here’s like a billion different street food vendors in Taipei, literally – I think someone went around the city and counted each stand and it was like a zillion. I’m not the hugest fan of trying new foods I’ve never seen before. The fear of anaphylaxis shock keeps me in check. But if I can figure out these three things, I’ll usually give it a try:
1. Meat or not meat
2. Did it moo, cluck, oink, neigh, or (whatever sounds fish make)
3. Is the sauce sweet, sour, salty or flaming hot
Out of the one trillion vendors I probably only had time for a handful. These were my fave:
1. Warm-custard-waffle-thing…
No, that’s not the correct name, but that’s my nickname when I’d spot one I’d excitedly yell – ‘warm custard waffle thing’… Essentially the vendor has what looks like cupcake pans they pour batter into over a hot grill, and when the batter is done they scoop in something yummy then join the two halves together… You end up with a warm cream puff of deliciousness. Some of the flavors we found were: Red bean, taro, custard, peanut butter, fruit, chocolate blueberry, green tea, green tea and red bean, chocolate, milk powder.
Strangely, these were sort of difficult to find, they certainly weren’t on every corner, and only one or maybe two in each big night market.
Waiting while the cream puff bakes
I asked her if she’s hot and she emphatically shook her head yes!
Another vendor showing more flavors of custard filling
2. Stinky Tofu
It caught my attention because, well, there’s a big sign over the cart that says Stinky Tofu. So, I gave it a try. You can get your tofu boiled or fried and it’s been marinating in brine that’s weeks or sometimes months old! Yes, it’s stinky, no it’s not my favorite, yes – you have to give it a try. If only for bragging rights.
At least they warn you up front…
3. Bubble milk tea
Not trying bubble milk tea in the city that created it would be like not having a crepe in Paris or slice of Pizza in NYC. Vendors are everywhere. I couldn’t quite figure out how to order, the menu often seemed to be little plaques of wood with writing hanging on a wall – or small wooden drawers you could pull out and select a piece of paper with your preference on it. I stuck to staring helplessly at the guy mixing up a huge vat of brown sugar with pearls until they gave in let me buy a cup. Yummy.
Hot pearls being mixed with brown sugar – yum
The finished product can be found every few blocks in Taipei
4. Corn on a stick
Corn is a staple in the Philippines, and it’s just as good in Taipei as well. However you won’t find butter and salt but instead a host of other sauces they will pour over it. Beware, some are yummier than others.
Forget the salt and go straight for the spices
5. Anything else really…
There’s just SO MUCH food in the night markets. There’s really no need to look at restaurants at all in Taipei. The selection and offerings are fresh and endless – all kinds of dumplings, (even soup-filled), sausages (with a higher fat content than you’re probably used to), scallion pancakes, chestnuts, squid balls, deep-fried quail eggs, and of course pineapple cakes… The last one I sadly missed. Next time…
The night markets have literally hundreds of vendors
Soup lady
To my surprise, pineapple tarts shaped like male genitalia is really a thing
Green mango is always good
