Night Markets in Taipei

Ximending (西門町) is the ideal spot in Taipei where visitors to Taiwan search for a slice of Taiwanese street food in a lively and fun atmosphere.  There are many young people from all over the world to mill around the place.  The pioneer generation Singaporeans are easily spotted .....

Have you been inspired to embark on your own food voyage to Taiwan soon?

I love the vibe here.  Its really packed on the weekends especially at night.  There were groups of friends and family at the night market exploring and indulging on new, interesting amazing food not found else at our home countries.

If I were to be a foodie adventurer to blog about food, this would be a lousy one :)

Personally, the wide variety of food in the rows and rows of fanciful food could only offer me the sights and smells but not the tastes.  As an oldie with health-consciousness with reminders and advices from the doctors in the mind,  my body tells me differently to swallow everything into the mouth.

Without tasting the food I watched and smelt the food in the stalls was like "window shopping" without using the items I liked to buy and use from the shops.

Nonetheless, the walkabout in the night markets brought fond Taiwan memories to share on this blog with photos posted here.

Walkabout in the Night Markets

The "food street" started business at 6:00 pm daily

The steamed "taro" (yam)

"Blood Rice" with pigs' blood ...

Cuttlefish Galore

Water Caltrops

 

Dinner at Korean BBQ in Ximen

The main course was the "steamboat" with the favorite flavor of the soup for the individual preference for a little spicy, medium spicy or very spicy.  Whatever we personally like to add into the pot with meat, fish, prawns and many types of vegetables to go with steamed rice.

The common "Sushi-Go-Round or Revolving Sushi" conveyor belt with a stream of plates winding through the restaurant.  It included fruits, desserts, cakes, bread and other food at the customers' choices to pick.  This is more popular in the Japanese sushi restaurants which I have seen in Singapore.

Ah Chong Mee Sua

Another "mee sua with pig small intestines" dinner at Ximending.  The food is available only in cardboard container for the customers to take-away.

 Ting Ma Ma Braised Pig Trotters

燒肉粽

 The "bah chang" vendor on bicycle at Ximen

The "bah chang" stalls at Ximending

Hokkien video by Teresa Teng on YouTube

Tamshui Old Street

The "Old Street" in Tamshui, Taiwan is over a century old although some of the shops and buildings may only be a few years old.

On February 26, 2016 early morning, there was a light drizzle and the old street was not crowded.  I soaked in a relaxed stroll to capture the memorable photos and atmosphere.  It was my first visit to this tourist attraction in Taiwan.

A Taiwanese mother protected her child with umbrella and warm clothing to keep away from the rain.

The first souvenir shop near the old street entrance and I brought the young friendly salesgirl some business to buy some souvenirs home.  The shops usually opened at 11:00 am and I helped her to push some of the display racks (not heavy ones) to the front of the shop.  She was very appreciative of a friendly Singaporean customer while we chat in Mandarin.

The President of Taiwan on a trip to the Old Street several years ago.

Ah Gei 阿給 is probably the most famous dish in Tamsui and very typical for the town.  Its fried tofu stuff with glass noodles in a spicy sauce and slurp down the unforgettable taste and flavor.

金山老街，懷念的步伐 遠離喧鬧的城市。一邊吃著台灣的傳統小吃，一邊體會難得的午後悠閒道地的台灣味，真實呈現在大家心中。

The Old Street in the 1900s.

Wet Markets at Tamsui Old Street

The elderly market hawker at the Old Street for decades.

A young cheerful stall-owner of black and red dates at the market.