Cuisines

    In Taiwan, cooking techniques from all areas of China have fused; Taiwanese have not only mastered the traditional local Chinese specialties, but have developed new culinary treats. Natural original flavors are preserved and the main focus is on light-seasoned, fresh, and simply flavored dishes.

    The enormous variety of typical Taiwanese snacks is unique in the world, and this kind of food is cheap and delicious, and by no means inferior, with each specialty giving you an insight in the people of the area from which it originates. Typical Taiwanese snacks are found everywhere, but the island's night markets in particular, are the places where these snacks can be found in abundance.

Ø   滷肉飯Braised pork rice 

    A bowl of Braised pork rice has finely chopped pork belly, slow-cooked in aromatic soy sauce with five spices. A little sweet, a little salty, the braised pork rice is comfort food perfected.

Ø   蚵仔煎Oyster omelet

    The snack really showcases the fat of the land of Taiwan with the combination of something from the sea and something from the soil. The eggs are the perfect foil for the little oysters easily found around the island, while sweet potato starch is added to give the whole thing a gooey chewiness. And it was voted best snack to represent the island in 2007.

Ø   珍珠奶茶Bubble tea

    There something very chewy, just like the tapioca balls that are the "bubbles" in bubble tea. It is said that this unique drink was invented out of boredom. Liu Han-Chieh threw some sweetened tapioca pudding into her iced Assam tea on a fateful day in 1988 and one of the greatest Taiwanese exports was born. Huge variations on the theme have since emerged, served cold or hot.

Ø   肉圓Taiwanese meat ball

    The steaming, hot, and chewy Taiwanese meat ball is made with rice flour, corn starch and sweet potato starch and looks almost translucent after cooking. Pork, veggies and sometimes eggs are stuffed inside and gravy is poured on top. 

It is commonly believed that Taiwanese meat ball was invented during periods of scarcity. The simple pork dumpling was then a luxurious snack enjoyed only during the Lunar New Year festival. 

Ø  大腸麵線Intestine vermicelli 

    Pig Intestine Vermicelli consists of silky vermicelli noodles and chopped, braised pork large intestines in a thick, rich soup.

Ø   臭豆腐Stinky tofu

    This is the world's best love-it-or-hate-it snack and Taiwan does it just right. 

The "fragrant" cube of bean curd is deep-fried and draped with sweet and spicy sauce. If you hold your nose, it looks and tastes just like a plain ol' piece of fried tofu, with a crisp casing and soft center like pudding.

Ø   剉冰crushed ice dessert

    An oversized pile of shaved ice, heaped with fresh fruit and flavorings such as mango pieces is the best choice in the hot, humid and stormy summers in Taiwan.

Ø   肉粽Rice Dumplings

    A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat festival is Meat Rice Dumplings (Zongzi), a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves to give it a special flavor. This tasty dish consists of rice dumplings with meat, peanut, egg yolk, or other fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves. The tradition of rice dumpling is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the 汨羅 river in order to keep fish from eating 屈原.