•Publication Date：03/20/2014
•Source： Taiwan Today
Taiwan: Secret Foodie Wonderland is the title of a recent article on the website of guidebook maker Lonely Planet, highlighting the nation’s unique gastronomic culture.
The article, by LP’s North Asia Destination Editor Megan Eaves, highlights the slew of awards won recently by Taiwan chefs, a plethora of haute cuisine hot spots in Taipei and the country’s bustling night markets as some of the many draws attracting in-the-know foodies from across Asia.
“Taiwan’s food scene is exploding and now is the time to go,” Eaves writes, adding that the best restaurants rival those in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.
Night markets receive their traditional dues. “Taiwan has perhaps the finest night market scene in the world,” Eaves writes. Her personal preference is for the smaller local night markets rather than the maze-like Shilin Night Market.
Eaves attributes the nation’s unique cuisine to the Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and Japanese colonial influences.
Among the “don’t-miss dishes” listed by Eaves are “xiaolongbao,” or steamed dumplings; beef noodles; flaky scallion pancakes and pork belly sandwiches.
She also adds a range of exotic dishes, no doubt catering to adventurous eaters inspired by reality TV shows. While almost all of the dishes are local staples, they typically elicit nervous hesitation among foreign visitors invited to partake by their Taiwan hosts. Eaves lists stinky tofu, squid, pig intestines, oyster omelet, century eggs and fried sandworms as “if-you-dare dishes.”
For drinks, the author recommends the “strangely addictive” Taiwan invention pearl milk tea, oolong tea, coffee and local beer, with everything from the ubiquitous Taiwan Beer to craft beers available to wash down the street food.
There are Taiwan eateries to suit every budget, from street stalls with plastic stools to high-end restaurants. Eaves says that “much of Taiwan’s best food is to be found in small, local restaurants,” but gives traditional gourmet establishments like Dintaifung and Golden Dragon an enthusiastic thumbs up.
She also takes note of a local penchant for the unconventional, with such places as Hello Kitty Sweets offering cakes in the shape of the namesake cartoon character and Modern Toilet serving diners from what appear to be ablutionary facilities.
