Written By Rebecca Kuhlman & Jocelyn Sanchez
Taipei is the capital of Taiwan and is located in the Taipei Basin (northern part of Taiwan). Taipei draws tourism due in part to their night markets, which are popular places because of the abundance of street foods they offer. Taipei’s night markets not only draw tourists and locals to them, but they also sell many goods such as clothing at these markets. This not only makes these markets a good way to shop, but also to get dinner. Most travel guides also recommend visiting a night market if one were to visit Taiwan. One of the more famous night markets is Shilin Night Market. They typically start opening at about 4 pm and run into the night, closing at about 1 am. These night markets have also been represented in media as well, most notably in Spirited Away. Jiufen inspired much of the scenery in Spirited Away and when visiting one can go to the very same food stalls “featured” in the movie.
Bubble Tea
One popular item found all around Taiwan is Bubble Tea. This is a drink typically sweetened black tea with milk topped with black tapioca pearls. There are also many different variations on this drink as well.
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AiYu Jelly
Alongside bubble tea, another popular item is AiYu jelly. Sometimes this can be swapped with the black tapioca pearls or eaten on its own as a desert. AiYu jelly is a jelly made from Aiyu seeds. Aiyu is a type of fig found in East Asia. When eaten on it’s own Aiyu jelly can be eaten with fruits such as lime and cranberries or in a “soup” comprised of honey and water.
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Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang
Another popular item found at the night markets is Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang. This is a dish that sort of looks like an Asian hotdog. Typically, grilled sausage and cucumber strips are wrapped in glutinous rice and seasoned with peanut powder and chili sauce.
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Rolled Ice Cream
Rolled Ice Cream is a dish that is popular in Taipei night markets. This popular dish as even made its way to America and can be found at specialty shops. This dish consisting of ice cream typically created on a freezing device, which different flavorings can be added to it before rolling.
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Oyster Omelette
I know what you may be thinking. An oyster omelette? Sure, it is not your typical veggie or ham omelette you may be used to eating, but this oyster omelette is one of the items the street night market has to offer. This is an omelet filled with oysters, rice vermicelli, scallions and Asian greens (such as a-choy). This is then topped with a sweet-salty ketchup sauce, which is made by combining ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and miso paste. For the omelette itself, you will need eggs, sweet potato starch, salt, white pepper, oysters, and celery leaves. Prep time for this dish takes about fifteen minutes and can be enjoyed alone or if you’re willing to share this delicious dish with a friend, that works too!
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Stinky Tofu
Another “famous” street food dish is stinky tofu. This dish is fermented tofu that is fried or grilled and topped with a spicy chili sauce. This dish typically has a strong odor and may deter many tourists, although it remains popular with locals and many who try it.
Image By Tofu Today
Taro Balls
A popular dessert that can be found at night markets is Taiwanese taro balls. Taro is similar to a potato, although much sweeter. These taro balls are typically eaten with other things, such as grass jelly, red bean, and sweet potatoes. They typically have a sauce, or soup with it as well. This can be comprised of things such as milk or honey water solution.
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Chicken Steaks
Another famous night market dish is large chicken steaks. This can be found at the Shilin night market. This dish is a fried chicken steak seasoned with chili powder and pepper. This dish is sought after for its crunchy and crispy texture.
Image By KP Kwan
Squid Soup
If you’re into squid as a food already, then you’ll find the squid soup from these night markets as a good place to start. Squid soup is one of the most common food items that can be found in this night market. The soup and its main ingredients include items such as squid, bamboo shoots, basil, carrots, and mushrooms. The stock for the soup, which is usually chicken and bonito flakes, is also an important part of what gives this soup its flavor. Aside from the soaking of the squid for flavor purposes, prep time for this dish is typically twenty-five to thirty minutes. This prep time may sound like a long time for some people, but the time put into this dish is worth it. Next time, it may be a good change to skip the usual chicken soup and give squid soup a try!
Image By Fish and Soy
All in all, there is a lot of street food that can be found in Taipei. Shilin night market is one of the more famous night markets and is filled with a variety of foods that are worthy of tasting. Furthermore, places such as Jiufen not only have many tasty food stalls, but also beautiful scenery which inspired locations in works such as Spirited Away.
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