Food Memories in Taiwan

These are some of the reasons I missed Taiwan. I am lucky to have my best friend back from Australia to bring me around her native country. It’s been one of the most enjoyable trips I had from all the food hunting and feasting. Here are just some of the memories that I can’t forget – despite it being a year already since I visited Taiwan!

That expensive $260bnd dish from Ming Foo restaurant. Very delicious -- it's basically chicken stuffed with herbs and other ingredients and glutinous rice mainly - with a broth cooked with abalone slices. The soup is very thick and satisfying -- drawing the natural sweetness of the Chinese herbs and abalone. One of the best soups I've tasted.


Another dish from Ming Foo Restaurant. At first glance – you would think that it’s a pork kidney soup – but this is actually a pork testicle soup! When I first ate it – I assumed it’s actually kidney – as it melts in my mouth to reveal a soft and buttery taste – I was like – wow this is nice …. and my Taiwanese friends chuckled and told me it’s Pork Testicles. Another expensive dish as well – $130 per dish!
See more about Ming Foo restaurant here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.439270006416.213388.581271416&type=1

This is the Oyster Omelet from Xi Ling Night Market – the oysters are really fresh and the eggs are mixed with starch to give a crispy texture on the outside and gooey texture on the inside. The only weakness in this dish is the sauce – which – if served with Penang’s sambal for the oyster omelet—would be a heavenly pairing!

From the same store that sells the Oyster omelet is this squid thick soup or so called Hua Chi Qen. It’s a starchy flavoursome soup – with a slight tang but the texture of the squid is one of the best I’ve tasted – springy and bouncy as we Chinese like to say omg SO QQ de …. delicious!

Taiwanese called this Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang – basically big sausage wrap small sausage. Taiwanese typically make glutinous rice sausages – which is a sausage shaped glutinous rice. They use this to wrap the smaller Taiwanese Pork Sausages. It’s like a glutinous rice Hot Dog. I really liked this! Yum! Snack Food!

The Sui Jien Bao – which is buns that are pan fried and then covered and left to steam. Be careful when you’re eating these buns as the tasty juices from the meat filling inside will splurt out! Take small bites and you’re in bao heaven!

and How I can miss this Ah Zhung Mee Sua!?
For more Xi Ling night market pics: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.439409066416.214462.581271416&type=1


The steamed sui jiaos at Foo Da restaurants aroung Zhongsan – always packed and you will have to sit and squeeze with others. Hmm…

The ‘Crispy’ Latte at Long Men Ke Zhan Restaurant at MaoKong – it’s quite unique and adopts the crème brulee method. The top of the coffee is torched and burnt to give a crispy fragrant top for your coffee. Something new and I miss this coffee.

The tea leaves fried rice – which is quite a distinct tea like fragrance to it – also at Long Men Ke Zhan at MaoKong.

Having Sukiyaki at Momo Paradise – thinly sliced quality beef, pork and lamb – dipped on a special sukiyaka hot pot (soy sauce and mirin steam boat) and then dipped on pasteurized eggs. Yummy! Buffet style some more! You simply must try this!
 
After cooking your slices of meat on the Sukiyaki hot pot – straight away mix with raw egg and eat! DELICIOUS! HEAVEN MAN!

Look at the quality of the meat! zOMG! Keep them coming!

This is at the Szechuan restaurant around ZhongSan – it’s quite spicy and it’s called red army ants climbing up a tree – as you pull up the noodles – the chili flakes look like red ants while the beehoon looks like a tree bark – hence this dish – a very memorable bee hoon!

This is a style of bread they make in china – really unique – I’ve never seen such a texture and look at the crust on this bread – amazing pattern. A delicious type of bread – I’ve since forgotten the name of this bread unfortunately!

White slices of pork served with a hot szechuan style chili sauce. Yummy! also from the Szechuan Restaurant.
For more pics of the above restaurants: Click here http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.443764521416.228977.581271416&type=1



Green Tea noodles in a Oolong Tea Beef Broth!

Deep fried crispy tea leaves – yummy!


Cod fish in tea broth
Contemporary Tea Fashion is a restaurant that sells tea – and through this they branched out and started doing cuisines that incorporate tea into the food. At today’s society where health is a big concern – this restaurant won over many health conscious diners! I had a great experience with tea cuisine and you should try this restaurant out too!
For more pictures of Tea Restaurant: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442230731416.227900.581271416&type=1
 
Taiwan Starbucks boasts this Green Tea and Black Sesame Frappucino – I love this one! I wonder why Malaysia ones don’t have this cos it’s Frappulicious!


Those tall giant ice cream cones is a must to try – I love their mango and yam ice cream cone – at least 30 cm tall! no kidding ya!

Omg! Ice Cream Tower! Attack!!

Drinking snake blood and snake soup at Hua Xi Street is quite an unforgettable experience indeed! Guaranteed to boost your stamina for the night – the owner says!

Takoyaki!!!!

Crisp fried fishcakes shaped like boats and dipped in a sweet and sour sauce!

Did not really get a good picture of this – but it’s delicious crispy fried pork ribs !

Hua Xi Streeet – you really can see so much pork leg stalls! There’s one section of the street where all you see are pork legs!

Pork Leg rice ~~ yummy!

The iconic dish of Taiwan : Ru Rou Fan – braised pork stew with rice.

I can’t believe my eyes when they have Bahn Mi at Hua Xi street

A popular street food in Vietnam where they use a baguette to make a sandwich consisting of sliced beef, daikon and carrot pickles, served with Vietnamese herbs and fish sauce. Delicious!
For more pics of Hua Xi Night Market : http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442197001416.227887.581271416&type=1

In GuoLing Night market (Tao Yuan), there’s this special dish called Hau Dan Bao.


It’s seafood such as oysters or prawns being wrapped and fried into a ball

Ta daa! Bite for oysters and yummy egg inside!

Near zhongsan station – there’s a place that sells good xiao long bao

A good breakfast – Dou Jiang You Tiau – crispy fried dough served with soy milk!

And I must say I like their pork and egg sandwich – thin slice of grilled pork wrapped with egg. What a good breakfast.

At another restaurant – I savoured the iconic beef noodles in Taiwan – delicious – and this was before I decided to go to Yan Ming San hotsprings with my friends.

Janice and Lucy – who was my tour guide for the whole Taiwan trip. We went to Yan Ming San hotsprings – where there are many restaurants who offer – hotspring plus food!

This seafood and pork intestines soup was DA BOMB! So chocked full of flavour and bound to warm your heart! Confirm stamina boost for the night one!


Crispy Battered Oysters! Taiwan has oysters in abundance I tell ya!

Orange Pork Ribs – I tell you – I really liked the crisp up turnips on the side – so crunchy and goes very well with the sauce! They must be fried and then tossed with the sauce – thumbs up!

We had this fruity tea to wash down all the good food before going for a hot spring bath!
For more pics of the Yan Ming San : http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442186451416.227876.581271416&type=1

At another night market – I came across this cream puff but instead of cream – you sandwich and ice cream in between- that is simply a heavenly combo!

You will also come across this snack food called Tian Bu La (sounds like tempura) which is deep fried slices of fish cakes and other items – dipped in a sweet sour with a slightly hot sauce.

You cannot miss this pig’s blood rice cake – another Taiwanese snack

You must also try their home made Winter Melon Tea!

This is actually wintermelon being cooked till a caramelized paste and ready to be used to make tea~

This is VERY good – a lot better than those store bought ones – freshly made! Wintermelon tea at its best!
For Kong Kuan and Sze Ta Night Market : http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442174376416.227870.581271416&type=1


In Tao Yuan – this is the first restaurant I tried when I was in Taiwan – I can say this is my top 3 restaurants to visit if you come to Taiwan – it has a very Japanese influence to it’s dishes.

Quite a japanese influence, shredded onions with snow fish and bonito flakes with special sauce

Dong Buo Rou – A Taiwanese Pork Belly dish

This has got to be one of my all time favourite dish – fresh oysters braised in a ginger and shallot sauce and served on top of chopped crispy you tiau (cha kueh or crispy dough). I wish I can taste this again! Ahhhh!!
For Han Xiang Rou Restaurant album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.438008331416.211510.581271416&type=1
Western Style Food


Their desserts are well presented

My soup of the day – well presented

Such a delicious looking fruit salad – with a prawn swimming amongst them!
Wang Pin Steak House is a fine dining restaurant that offers superb service, great food at good affordable prices. They’re really thoughtful of what customers want. I went there for lunch and had a very good experience.
Wang pin steak house album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.443722256416.228964.581271416&type=1

A famous Italian restaurant in Taiwan – La Betolla

The red wine beef stew served with rice is very delicious – melts in your mouth goodness!


and of course – their pasta is very good!

Spot Café is a good hanging out spot – which is around Taipei


They serve pretty good coffee here – this one is my rose petal coffee – as you can see some dried rose flakes on the foam to give it more flavour.


I saw this on the menu – and simply cannot resist – A tiramisu where it’s taken apart and separated.

You see the mascarpone cream topped with cocoa powder, sponge fingers and two glasses of strong espresso – to eat – dip the sponge fingers on the espresso and then on the mascarpone cream! Yummy!

Torched bananas and served with caramel sauce. Yumness!


Melange Café is famous for it’s waffles and scones – and pretty waitresses (haha)

Green Tea Latte~

Very good blueberry scones – served with cream and jam.

I decided to be different and go for savoury waffles – served with tuna and salad – really good waffles I gotta admit – and the friendly waitresses make my dining experiences very good ^ ^
For More pics of above restaurants: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442177366416.227874.581271416&type=1


A good Italian restaurant is NiNi Garden – great décor and good Italian Food – you might have to queue and wait to dine in this restaurant – I waited for half an hour before I got my seat!

This is the Pink Cream Sauce Seafood Pasta – creamy and with a hint of tang.

Pesto Sauce Baked Rice

A delicious seafood and cranberry risotto! One of my fav dishes during my Taiwan trip!

Squid ink Seafood Pasta – which was very spicy! Delicious!
Click to see décor and other foods of NiNi : http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.439005021416.212218.581271416&type=1

New York Bagels Café serves and satisfies your BAGEL cravings!

Bagel roast beef sandwich – served with fries

This one is the sesame seed bagel sandwich

I love their Crab cake Eggs Benedict – poached eggs, on crab cake and scones – topped with a good hollandaise sauce – very good breakfast!
For more pics of N.Y. Bagels http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442194251416.227882.581271416&type=1

Windmill restaurant is a restaurant sooooo beautiful – people came here to take wedding pictures. Not only that – it’s ambience is out of this world – and coupled with good service and good food – this is one of the places one will truly remember for life.
I have to admit – I wished I got a DSLR camera because my point n shoot camera did this place and food no justice.

The complimentary buns! Delicious with butter!

My seafood appetizers! Scallops, lobsters, squid~ tasty tasty

Seafood and Prawn in a clear broth – words can’t explain how good this soup is!

Beef Steak – so thick – yet so delicious!

Rack of lamb with mint sauce

Pork slices served with a flambe sauce – they actually made my Ceaser Salad and the sauce for this dish in front of me live!

Palette Cleanser – sliced fruits!

The OMG baked Alaska! Meringue wrapped ice cream and butter cake inside!

Such a romantic presentation – their cheesecake!

The décor’s really beautiful inside and outside – for more pictures which I highly recommend you see it: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442191381416.227880.581271416&type=1

Taiwan’s 7 Elevens are a place one must try – so much choice of food at affordable prices – makes me wish Brunei has these!

This sushi rice cake and black sesame ten grain milk is only $1.50 bnd.

Instant beef noodles at 7-11 ^_^
Another unforgettable experience I had in Taiwan was when Lucy brought me to her friends wedding at a seafood restaurant. I was blown over by their ten course seafood meal! You cannot believe how good the experience was!

Instead of the typical peanuts at weddings, they serve dried sakura prawns! So good!

Their cold platter is assorted sashimi – very fresh – even has snails, lobster and scallops!

Deep fried Glutinous Rice Balls sprinkled with sugary crushed nuts! So good! I wonder why they don’t serve this in Brunei restaurants!

Shark fins soup with a twist!

Unagi Eel with baked rice~ yummy!

Baked prawns with parmesan cheese and squid!

Seafood and Tofu Soup~

Slipper lobster and stuffed seafood fried yams.

Steamed Whole Fish! Very tender and very good!

More lobster soup! OMG! Is there no end to this seafood banquet!?

We finally end with tomatoes and guava – phew~~ seafood coma!
For more pics of the wedding: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.442236221416.227903.581271416&type=1