When we travel around, we’re always on the hunt for local eats and hole in the wall eateries. After all, we want to truly experience the local culture and immerse ourselves in the city. Thankfully, for our first trip to food paradise, Taiwan, we had really great recommendations from our local drivers and online travel community to help us scour the most authentic food! With a little help from everyone, we had the opportunity to savour fresh seafood, hot Taiwanese breakfasts, late night suppers, street eats and many more interesting local dishes - overall an impressive array of food that prompted us to share them with you.

Breaking down our 5D4N itinerary in Taiwan, we spent a total of 3 days in Taipei and 1 day each for Jiu Fen and YiLan so the recommendations featured here would mostly be found in Taipei. For first-timers setting foot into Taiwan, we hope that this guide will help you navigate the bustling city a little better with an inkling of the must-eats there, be it in its bustling capital or the quaint cities in its vicinity.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Local Restaurants:

1.Old SiChuan，老四川 (Taipei, Nan Jing East Road Branch)

In Taiwan, the hotpot culture is really strong - our cab driver confessed to eating it 5 days a week despite it being the hot summer! We couldn’t help but want to try it with everyone around us raving about it. Amongst the numerous local recommendations, Lao Si Chuan emerged as one of the top choices so we headed down there for dinner one night. Do call in to make reservations beforehand as our cab drivers shared that many of the hotpot restaurants in Taipei would usually require bookings in advance so it would be best to heed their advice to avoid disappointment.

If you didn’t make reservations at Old SiChuan (like us), you might have to end up waiting for a table, though time will pass very quickly if you get started on their claw catcher machine right outside the restaurant. We tried our hand at it and managed to catch 2 packets of noodles - a fun distraction that allows you to bring home a little something from your trip!

Stepping into the restaurant, we were impressed by the classy Chinese interior and helpful staff offering great service and appetisers to start off our meal. Not to mention the alluring sight and aroma of the boiling hot soups around, yum!

The menu was pretty straightforward, with different soup choices and ingredients (à la carte style) that you can choose from. Since we could choose 2 different types of soup for each pot, we opted for the signature spicy Ma La and Golden Chestnut Chicken soup.

For the ingredients, we had the standard fare of beef and pork slices, vegetables and mushrooms. While seemingly common, they transformed into exceptionally flavourful eats that packs a powerful spicy punch after soaking in the Ma La soup. As spicy lovers, we loved the numbing sensation that the soup delivered without getting too heavy or oily, even towards the end of our meal - the hallmark of a truly well-made broth.

On the other hand, the Golden Chestnut Chicken soup helped to balance our palate by giving us a lighter alternative when the spiciness from the Ma La soup gets too much for us. While the Ma La soup was definitely the highlight of the meal, we could see this working out well with non-spicy eaters, like the twins who actually polished off their entire bowl with rice!

By the end of the meal, we were really at our bellies’ limits, but we just couldn’t resist having ice cream when the staff offered it to us (yes, it’s free!).

Website: http://www.oldsichuan.com.tw/index.aspx

Address: 台北市中山区南京东路二段45号 (Google Maps location here; Note: other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-25223333

Opening hours: Daily, 11.30am - 1.30am

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 896 (approximately SGD40)

2. Zui Feng Yuan, 醉枫园 (Taipei)

At first glance, you might barely notice this little eatery shrouded by greenery along the road. After all, there was little indication that the place was a restaurant. However, when we entered the place in the late morning, there were already few tables occupied by locals - a good sign that we are at an authentic local restaurant. In fact, this restaurant was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019 for its great quality food at value prices!

In total, we ordered the Steamed Prawns, Steamed Fish, Crispy Fried Duck with Mashed Taro, Stir-fried Kang Kong Vegetables, Crispy Skinned Chicken, and a Watercress Soup with Pork Slices.

We were surprised to see the cook fishing up a live catch for our order, considering that the place didn’t specialise in fresh seafood. That definitely raised our expectations for our meal, in which thankfully, they didn’t disappoint us as well. Everything was served hot and fresh, including the fish and prawns that were sweet and clear of any fishy scent.

The Crispy Skinned Chicken and Crispy Fried Duck with Mashed Taro were really unique dishes that were worth trying too. The chicken was tender with a nice, flavourful skin while the fried duck had a textured bite from the soft mashed taro and fried batter skin that went well with their homemade sauce - it was so good we decided to pack the leftovers back!

When we were done with our meal, a crowd was just filling up the restaurant so it is highly recommended to book a table in advance if you’re coming down!

Address: No. 5, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 台北市松山区八德路三段8巷5号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-2577-9528

Opening hours: Daily, 10.30am - 2pm and 5:30pm - 9.00pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 575 (approximately SGD26)

3. Weng Yao Ji, 瓮窑鸡 (Yi Lan, Jiao Xi Branch)

You know that you’re in for a treat just by looking at the storefront. At the entrance, the skilful staff were busying themselves, preparing the marinated chickens that will go into the specially manufactured ovens smoked by longan wood. Kudos to the staff who had to withstand the searing 400 degrees Celsius heat from the ovens!

Thankfully, we were able to walk in and be served quickly despite not making reservations - another thumbs up for their quick service!

Inside, you’ll be greeted with a spacious interior filled with tables of customers, each and every one of them with at least one order of the house speciality, the Oven Roasted Chicken. Needless to say, we went for that and had no regrets.

For a whole chicken, it will cost you TWD 650 (approximately SGD29), a reasonable price given the quality assurance and taste. The chicken was served up on a big platter, where you could request for the staff to help you pull it into bite-sized pieces, or simply DIY.

There’s a few ways of getting the most out of the dish - pairing it with plain old salt and pepper, dipping it into the fragrant chicken oil, or having it with some garlic and mushrooms on the side. Either way, there’s room for experimentation to find out your favourite eating method!

Right from the get go, we could tell that the chicken would definitely be tender. While we were pulling it apart, the meat fell off easily and had a nice sheen to it. Meanwhile the glazed, crisp skin tasted as good as it looked, complementing the juicy meat.

The other dishes that we tried were equally as good, despite its no frills simple appearance as well. We particularly liked the Stir-fried Wild Vegetables that had a farm fresh sweetness with each bite, a rare type of greens that we hardly see back home in Singapore. The bamboo shoots was also a nice local dish that didn’t have the usual funky smell of bamboo shoots, and was really soft and juicy.

Tip: While you might be tempted to order the meal sets offered at the restaurant, those portions are usually for bigger groups probably around 6pax and up so you might want to go for à la carte dishes instead!

Address: No. 7, Section 7, Jiaoxi Road, Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County, Taiwan 262 宜兰县礁溪乡礁溪路七段7号 (Google Maps location here; Note: other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 9-18717288

Opening hours: Daily, 9am - 11pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 325 (approximately SGD15)

4. Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles, 林东芳牛肉面(Taipei)

When we dropped by Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles, we concluded that the Taiwanese really do love their late night suppers. Despite being there at 12am, there were still orders running into the kitchen, with at least half of the tables occupied. Of course, that might have to do with the fact that the restaurant was earning fame from being awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2018, or that they had a really good beef noodle recipe that has been passed on for 3 generations.

Hype aside, we wanted to see if the beef noodles lived up to its reputation. It was nice that you could customize the order to your liking. For us, we went for the Beef Tendon Noodles that came out in a surprisingly large bowl that could probably feed two people - portion well worth the money indeed!

The beef broth here was a lot lighter than the typical beef noodles in Singapore, and much more watery than what we were used to having. Frankly speaking, it wasn’t really our thing as we were expecting a much thicker and indulgent broth.

On the bright side, this meant that the soup wasn’t too oily, and made us feel slightly better for having supper at midnight. Furthermore, the noodles were very chewy and slurp-worthy!

Overall, we feel that the satisfaction from the beef noodles here would boil down to your personal preferences. After all, the broth was probably tweaked to the local Taiwanese tastebuds so if you prefer having a lighter but filling meal, this might just be the thing for you.

Address: No. 322, Section 2, Bade Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104, Taiwan 台北市中山区八德路322号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-27522556

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 11am - 3am; Closed on Sunday

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 280 (approximately SGD13)

Fresh Seafood:

5. Xian Jin Hai Chan, 先进海产 (Taipei)

Highly recommended by one of our friends, this local restaurant serves up fresh seafood and authentic Taiwanese food. The store is similar to Singapore’s “tze char” where you can order a variety of vegetables, meat and seafood dishes for sharing.

We’ve got to say, the fresh seafood here won our hearts (including Leia and Lauren’s!). The steamed fish and prawns (dependent on availability) had a natural sweetness that left us wanting more, and their stir-fried clams had the nice charred taste from the chef’s great wok control.

One of their more interesting dishes is the Red Vinasse Meat, where pork is cooked from the fermented grains of cooking wine, a dish less common in typical, touristy Taiwanese restaurants. The flavourful meat had a nice, crunchy bite to it despite its plain appearance.

In general, the food was really delicious but the portions were a bit smaller than expected. Not a bad thing in our opinion, since that means we get more stomach space to try out the other dishes. Our only gripe with this restaurant is their long waiting times, be it the queue or for time the food to be served.

Nevertheless, we find that good food is worth the wait, so those who are planning to make a trip down, do be mentally prepared to spend some time here for your meal.

Tip: Book a table beforehand to reduce your waiting time!

Address: No. 5, Lane 23, Yanji Street, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 台北市延吉街 23巷5号 1F (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-25784397

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 5.30pm - 1am, Closed on Monday

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 979.25 (approximately SGD44)

6. San ye seafood restaurant, 三叶海鲜餐厅(Ye liu)

On our way to Jiu Fen, our driver from Changi Recommends gave us the local scoop on one of the best restaurants in the area. Since Ye Liu is a coastal fishing village, seafood is definitely a must-eat here. Along the narrow road, there were dozens of seafood restaurants with fancy signboards, and San Ye Seafood Restaurant looks just like another small, unassuming little eatery amidst the crowded space.

This 40-year old family restaurant took to our liking immediately. The staff heartily welcomed us and were extremely kind, introducing the different seafood in the tanks outside with plenty of patience and recommendations.

In the sweltering summer heat, we were relieved to have our orders taken so quickly and be settled inside comfortably. Our dishes came rather quickly as well, each one as tasty as the other.

The freshness of the seafood goes without saying - we were served the fresh catch of the day that we saw for ourselves earlier. We could pick the fish meat off the bone easily, a sign that it’s bound to be good, while the steamed prawns had a pleasant sweet taste. The stir-fried clams, on the other hand, were a tad too salty for us, though it still fared okay on the whole.

Another winner on the table was the Stir-fried Wild Vegetables that had light, crunchy texture that went well with its refreshing sweet taste. Definitely worth a try!

We feel that this place might be suitable for those looking to try fresh seafood, and have a higher meal budget. After all, the menu here falls in the pricier end. For ourselves, we spent a whopping TWD1800 (approximately SGD80) on the steamed fish and fish soup alone, though we absolutely loved and enjoyed every single mouth of it. That being said, the feast here is likely to set you back by a bit so it would be better to ask for the prices before you start ordering.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/threeleaves152/

Address: 207, Wan Li District, Gang Dong Road, 74-16, New Taipei City 台北县万里乡港东路74-16号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-25784397

Opening hours: Daily, 11am - 9pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 750 (approximately SGD33)

Breakfast Speciality Stores

7. Yong He Dou Jiang, 永和豆浆 (Taipei, shao xing street branch)

As with most Taiwanese breakfast stores, Yong He Dou Jiang offers fresh and hot delights like fried dough fritters, rice rolls, Chinese pancakes, and of course, the signature soy milk. Given that there was an outlet conveniently located near our hotel in the Songshan district, we decided to have breakfast there one day.

We ordered the typical local favourites: fried dough fritters, scallion pancakes, pastry wrapped with egg and pork floss, and soy milk. Everything was pretty affordable, with our total bill ringing up to only TWD140 (approximately SGD7) - yes we got breakfast settled in under SGD10!

Knowing that we have a longer itinerary ahead of us, we decided to take away our order as, which was done amazingly fast given that all the food were prepared on the spot. It only took around 10 minutes to have our food packed nicely for us to have it on the go.

Breakfast was a good munch, especially the dough fritters that were extremely fluffy and warm (unlike the soggy, re-fried ones that we might find come across in Singapore). However, the pastry wrapped with egg and pork floss could use a little more ingredients on the inside to add to the taste, while the scallion pancakes were also pretty average.

Soy milk is often touted as a Taiwanese breakfast staple but we found the one at Yong He Dou Jiang rather ordinary, though we liked that we could customise the sugar levels for it. Nevertheless, a cup of freshly made soy milk made from non-GMO soy beans is always welcomed with us!

In general, we liked the variety at Yong He Dou Jiang, and that the food came warm and fresh. At this price point, it's a place that many budget travellers might want to drop by to have a taste of local breakfasts, especially given that they are conveniently located at plenty of the key attractions around Taipei!

Website: https://www.facebook.com/threeleaves152/

Address: No. 5-3, Shaoxing South Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100 台北市绍兴南街 5-3 号 (Google Maps location here; Note: Other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-23217917

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 5am - 11pm; Sunday, 5am - 6pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 98.75 (approximately SGD5)

8. Hong Ji Dou Jiang，洪记豆浆 (Taipei, Chang chun street branch)

After our first breakfast at Yong He Dou Jiang, we couldn’t resist having more so for the next day, our driver recommended us another breakfast franchise store, Hong Ji Dou Jiang.

The store had a similar front as Yong He Dou Jiang’s, with a wide spread of pastries and breakfast delights laid out at the counter for locals who are grabbing a quick takeaway on their way to work but beyond just being a breakfast spot, the store also runs 24/7 around the clock so they also cater to the local supper crowd.

Given our previous experience in a similar breakfast speciality store, we started comparing some of the foods that we had from each eatery (though we ordered a bit more here).

Hong Ji Dou Jiang’s fried dough fritters here were great, but the winner goes to Yong He Dou Jiang for its fluffier and crispier texture. However, the scallion pancake with eggs and the egg pancake with pork floss beats the other dishes we had the day before with its much more flavourful taste and ingredients.

The carrot cake that we had here was amazing as well, with a soft, bouncy texture that was proof of its freshness - a must-order for all carrot cake fans out there! To be honest, we feel that it is really tedious to make and prepare carrot cake so we were very impressed with this dish.

Surprisingly, we couldn’t pinpoint a favourite for the soy milk as both stores were equally good in that aspect, with a fresh quality that supersedes what we are used to in Singapore.

Again, the breakfast menu here was also very affordable so we splurged a little and went overboard with the ordering. Nevertheless, that only set us back by less than SGD5 per pax, and was a meal well worth our money.

Address: No. 352, Changchun Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104 台北市中山区长春路352号 (Google Maps location here; Note: Other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-27175511

Opening hours: Daily, 24/7

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 35 (approximately SGD2)

Local Eats:

9. Lan Jia Gua Bao，蓝家割包(Taipei)

Known as the Taiwanese hamburger, Lan Jia Gua Bao serves up delicious, fluffy buns that comes with your choice of fatty and/or lean meat, ground peanuts, coriander, and preserved vegetables.

Yes, the photos might look really unappetising but it was really tasty! Think a soft and warm bun wrapping around a sweet peanut filling that complemented a generous portion of tender and juicy savoury meat. Along with the preserved vegetables and coriander, the burger had a complex mix of flavours that had us wanting more. We understand that coriander may not be everyone’s thing so here’s a gentle reminder to all coriander haters to tell the staff to exclude it from your burger beforehand :)!

Us being us, we were tempted by the small kitchen counter at the entrance where the soups were being prepared. With that, we got another order of the Four Herbs Soup consisting of barley, Chinese yam, lotus, and poria. The homemade savoury soup had pig intestines in it and was a comforting dish for the morning. Furthermore, it is also said to improve your digestive system and spleen - breakfast for champions indeed!

Our verdict is a definite yes - the Gua Bao and soups were all delicious foods that you probably wouldn’t want to miss. However, it might be better to leave it for lunch or dinner given that the Gua Bao was extremely filling and might be a bit too oily or heavy for breakfast.

Tip: The famous Brown Sugar Milk creator, Chen San Ding, is just right opposite the store so you might want to leave some stomach space to try the delicious drinks there!

Address: No. 3號, Alley 8, Lane 316, Section 3, Luosifu Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100 台北市中正区罗斯福路三段316巷8弄3号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-23682060

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am - 12am; Closed on Monday

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 110 (approximately SGD5)

10. taro friend dessert store，老友号(jiu fen)

If you’ve ever been to Jiu Fen in daytime, you will definitely know how crowded and hot the narrow streets will be. The entire place was so chaotic, you can only imagine our relief when we finally found a seat in the al fresco seating area at the back of the store, overlooking the quiet greenery and colourful architecture in the small town.

Here, we had the refreshing sweet potato and taro ball iced dessert. The taro balls and sweet potato balls were chewy, and the ice definitely helped us cool off from the humid summer.

We also tried out the ice cream rolls in thin Chinese crepe (also known as popiah) but the taste was slightly odd as it came with coriander that didn’t blend well with the sweet ground peanuts and ice cream.

The food here was pretty average in our opinion, but we did enjoy having the snacks and the view. Rather than coming back for the food, this would probably be a one-time stop for a quiet break from the chaotic Jiu Fen streets out there.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/taro.friend/

Address: No. 4-4, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 新北市瑞芳區基山街4-4號 (Google Maps location here; Note: Other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-24972600

Opening hours: Daily, 8am - 7pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 45 (approximately SGD2)

11. Ay-chung rice noodles，阿宗面线(taipei)

Hailed as one of the best street eats in Taipei, we went down to Ay-Chung Rice Noodles with high hopes. Indeed, they didn’t disappoint us.

When we reached, we already saw a small queue lining up for the noodles despite it being a hot afternoon. Fortunately, the queue moved really fast and it took us less than 10 minutes to get our bowl of rice noodles.

Interestingly, while oysters are typically used in Taiwanese rice noodles, Ay-Chung used pig intestines for theirs, which were pretty good and didn’t have the usual gamey smell.

After receiving your order, you could add your own chilli, vinegar, and/or garlic mix into your bowl to further play around with the taste of your rice noodles. We loved the chilli here though it might be a little bit spicy for some - we strongly advise you to do a mini taste test before adding a huge dollop to your bowl!

The stall didn’t have a seating area so we had to eat while standing, but that didn’t affect us at all. If anything, it proved that the noodles were really good as all of us were too engrossed in eating to be bothered by the noisy environment around us.

This was one of the best foods we had in Taiwan though some queueing is likely to be involved. Regardless, we say go for it!

Address: No. 8-1號, Emei St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108 台北市万华区峨眉街8-1号 (Google Maps location here; Note: Other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-2388 8808

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 9am - 10.30pm; Friday to Sunday, 9am - 11pm

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 55 (approximately SGD3)

12. Fu De cold noodles，福德凉面(taipei)

On another one of our foodie adventures, we decided to squeeze in another meal at 12am. I’m proud to say that we’ve conquered the limits of our bellies with an eat-worthy Cold Noodle dish.

Amongst our many cab drivers, this Cold Noodle store was unanimously one of the best supper places around our hotel. Even at 12am, there was a queue outside the tiny store with full tables. It was pretty surprising to see a crowd at that hour, and we were even more taken aback when the person in front of us casually ordered 36 packets of Cold Noodles to go.

Essentially, the Cold Noodles are noodles drenched in a thick sesame sauce. A nice sweet twist to our usual savoury noodles, the noodles were springy and tasted really good even though they were cold.

We spotted the wasabi and chilli on the table so we added them to our noodles, just like the locals did. While the addition of the wasabi didn’t really have an effect on the original taste of the noodles, the chilli was fantastic and definitely opened up our tastebuds to an interesting mouthful of hot and cold textures.

Having a supper snack would probably be in your Taiwan activity checklist with all the eateries here operating to the wee hours of the day. If so, the Cold Noodles here should be a satisfying little snack though it might have a one-dimensional sweet taste that you might get tired of after some time. At this point, we recommend you bring in the chilli to help you spice things up a little!

Address: No. 76, Xing'an Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 台北市兴安街352号 (Google Maps location here; Note: Other outlets available)

Contact number: +886 2-25038553

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 24/7; Closed on Sunday

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 40 (approximately SGD2)

Special mentions:

1.Chen San Ding，陈三鼎 (Taipei)

Boba time! After breakfast at Lan Jia Gua Bao, we went straight to Chen San Ding located right opposite the store for some original brown sugar milk. As you might know by now, Chen San Ding is the creator of the well-loved Brown Sugar Milk drink in Taiwan (thank you, Chen San Ding!).

Here, Brown Sugar Milk drinks also go by the moniker, the “frog egg drink” (青蛙撞奶). Sounds a little quirky, yes, but the nickname also aptly describes the aesthetically pleasing gradient within the drink when the drizzled brown sugar meets the fresh milk.

There was a small queue right from the get go despite it being the early morning, which goes to show how popular the stall is. Luckily, the staff were really quick on their hands and dished out cup after cup within a few short minutes.

We did try a few bubble tea stores in Taiwan, but Chen San Ding’s rendition of the brown sugar milk with pearls had an exceptional fragrance embodied in every sip. The sweetness was just right, with a nice balance between the milk and brown sugar syrup, possibly because they used fresh milk for the drink.

Website: http://www.chensanding.cn/

Address: No. 2號, Alley 8, Lane 316, Section 3, Luosifu Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100台北市中正区罗斯福路三段316巷8弄2号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 2-2367 7781

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am - 9.30pm; Closed on Monday

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 40 (approximately SGD2)

2. Tan-a Cafe，天ㄟ咖啡 (Yi Lan)

Located by the peaceful Plum Blossom Lake, this little cafe caught our eye with their cute interior and quiet ambience.

The place was decorated by the owner’s friend, an artist who went by the nickname Tan-a (天ㄟ), in which the owner decided to name the cafe after. This also explains the tasteful decorations like the rustic wood flooring and cosy bookshelves within the place.

Since we were just stopping by for a quick refresher before we leave Yi Lan, we simply ordered a few drinks from the cafe. The fruit smoothies that we ordered were obviously made fresh, and tasted even better given how we were sweaty and tired from playing in the park. However, the real highlight here was the Warm Brown Sugar Milk here that had hints of maple syrup and a sweet fragrance that made the entire cup an absolute delight!

Drinks aside, if you’re planning to have a stay in Yi Lan for a night or two, you might want to book a room with Tan-a caravan hotel located right beside the cafe, where you can enjoy glamping in the park!

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Cafe/%E5%A4%A9%E3%84%9F%E5%92%96%E5%95%A1-297302386986088/

Address: No. 26, Lane 75, Dapier Road, Dongshan Township, Yilan County, Taiwan 269 宜蘭县冬山乡大埤二路75巷26号 (Google Maps location here)

Contact number: +886 3-9615605

Opening hours: Daily, 9.30am - 6.30pm (snacks and beverages) and 4.30pm - 6pm (mains)

Average cost per pax: Approximately TWD 170 (approximately SGD8)

3. Carbon Barbecue，老士林萧记炭烤王 (Taipei, Shi Lin Night Market)

This was one of the most unexpected snacks of our night at Shi Lin Night Market. Before we dive into the details: let’s just set it straight and say that you definitely would not want to queue for this.

We spotted this little roadside stall earlier and wanted to try it given that there was a long queue for it that piqued our interest. Stationed at the entrance of the food section from the junction, the crowd was so overwhelming that we didn’t even get a proper look at the barbecued meat.

After trying it out, we decided to feature this as part of a public service advisory to all foodies out there eating their way through the night market. To briefly introduce this snack, it is basically a pork roll wrapping around leek.

Before you toss the entire snack into your mouth, don’t forget to remove the small toothpick holding the entire wrap in place (the toothpick was so small, we almost missed it)!

While we thought that the charcoal grill would add a nice smokey flavour to the meat, it turned out to be overly charred. Furthermore, the roll was simply too big for a single bite - we actually spent a good 5 minutes chewing to swallow down the entire thing!