Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

One week in Taipei


Ondine

Recommended Posts

Hello dear eGulleters!

I have just been invited on a family trip to Taipei this October, and I'm really excited! Not only do I get to see my brother (since he moved to Geneva, it's been hard to talk) but I get to go a-fooding with both him and my dad!

Where should we go? What should we eat?

Din Tai Fung is a must-do, definitely. We're going to be fairly centrally located (if I know my father's hotel sense), and will be able to afford higher end stuff if it's worth the effort.

And I have some elementary skill at mandarin speaking, about as fluent as a nine year old. :rolleyes:

While we're not averse to nifty new Western style dining, I think we may be also inclined to explore food that really gives the feel of the city and the people.

So, any suggestions? :smile:

" ..Is simplicity the best

Or simply the easiest

The narrowest path

Is always the holiest.. "

--Depeche Mode - Judas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, we'll be going at the same time -- I assume you'll be there for the holiday?

There are great links in the Dining section Here and Here, and I also found this website helpful:

http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/search/...ly%20recommends

More than one place has said the Peking Duck at Celestial is as good as what can be had in Beijing -- and it's inexpensive. ($10-20 per diner).

http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/search?q=peking+duck

Here'e another good site:

http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-w...pei-restaurants

Edited by ScoopKW (log)

Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today. -- Edgar Allan Poe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for the links!

I've also been checking out the recent Taiwan posts on the Eating Asia blog, and they look very promising.

My dad tells me we'll be doing side trips to Kaohsiung and Tainan as well. Do you have any suggestions for those areas? I do know that Kaohsiung is going to be a seafoody sort of place, and my Hepatitis A and B shots are up to date - thanks to work - so bring it on! :raz:

" ..Is simplicity the best

Or simply the easiest

The narrowest path

Is always the holiest.. "

--Depeche Mode - Judas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Back... and tired.

(Actually I've been back for a few days, and I have a "nuts and bolts" travel report here.)

I'll work up a Celestial/Din Tai Fung/Stinky Tofu/Goose Esophagus post in a day or two.

Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today. -- Edgar Allan Poe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Not sure if this is the thread that Kouign Aman mentioned, but thought I'd mention a few places in here.

As far as night markets go, Shilin is probably the most famous. In addition to stinky tofu and ô-á-chian (oyster omelette) and the other standards, the white kugua shake (bai kugua zhi) is really great here if it's in season. The fruit stands on the streets surrounding the market are also really memorable - highly recommended.

In addition to Chinese food, Taiwan is great for sushi. I'm vegetarian, but my wife ate at a place in Taipei that, while not cheap, was light years ahead of what you'd get in the US for the same kind of money. I don't know if the place is still open, but it's called Kitcho Sushi (吉兆割烹壽司) and it’s at 忠孝東路四段181巷48號 (#48, Lane 181, Section 4, Zhong-xiao East Road), Da-an District). That area has a lot of other hip Japanese businesses, so I'm assuming there might be other good sushi places in the area. I would guess that for omakase with some kind of drink you'd be looking at $100/US/person, give or take (and the chef refused to accept a tip).

I would really recommend visiting Wistaria House - not only a beautiful environment, but one of the rare "tea houses", even in Asia, where you can actually drink some excellent teas. Also, while maybe not a destination for food in and of itself, the food there is quite good.

For Chinese style breakfast, I've found that it's not like Shanghai, where there are pretty good hole in the wall breakfast places all over the place. Street carts are decent for fantuan (rice roll) and sweet soy milk, but for fancier breakfast fare (sweet or salty soy milk or soft tofu / dou hua), Yonghe Doujiang is justifiably the most famous. They have a lot of locations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will, thanks! Great suggestions. The mention of sushi made himself smile. I hadnt seen this thread, but with its links, I prefer it to the one I did see. Excellent choice.

So far: Din Tai Fung, Shilin market (esp stinky tofu and ô-á-chian (oyster omelette)) , fruit stands, sushi :! (Kitcho Sushi (吉兆割烹壽司) and it’s at 忠孝東路四段181巷48號 (#48, Lane 181, Section 4, Zhong-xiao East Road), Da-an District).), & Wisteria house oare on the list.

We'll give Chinese style breakfast a try or three (Street carts for fantuan (rice roll) and sweet soy milk, and Yonghe Doujiang), but I suspect we'll default to mantou brought back to our room the night before. My family is not at its most adventurous in the morning. We're much better at lunch and dinner.

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...