Travel Eats: Taipei, My Favorite Food City!

So I went to Taipei for a work trip last week and decided to extend to the weekend! Even though I've been to Taipei about 2 or 3 years ago, I've forgotten how pleasurable this city is! I might even consider knocking BKK off my favorite city list, only because Taipei people are so friendly, we understand each other and there's SO MUCH street food!

When I visited it was quite cold -- it was 14 to 22 degrees! That didn't stop me from eating the best of Taipei though - and it was such a pity that I had so many other food recommendations that I didn't have the stomach space and time to check out.

Anyway, here's just a list of what I have tried, and a few more addresses for things to try next time!

1. Chang Bai Hot Pot

Known for pickled Chinese Cabbage and White Meat Hotpot. This is super shiok, especially when it's cold (unless you don't like pickled chinese cabbage, but it's not like super sour or anything). They have some pan fried chives dumpling thing... eat it too!

No. 53, Ln. 240, Guangfu S. Road, Taipei (near Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall MRT Station)
Tel: 02-2751-3525
Open: 11:30am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm; average meal: NT$500




2. 王子起司馬鈴薯 (Prince Cheese Potato)
At Ximending area, walk around to find a small alley! 


It is SUPER GOOD. I can't begin to describe. 
and the cheese sauce is actually quite watery, not thick like the nachos type.


3. Wild Boar Sausage - the authentic Taiwan sausage
Just beside Prince Cheese Potato!  Also, get a cup of milk tea with pearls from "50 Basket" aka 五十蓝 just beside it. That's the original KOI.


4. Ah Zong Mee Sua
What is Taipei without this!!! 
I had it for a really late lunch after my work meeting on Friday. 
It is also located at the Ximending area.


5. Shilin Night Market Food. It is street food heaven. 
And also quite funny to see illegal vendors run when the police comes.
I had the mua ji with fillings!


And the best bao ever - the Shen Jian Bao! It's like xiao long bao, except it is big and the bottom is crispy. There was a super long queue for it, so find the one with the queue. It was only 12 NTD for one, which is about.. 30 cents SGD? :O



I had the Lazy Person Fried Chicken for dinner. 
It's for lazy people because unlike the famous Shilin XXL chicken, it is boneless and chopped up into nice little bits for you! This is the way its done in Singapore already, anyway. I guess Singaporeans are lazy.


6. Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan !!!
I had this for breakfast the next day. It was just a few doors down from my hotel (Rainbow) at Ximending. There's also a bowl of mushroom/pork soup beside (got upsold by the waiter).

It is from a very small hole in the wall stall just a few steps from the Hotstar Fried Chicken. 
I loved it so much.


7. Coffee Alley
No. 18, Guǎnqián Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei

The next day, I went to Coffee Alley at the Dunhua area (much like our haji lane district) for lunch. 
Note that the original branch near the station is closed - you have to walk to the next one! It was packed as usual. They are famous for their drinks, and waffles. My strawberry mille feuille and salted caramel macchiato's really good.



8. Din Tai Fung Xiao Long Bao

My colleague had RAVED massively about this, so I had to go try! There are many DTF dotting the city, so google it. I only took half a long, which is 5 dumplings, because I don't have anyone to share the calories and this is supposed to be a tea time snack. This was quite good, but erm, I don't think it was the best I've had. There's not much difference in the Taipei one compared to Singapore's in my opinion.





9. ROSEMARY Pasta
No. 9, Alley 13, Lane 12, Nánjīng West Rd, Zhongshan District
Tel: 02-2521-9822 (Reservations are very necessary! Or show up before 7pm to wait 2 hours for your seat.)

This place was actually recommended by an old friend who raved so hard about it, I HAD to check it out. Also, why not pasta in Taipei? Turns out it was a really good recommendation that can only come from locals because the pasta was really superb AND the dessert was the best chocolate lava cake I've ever had. No joke. I wish I can bring a few of these back!


10. 7-11 Rice Ball aka Fan Tuan with Pork Floss 

Did I tell you how much I love the 7-11s in Taipei? They have so much snacks and drinks and everything you can imagine. I wish our local 7-11s would have these!


And that marks my Taipei food journal. Hope you enjoyed them! Click here to read the 2016 guide.

Here are some more places I was recommended but did not manage to go this time -- have a go if you are in Taipei for me, would you!

Mala Yuanyang Hotpot (Ximei MRT)
No. 62, SiNing S. Road, 2 FL, Taipei City
02 2314-6528

Lao Wang Ji Beef Noodle Soup
老王記牛肉麵大王 (Ximen MRT)
台北市桃源街十五號
No.15 Taoyuan Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan 
10am to 9pm daily

Yong He Dou Jiang Da Wang
102 Fuxing South Road, Sec. 2 
No. 102, 復興南路二段, Daan District, Taipei City

Hao Chi
(like Din Tai Fung known for their xiaolongbao)
5 Yongkang Street, Taipei City  
02 2341 9984

Du Xiao Yue (Taiwan style noodles)
9-1 Yong Kang Street
02-3393-1325
11am - 1030pm

Yong Kang 15 - Shaved Ice
15 Yong Kang Street, Taipei City
02 2321 3367

Shin Yeh
No. 34之1號, Shuāngchéng St, Zhongshan District, 
Taipei City, Taiwan 104
+886 2 2596 3255

Smith & Hsu – an all day afternoon tea café
No.33, Zhong Xiao E. Road, Sec. 5, Taipei City
02 2747-4857

Addiction Aquatic Development (上引水產) 
No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu East Road, Taipei City 
(台北市民族東路410巷2弄18號)
02 2508-1268

Wu Lao Guo 
No. 143, Section 3, Shìmín Boulevard, Zhongshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan
+886-2-2731-7928
www.wulao.com.tw

1 comment
  1. Oh man, I kind of regret coming across this post so late at night... Now I'm really hungry!

    ReplyDelete