Eating through Taiwan

Beef noodles

What do I eat in Taiwan?

As I passed the 90-day mark in Taiwan last week, I wanted to share with you what I've been enjoying eating, what I've been cooking, my kitchen updates, and a life update.

Thank you all for always reading and following Charlie and me as we live in Taiwan! Some of you started reading when I was studying abroad in South Korea, or you joined when I was in the Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa, or you've just now found me. I appreciate the support and interest in learning about these different parts of the world and keeping up with me!

The ease of ordering

Compared to my time in South Korea, ordering food in Taiwan has been so much easier (and harder in other ways). In Korea, I could read the alphabet and slowly order my food. Here in Taiwan, there is always a checklist menu that I can take to the table, translate, and then put the checks on what I want. The only issue is that I am translating it, but I have no clue how to actually say most of the food words. If the worker asks me about one of the dishes, I won't have any idea what they are saying. Needless to say, I can order super easily and have the money ready to pay in just a few minutes.

Famous Taiwanese Foods

The island's vibrant food scene is characterized by its night markets, street food stalls, and restaurants that offer a diverse range of dishes to tantalize the taste buds. I have been eating a lot of different foods here, and Taiwanese food is pretty good in my opinion, but I have also been trying many East Asian cuisines. This article is only about Taiwanese/Chinese food. Now, here is a note: I have not even come close to trying all the foods or even a lot of them. I also dont know exactly what I am eating sometimes, but this is a list of some of the basics. Also, I HATE seafood and will not review any fish-forward dish ever after my near-death fish bone incident, hahah. Dont call me picky, I literally ate congealed duck blood in this article.

Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵 niu rou mian)

One of the most iconic dishes in Taiwan is beef noodle soup, a hearty and flavorful dish consisting of tender braised beef, chewy knife-cut noodles, and a rich broth often flavored with soy sauce, ginger, and various spices. This dish is typically garnished with green onions and pickled mustard greens, adding a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors. My favorite place is actually a Chengdu restaurant that adds fresh tomatoes to the beef noodle soup, which adds a refreshing and acidic touch that I love.

Dumplings ( these are not exclusive to Taiwan) 饺子 jiao zi and xiao long bao )

Charlie literally always wants to eat dumplings; we have them at least every other day. There are many types, including shrimp, cabbage, chive, pork, chicken, kimchi, soup dumplings, and combinations of all of them. It's honestly hard to describe, as you can fry them, boil, steam, order them fresh or frozen, or have them in soup or as part of a breakfast dish. Dumplings are always amazing, and I love them.

Sesame Paste Noodles (麻醬麵 ma jiang mian)

My favorite quick meal is from a convenience store or the restaurant down the street. The nutty flavors with the onions are my favorite thing to eat.

Hot Pot (火锅 (ℎ𝑢𝑜 𝑔𝑢𝑜)

It's hard to fully explain the flavor of hotpot, but it's a pot of whatever broth you choose, or two, and you order many meats and veggies to cook in the shared pot and eat it all up. The broth can be a basic beef or a packed full of sichuan peppercorn mouth-numbing red as your enemies' blood soup. It's usually a long process to talk to your friends and hang out, but some places also offer a choose your own bowl and cook it up for you' type of experience. I love just getting quail eggs, pork, long noodles, rice cake, and more. I also tried duck's blood, which is famous in spicy hot pot, and well, it was completely lacking the scary blood taste and more of a soft tofu consistency. So congealed duck blood isn't that scary! So far, I took Charlie to get hot pot twice, and both places sucked (the only times I went here in Taiwan alone or with friends, it was amazing), so he doesn't know how much fun a hot pot time is, so I need more hot pot places stat!

Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐 cho dou fu)

Stinky tofu is a beloved street food that has gained a reputation for its strong odor, which comes from the fermentation process it undergoes. Im not joking, it is absolutely horrendously smelling, like hot trash cans full of dirty socks. Despite its pungent smell, many locals and adventurous tourists flock to it. I did try it in a night market a few weeks ago, and it was not bad at all! The beginning was a little overpowering, but it is often served deep-fried or grilled, accompanied by a spicy sauce and pickled vegetables. This gives it a contrast in terms of smell and texture. I didn't hate it, but I'll probably only eat it occasionally.

Scallion pancake (葱油饼, cōngyóubǐng)

The all-time best Taiwanese breakfast is a green scallion pancake with the sweet soy sauce. The crispy pancake has many layers and develops a salty, oily taste, lightly dusted with a light seasoning. You can even get it rolled up with an egg, meat, or hashbrown patty. I love how the small breakfast joint next to us makes it. Pairs wonderfully with some soy milk tea and radish cakes.

Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯 lu rou fan)

Braised pork rice is a comforting and satisfying dish made with fatty minced pork belly that is slowly braised in a blend of soy sauce, rice wine, and spices until tender. It is literally melt-in-your-mouth soft. The savory mixture is then served over a bed of white rice, often accompanied by a hard-boiled egg and pickled vegetables. This dish is a staple in Taiwan; you can smell its sweet, savory aroma from blocks away.

Bubble Tea (珍珠奶茶 - Zhen zhou Nai Cha)

No discussion of Taiwanese food would be complete without mentioning bubble tea, also known as boba tea. This popular beverage originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and has since gained worldwide popularity. It typically consists of a sweet milk tea base mixed with chewy tapioca pearls, which add a fun texture to the drink. Bubble tea comes in a variety of flavors, from classic milk tea to crazy fruit things. I find it interesting here that many Taiwanese ask for less sugar or half sugar on this sweet drink.

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞 yan su ji)

Taiwanese popcorn chicken is a popular snack; some places use a soy milk batter or just regular batter for its crispy texture and flavorful seasoning. I eat this whenever I want a nice snack. Sometimes I also add some fried king oyster mushrooms.

Pineapple Cake (鳳梨酥)

For those with a sweet tooth, pineapple cake is a delightful Taiwanese pastry that features a buttery crust filled with a sweet and tangy pineapple jam. I can't eat too many because it is very sweet. These cakes are often given as gifts during holidays and special occasions, making them a symbol of good luck and prosperity in Taiwanese culture.

I don't cook too often, breakfasts are at home each morning unless it's the weekend. Last week I made some ramen and mashed potatoes and stew. It was pretty good! The countertop is so small that it makes it hard to cook as much. Charlie and I attempted shakshuka and we had to cut the ingredients on our couch dinner table. Anyways, it's so easy to get food or order food or just eat a convenience store meal.

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Here are your Mandarin words of the week!