Taiwan Food: Part 1: 18 - 19 April 2018

Exchange Rates: NT$10 = MYR1.34; MYR1 = NT$7.46

For countries in the Far East, I have visited China three times. I was not interested in South Korea. Japan was low on my list. Many friends had been to Taiwan but it was low on my list because there were not many attractions, except for Taroko Gorge and its street food. 

Since friends spoke so highly of Taiwanese food, I decided to go there this time. For the food, top on my list were Fuzhou pepper buns, braised pork rice and beef noodle. 

Day 1: Shilin Night Market 

To go there, take MRT Red Line to Jiantan Station (R15) and take Exit 1. At the exit, you will see lots of people across the road. That's your destination. Turn right and walk to the road intersection. Cross the road from there. 

Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang (sausage in rice bun) stall. This was on TSC recommended list and I decided to go for it.

The taste came mainly from the sausage. Sweet and savoury. Rated 8/10 points

Shilin basement food-court

Xiaolongbao (Steamed Soup Dumplings). I love all things Dim Sum, but it was not on TSC recommended list. The Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice) was on his list.

Xiaolongbao - The first piece was good. The second piece was still ok. By the third piece, I started to get queasy … From the 4th piece onwards, I wondered whether I could finish the rest. Rated 4/10. Braised Pork Rice - a very simple rice dish, but exceedingly good. Sweet and savoury and should appeal to Malaysian taste buds. Rated 8/10

Aiyu Jelly. Quite good. Sweet and did not detect any tangy taste. Rated 7/10

O-ar Misua (Thin caramelised wheat noodle broth with oyster)

Guo Tie (pot-sticker)

Day 2: 7-11 near Chia Rong Hostel, Taipei

I went for the Macha Tea Latte

The Macha Tea Latte was sweet and creamy with a taste of tea. Good. Rated 8/10

Day 2: At a row of shops beside Hualien Visitor Center at Hualien Train/ Bus Station 

Location: N23.99164° E121.60249°

Economy rice. Self-service. Served mainly vegetables. The two meat dishes were on the left.

Braised pork - Savoury. Ok. Rated 7/10; Drumstick. OK. Rated 6/10

Day 2: At Dongdamen Night Market, Hualien (N23.97299° E121.61218°)

Dongdamen Night Market main entrance. I did not enter or exit from this entrance but at another entrance

I decided to stop at the "Aboriginal Grill House" because it was 'aboriginal'

Noodle - Quite good. Rated 7/10

Aboriginal sausage. I asked for one sausage and was advised to take ½ sausage, probably because he thought I might not be able to finish all the food. Tasted like normal Taiwan sausage with a tinge of sourness. Good. Rated 7/10

No idea what meat this was. Average. Rated 5/10

The next stall I visited was this rolled bread stand, again with 'aboriginal' sausage.

Rolled bread - Aboriginal sausage with cheese. The bread was made upon placing an order. Tasted ok. Rated 7/10

Day 6: Exploring the Streets Around Taipei Main Station for Food

23 April 2018 (Monday)

Today was my last day in Taiwan. I planned to leave for Taoyuan Airport at about 6:00 p.m. My flight to Kuala Lumpur was at 11:45 p.m. 

Yesterday evening, I strolled past National Taiwan Museum and I thought of going there the next day. However, I changed my mind this morning.

I wasn't satisfied with the braised beef noodle in Hualien. It was tangy from the preserved vegetable. Surely, the most famous dish in Taiwan could be better than that. It was this desire to actually confirm the taste of Taiwan beef noodle that I went in search of it this morning, before I left Taiwan for good. 

I first went looking for it around the streets close to Holo Hostel but did not find one. Then, I remembered the many small stalls in alleys in the area near Chia Rong Hostel to the north of Taipei Main Station. I headed over there. Finally, I saw someone sitting at a table in an alley along Huayin Street. I went in to check and it was a beef noodle shop.

By the time I was done with the beef noodle, it was about 10:50 a.m. I had to return to the hostel to take my bath, changed into my last clean t-shirts and check out, while leaving my baggage there. The weather was hot, at about 32° Celsius and humid. I would be staying in-door at the shopping malls at Taipei Main Station instead of exploring more of Taipei.

At 1:00 p.m., I left Taipei Main Station to go to Fuyuan Pepper Buns to the north of the station. I used the elevated pedestrian crossing at Taipei Main Station North 3 exit to cross the highway. The pepper buns would be my lunch. I bought two pieces. They were good, and I would rate it between the pepper buns from the two stalls at Raohe Night Market.

After getting back to Taipei Main Station from Fuyuan, TSC chatted me on Wechat at about 1:45 p.m. It was unexpected as he had disappeared from our group conversation for the last few days. He wanted me to get out of Taipei Main Station and take the opportunity of my last few hours in Taiwan to enjoy Taiwan food. It was very hot and humid and I could easily drench in sweat if I were to go out. What he said was true. I would regret not making full use of the time available if I did not get some more taste of Taiwan.

At 4:30 p.m., I went out. It was no longer so hot. I went in search of the Lu Rou Fan from Formosa Chang, a chain store which TSC recommended. Instead, I bought some steam buns, which TSC said was vegetarian, from a stall on the five-foot way. Then, I saw a ramen restaurant. Ramen was in my bucket list but I had not tried it yet. I could not miss this last opportunity for Taiwan ramen, which I could later compare with the original ramen of Japan in October this year.

After the ramen dinner, I went back to Taipei Main Station. I went to get a refund of my EasyCard at the MRT station and walked to Taoyuan Airport MRT Station. 

The Taoyuan Airport MRT Express train departed at 5:45 p.m.