Talk about Taiwan, and the immediate thing that comes to mind is “food”. More specifically, street food. And what are the Taiwanese street food you think of first? The ever-popular bubble milk tea, Taiwan sausages or beef cubes? They’re all good, but what if we told you that acclaimed food guide Michelin has some street food to recommend, and they’re not your usual street food? Street food do not get awarded stars, but they can receive the Bib Gourmand by Michelin. The best part? All entries on this list are Bib Gourmand distinctions, and they’re all in night markets!
Note: According to Michelin, Bib Gourmand is a distinction that signifies “good quality, good value cooking”. All items on this list are under NTD 500 per person.
1) A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken (Nanjichang Night Market)
Anyone who’s familiar with sesame oil would tell you that it is extremely fragrant. When cooked together with chicken, the result is a phenomenally good dish you can’t get enough of! A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken serves heartwarming sesame oil chicken soup all year round, but come early! You don’t want to miss out on the chicken legs! Note: long queues may be inevitable during winter time!
Operating Hours: 5 pm – 10 pm
Address: 34, Lane 311, Section 2, Zhonghua Road, Zhongzheng, Taipei, 110.
2) Stinky Tofu Boss (Nanjichang Night Market)
Now, we know that stinky tofu is a pretty acquired taste, but come on, no trip to Taiwan would be complete without trying it once! Most stinky tofu is deep fried, but you can get a lil’ something different at Stinky Tofu Boss. Here, their stinky tofu is steamed, and then garnished with basil for some added flavour. Bon appetit!
Operating Hours: 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
Address: 6, Lane 313, Section 2, Zhonghua Road, Zhongzheng, Taipei, 110.
3) Rong’s Pork Liver (Ningxia Night Market)
Even the locals can’t stop raving about it! The liver is fresh and moist with a full meaty flavour without being overwhelmingly metallic, as some livers are. Cooked in a rich broth, this is another winter favourite, though it makes a good dinner for other seasons as well. If you really can’t bring yourself to try some liver, you can also opt for pork strips, which is just as good! There’s also the pork zongzi with sweet hot sauce that’s a must-try!
Operating Hours: 6:30 pm – 1 am
Address: Stall 008 & 010, Ningxia Night Market, 68 Ningxia Road, Datong, Taipei, 110.
4) Da-Qiao-Tou Tube Rice Pudding (Yansan Night Market)
Everyone knows that rice is a staple Asian food item. But what’s so special about this rice dish? Rice pudding is a stir-fried sticky rice mixture, and usually meat and mushrooms are added into the mix. It’s called a “tube” because this rice pudding is then steamed in a bamboo tube! Here, choose from lean or fatty pork, drizzled with homemade sauce. Yum!
Operating Hours: 5 pm – 12 am
Address: 63 Raohe Street, Songshan, Taipei, 110.
5) Chen Tung Pork Ribs Medicinal Herbs Soup (Raohe Night Market)
If you think that somehow this seems familiar, you’re not wrong. We have our own version in Malaysia: bak kut teh. Just like our local pork dish here, pork ribs are cooked in a broth full of Chinese herbs. The herbs and meat complement each other perfectly, resulting in a aromatic dish second to none. Feel the warmth radiate throughout your body as you enjoy!
Operating Hours: 3 pm – 12 am
Address: 739, Section 4, Bade Road, Songshan, Taipei, 110.
6) Chung Chia Sheng Jian Bao (Shilin Night Market)
First things first, a sheng jian bao is just like a xiao long bao, except that it’s pan-fried. That’s right, think of a crossover between a gyoza and a xiao long bao and you get the idea. The resultant bao is a crispy-on-the-bottom, fluffy-on-the-top delicacy, stuffed with fillings of your choice. At Chung Chia, choose from pork or cabbage fillings!
Operating Hours: 3 pm – 9 pm
Address: 38 Xiaodong Street, Shilin, Taipei, 110.
7) Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan (Linjiang Street Night Market)
Most of us are probably familiar with tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls. A winter solstice tradition for the Chinese, tangyuan is usually filled with sesame or peanut, and cooked in a sweet soup with ginger. However, Yu Pin Yuan literally brings winter to their tangyuan by placing boiling-hot tangyuan on a bowl of shaved ice. That’s one tangyuan version you can’t miss!
Operating Hours: 6 pm – 12 am
Address: 31, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua Street, Da’an, Taipei, 110.
8) Lan Chia Guabao (Gongguan Night Market)
The guabao is a type of open bun, as its name literally means “cut bun”. Somewhat resembling a hamburger, the guabao is stuffed with braised pork, ground peanuts, coriander and pickles. What you get is a fluffy steamed bun filled with various ingredients and condiments that come together in a perfect symphony in your mouth!
Operating Hours: 11 am – 12 am
Address: 3, Alley 8, Lane 316, Section 3, Luosifu Road, Zhongzheng, Taipei, 110.
There’s no denying that Taiwan is definitely food heaven, with these and so much more food to offer! By day, visit Taiwan’s beautiful landscapes; by night, stuff yourself silly with all these Michelin street food. Remember, you haven’t really been to Taiwan if you haven’t tried these food out!
Plus, we have some good news for you!
By visiting social.taiwan.net.my and participating in the social hub contest/game, you stand a chance to win 2x return air tickets to Taipei! Each phase will run for 3 months, and the contest works on a point-accumulation basis. Just visit the link above to find out more!
Phase 1: Ends on 31/08/2019
Phase 2: 01/09/2019 – 30/11/2019
Phase 3: 01/12/2019 – 29/02/2020
It’s #timefortaiwan, and see you there!
