Taiwan Food Adventures

Planning travel adventures around an entirely food based itinerary was definitely something new. With lunch and dinner places locked in for the next 6 days, our taste buds and more so our waistlines were in for a treat!

Being my first trip to Taiwan, we arrived at the airport and cruised down the highway at over 150km/hr watching the buildings fly by.  The cityscape reminded me a bit of Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong rolled into one.

First stop was breakfast at a hawker store around the corner from home. Your choice of hot or cold soybean soup – usually consumed with a big piece of chinese donut (not pictured here)

Egg and spring onion omelette rolled into roti type pastry with chilli sauce and mouth watering radish cake (note to self: must eat radish cake for breakfast again)

The view from the Hawker Store

The line for beef noodle soup

Your choice of side dishes to complement your beed noodle soup – beancurd, veggies and more tofu

The very famous beef noodle soup – it didn’t disappoint!

Taipei 101

Where bubble tea originated from – the pearls are smaller than Melbourne so I had to make a conscious effort not to inhale too many in one go!

Asian delicacy of Bird’s Nest Soup – like a lot of Asian delicacies, it’s apparently very good for your health – ask the elders!

Traditional Taiwanese style restaurant dinner

The sights at Yeh Liu Geo Park, which rather reminds me of Victoria’s 12 Apostles – yes it was raining so I wore the coolest yellow poncho

The side dishes at one of my favourite food places

I actually preferred the beef noodle soup at this place because the texture of the noodles was more to my liking

One of the most epic meals of the trip – it’s a delicious dumpling pastry filled with soup and a  beef and chive patty aka Xian Bing – it’s better than good!

My other most epic meal of the trip was in West Side District, also known as the trendy area where the ‘cool’ people hang out. There, I found lots of spice and many things nice.

The West Side District

The ultimate backpack

Peanut Mochi and Red Bean Soup with rice balls

The original and ever so glorious Din Tai Fung

Pork Dumpling with Soup aka Xiao Long Bao

Sweet Corn Soup with a fancy buttery pastry

 Beef Curry with rice, pickled veggies, some fried dessicated coconut and pork floss

Super fancy teppanyaki

Anyone fancy a giant prawn?

Red bean pancake

Decay on the way to Shi Fen Waterfall

For those who have watched Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, this Oriental Tea House in Jiu Fen is very Spirited Away-esk

The tea pouring ceremony by the one and only tea master (my bestie’s father!)

Thanks to my bestie and her family for their generous hospitality and showing us the best of what Taiwan has to offer.

I’ll be back with my better half and bub in tow.