves. The wonton wrappers were chewy and thin – a crucial component. If the wrappers are too thick, the inside won’t cook properly. The shrimp were firm, so the inside wasn’t just mush, and seasoned perfectly. All of these qualities wrapped up (literally) into one bite made for a deliciously fun time.
8. Sesame Noodles
On our last night in Taipei, we were wandering around our neighborhood looking for food. A kindly Taiwanese dude offered to help. He led us a few blocks to a small restaurant and then he ditched us. We ordered (among other things) a bowl of sesame noodles.
The noodles were amazing – the noodles were chewy, almost like al dente. The sesame sauce had chunks of ground beef, and the sauce itself was salty and packed full of umami. It’s interesting how many different versions of “beef noodles” the Taiwanese can produce.
9. Mango Shaved Ice
In America, we have the snow cone = a mound of shaved ice, soaked in syrup, and served in a cone. In Taiwan, they have snow ice – a mountain of shaved ice, drizzled with condensed milk, and topped with mochi, ice cream, and seasonal fruit. The mango snow ice is far and away the most popular, and I knew I had to try it.
This is the true flavor of summer – the crunch of the shaved ice together with the tenderness of the mango. The subtlety of the vanilla ice cream helps to accent the bold sweetness of the mango. Warning: the combination of shaved ice, ice cream, and chilled mango is enough to turn you into this guy.
10. Peanut Brittle Ice Cream Spring Roll
This is possibly the weirdest-sounding item on the list, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. I’ll go through it step by step.
First, a block of peanut brittle (or something that looks like it) is shaved on to a crepe.
Next, ice cream is scooped onto the crepe – the exact flavor is unclear. At times it tastes like peanut butter ice cream, at other times it tastes like caramel ice cream. Then, a few sprigs of cilantro are sprinkled on. The cilantro is key here, it adds bite and crispness. Lastly, one more dusting of shaved peanut brittle is added, leaving the final product looking like this.
The entire thing is rolled like a burrito, and consumed while walking. The peanut dust and cilantro work well with the ice cream, despite the stigma that these are unusual toppings. I definitely prefer peanut dust and cilantro with this ice cream as opposed to sprinkles and hot fudge. Instead of adding sugar, these toppings help bring the already-existing sweetness out.
I want to leave you all with one more food product that has scarred my soul irreversibly.
I’m scared as to the flavor of this – is it sweet? Salty? But, more importantly, who the *%#! out there wants to drink asparagus juice? If this looks refreshing to you, meet me in the parking lot after school.
Eat It 
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