I’m not a big bubble tea drinker — mostly because I tend to avoid caffeine — but Chun Shui Tang might just be the inventor of the drink. Obviously, exceptions need to be made.
While doing some morning exploration of Taichung recently, I stumbled upon a street vendor with an impressive line. He was serving up big balls of sticky rice filled with all kinds of stuff.
I like sticky rice. I like stuff. I like eating foods that the locals like. Sold!
Yes, there are several bakeries and ice cream shops in Taichung, but if you want a classic, old-school Taiwanese dessert, you need to check out Uncle A-Dou’s Frozen Taro.
There’s a specific type of meatball that’s unique to Taichung, and if you’re here, you really need to try it.
Happy accidents can be your best friend when you’re traveling. I wasn’t planning on eating a delicious bowl of porky goodness, but it happened and I’m certainly not going to complain about it.
It’s hard to go wrong with a night market. It’s basically just food, food, and more food. One of the more popular ones in Taipei is the Raohe Night Market, and one of the more popular stalls sells pepper buns that everyone agrees you need to try.
So of course I tried it, and yep: everyone’s right. It’s quite good.
They sell something they call a “croissant” at Jin San Xia. Other than the general shape, it has almost no resemblance to an actual croissant.
It’s quite good, however.
If you want a breathtaking view of Taipei, you’ve gotta do the Xiangshan Trail (also known as Elephant Mountain).
Bonus: it’s right in the middle of the city and easily accessible via the subway, so it’s a very low-effort hike to get to.
As you’d imagine, bubble tea is pretty huge in Taiwan. It was invented here, after all. I avoid caffeine, which means I’m out of luck. Or am I…?
Come on, Taiwan. I know your food is great, but now you’re just showing off. The pork knuckle I just had at Zheng Pork Knuckle? Ridiculously good. It’s upsetting how good it is. I don’t live here; how am I supposed to go back and eat this a million more times??