It had been a short, but very exciting 3-day stay in Taipei. I was so inspired by their local food and and there are many dishes I want to try making (with donabe!) once I return to LA.
We made a few more stops in Taipei before heading to the airport.
Nanmen Market (南門市場) was so interesting. It showcases what Taiwanese food is all about. Although the space is not too huge, the market is quite organized and clean.
WangTea (有記名茶) is a traditional Taiwanese tea shop, which has been in business since 1890. We did a tasting of different teas there. They were all top-notch quality. We took home many kinds.
十字軒(I don't know the English pronunciation) is another historical place. They've been making sweet dumplings and cakes for 80 years. We bought a various things including their famous peach-shape sweet bun with the bean paste filling. It was really nice. Near 十字軒 in the market district, we also stopped by at 永久號 (I also don't know the English pronunciation) which is famous for the cured mullet roe (Taiwanese bottarga!). That's the only thing they sell since they established in 1915 and the quality is considered to be among the best you can find in Taiwan. Their mullet roe is all from wild-caught fish, unlike many cheaper kinds, you can find in all over Taipei, which are farmed.
Our hotel finally completed the giant Christmas tree just in time! They were also doing a culinary event with chefs from different countries. I wish I had enough time to participate. We checked out the hotel in the late afternoon to go to the airport. We took an evening flight back to Tokyo.
I love Taiwan. I want to come back soon!
