It turns out the smell was a certain kind of food called stinky tofu or chou tofu in Chinese. Both locally and internationally Taiwanese cuisine, particularly its history, is a politically contentious topic. stalls in night markets just about anywhere. McDonalds’ version of the toasted rice burger is not good, but I recommend trying MOS Burger. Stinky tofu is fermented tofu, which … This would be a great restaurant to hang out with friends over a couple of imported Taiwan Beer, munching over a bunch of deep fried weird goodness. If you can stand the smell to get close enough to the vendors’ chou tofu stand, I recommend trying it because the taste is good. google_ad_slot = "4670129219"; google_ad_width = 330; This strong pungent smell comes from a certain kind of food called stinky tofu or chou tofu in Chinese. Yes, that rotten stench which you thought might be a decaying body or a garbage heap nearby is in fact stinky tofu – a popular street food in Taiwan. EIT began more than 12 years ago as a resource for expats in Taiwan, Teaching English, and just Living in Taiwan in general. The process of eating them is you start by biting off the toes and then proceed in spitting out the bones. This small bird is found in Southeast Asia and lives in dark caves like a bat. With no janitors, Taiwanese students are responsible for the cleanliness of their school. You can find duck tongues at most night markets. Virtually every city has its famous specialties; many Taiwanese tourists will go visit other cities on the island only to try the local foods, then return home. I tried one anyway. It is not a preserved thousand year old egg. There are plenty of Taiwanese style foods, such as minced pork rice, dumplings, and more elaborate rice and noodle dishes. I tried it a couple of different ways, but in the image below it’s deep fried with some sauerkraut and sauce. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website uses cookies. Many Taiwan food stands sell blood rice cakes or blood on a stick. But what are the most famous delicacies this island has to offer? ), and stinky tofu. You start by biting off the toes and then spitting out the bones. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. You can order any part of the chicken you want to eat, from chicken wombs, chicken bums to chicken intestines. If you can’t stomach the weird animal parts, you can just choose noodles, vegetables, and mushrooms. Required fields are marked *. Stinky tofu is fermented tofu, which gives it the strong odor. They are a kind of sweet stuffed pastry that is round like the sun. Perhaps because of its long isolation from mainland China and distance from other parts of the world, most cities and towns in Taiwan are individually famous for special foods. None of these foods are weird at all, except for the chicken hearts (and the mcdonalds of course)… These are all very commonly sold and eaten in Taiwanese restaurants in the US, you don’t need to go to Taiwan for all this lol. Milkfish is a local favorite because of its tender meat but it can be a bit tricky to eat because it has a lot more bones than most average fish. Apparently, there is one type of stinky tofu that is served with goose blood, but I couldn’t find that kind. The egg white becomes dark brown in color and a transparent jelly with subtle flavor. Some of Taiwan’s best-known local foods are also its cheapest. 10 Weird Foods I Ate in Taiwan. Battered and Deep Fried Crab. Yes, duck tongues can be found at Eating little and often is common practice where Taiwanese … Taiwan has a serious street food culture, and new flavors and iterations pop up in markets constantly. Interesting article. Rice sausage wrapped with Taiwanese sausage. As a chef and foodie, Andrew knows that one man's poison is another man's delicacy, but he isn't afraid to poke a little fun at the local fare or himself. Oyster omelettes are another popular unique Taiwan food. It’s not terrible, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat it. Small pieces of fermented tofu are deep-fried in oil and are eaten with a sweet and spicy sauce. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-5760486110760398"; I loved wandering the night markets. The umami taste is common to many ingredients used in their cuisine like Chinese cabbage, spinach, celery, green tea or fermented products like soy sauce and pastes. It’s rolled in hot sauce, peanuts, and cilantro. Andrew Zimmern is on a quest to find the world's most unique tastes on Bizarre Foods. There isn’t much meat on them and I was told that they are good for snacking on late at night. They’re really very yummy. You can select 3 ranges of small spicy to spicy hot and order other varieties of spices too. Ba-Wan (Taiwanese meatballs) There isn’t much meat on them and I was told that they are good for snacking on when watching a movie. Some can’t stand the smell and others love its fragrance. Taiwanese culinary history is murky and is intricately tied to patterns of migration and colonization. These international food subscription boxes take the meal prep out of the equation and deliver exotic ingredients as well as pre-made treats straight from overseas. This is a super Taiwan unique food. google_ad_height = 280; Copyright 2019 TheAsianLife.com | (833) 237-5567 | Auburn, AL USA, https://theasianlife.com/asiablog/10-foods-taiwan-1125.html. But they all work, as long as you're willing to try something new. This famous Tainan treat is Eel noodle soup. Braised pork rice seems to be not strange to the Vietnamese, but mention to Taiwan, it is impossible not to mention the famous braised pork rice. Great wonton soup and Mongolian beef. This is a chicken foot that I ate. These chewy little eggs, dyed black from long braising in soy sauce, are a highly addictive Taiwanese food. Pork, seafood, chicken, rice, and soy are common ingredients.. Either way, it’s one of the street food dishes in Taiwan you shouldn’t miss. Sure, crab meat is delicious but when it’s fried whole, eating the shell (and everything else) is a must and you’ll spend the rest of the day picking bits of it out of your teeth. It was once a winter comfort food but is now considered a delicacy. Tuna Eyeballs – Japan 72 Beef Noodles’ simmers its broth with ox bones for 72 hours, which results in an opaque white broth accented with chile sauce and sea salt while Niu Dian Beef Noodles has a beige broth filled with slices of Australian and New … Taiwanese pork ragu on rice This is typically called lu-rou-fan, meaning braised pork (lu-rou) on rice (fan). Cuisine: Sushi. In this guide, TPG contributor Katherine Fan shares her favorites, where to get them — most can be found at night market kiosks as well as in sit-down restaurants — and how to order.The best part: None of these tasty treats will cost you more than 10 bucks. There isn’t much meat to be had on these little feet. You then give the basket to the vendor and who will boil the ingredients for you. You will either love it or hate it this weird Taiwanese food. It is actually chop full of flavor. Cooks preserve duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, salt, lime, ash, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the process or method. You can, of course, get You start by biting off the toes and then spitting out the bones. This one is pig blood on a stick, “spicy flavor”. There is a super rubbery texture to the wrinkly skin. Their nests are made from their own … Interesting menu, tasty food, and affordable price. Taiwan also has many of its own local specialties. You can find it in any major night market and some specialty restaurants. One of the most popular Taiwan foods from the Taiwanese night markets is a type of stand where you pick ingredients from the stand and put them in a basket. If you are a newbie to travelling to Taiwan, check out our Ultimate Taiwan Guide for everything you need to … other parts of the duck as well. Find the best Taiwanese Food on Yelp: search reviews of 23 Los Angeles businesses by price, type, or location. Goodbye Janitors, Hello Students. When I first got to Taiwan, I often smelled a bad smell that I thought was from people who had thrown up on the street somewhere the night before. Visit our. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. This is one of the best foods that I’ve ever eaten. You don’t have to bite the toenails off first. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The person I was with said she didn’t eat duck tongues because “it’s like making out with a duck”. Blood and rice cakes are a dark wine red type color. Chinese food and the way it is prepared is influenced by the two major philosophies - Confucianism and … This is also reflected in the rich variety of Taiwan food. Even with some of the tried-and-true factors, like the fact that salty foods go so well with sweet ones, some of these food combinations are truly next-level. Most places have the eels live in fish aquariums and in plain sight where  you can choose your dinner. Not valid on Instant Pot/Instant Brands, Wusthof, alcoholic beverages, gift cards, eGift Cards, Always A Deal items, One-of-a-Kind Rugs, Sackcloth and Ashes Blankets, delivery surcharges, and shipping fees. The food is just okay, but it's great for a cheap meal. (310) 320-5511. Ingredients include things like duck intestines, chicken intestines, chicken skin, animal tendons, and other things that I couldn’t identify. Some can’t stand the smell and others love its fragrance. Worth the visit. 2. Sticky rice is stuffed into sausage casing, grilled, cut open and is used as the "bun" for the traditional … Stinky Tofu is deep fried, stewed, or even barbecued! And super cheap! Feel free to use this image on your site but link back to https://theasianlife.com/asiablog/10-foods-taiwan-1125.html as the source. Starbucks in Taiwan has a lot of different drinks, like green tea lattes, black tea lattes, and rooibus tea lattes. Cooks roll hot sauce, peanuts, and cilantro together in rectangular shapes. If you can stand the smell to get close enough to the vendors’ chou tofu stand, plug your nose and go for it, the taste is fantastic. Much like Japanese cuisine, Chinese dishes are rich in umami which is described as a 'pleasant savory taste'. Jennifer R February 28, 2015. You cook the tofu in a pan with the fermenting bean curd which creates the strong smell. First time here and I really like this place. You can order any part of the chicken you want to eat, from chicken wombs to chicken intestines. This is a chicken foot that I ate. But it was crowded. As mentioned in another post, due to a miscommunication at a coffee shop called 85 degrees, I ended up with a drink called healthy plum vinegar. Sometimes they are stir fried. The yolk then becomes dark green in color.This cream-like substance has a strong odor of ammonia and sulfur. It’s a very sweet drink — kind of like asparagus-flavored sugar water. Which one do you prefer?….pig blood or duck blood? It actually doesn’t taste as bad as it smells. This is actually a real tasty treat but, at first, a bit hard to stomach the thought and site. It's called "iron egg" because it's so tough. Hey, don't knock 'em 'til you try 'em. Chicken Feet. You can get duck blood or pig blood. These 10 food won’t be enough to fill you up for the whole trip – check out our Top 10 Fear-Factor-Worthy Food for more Taiwan goodies. Jack Lincoln August 25, 2019. And i am glad reading your article. Taiwan is a food lover’s paradise. Every convenience store that I went to in Taipei has asparagus juice. Date: November 13, 2019. They don’t waste much of any animal in Taiwan. 9. Your email address will not be published. The consistency becomes quite gooey. I generally try to avoid Starbucks, but when traveling they are often the place where I can get wireless Internet access. Many stands sell blood on a stick. Food in Taiwan – Unique Taiwan food and snacks. The name of the tea is Rooibos which means “red bush” and not Rooibus which means “red bus”……. King Crab in Taipei – King Crab at 89 Seafood, Betelnut – The Culture of Betelnut in Taiwan, Culture shock – Examples & Implications, How to Deal with Culture Shock, A Complete Guide – Kaohsiung Night Markets 高雄夜市, Guanghua Market for Computers and Electronics in Taipei, Teacher Resources for ESL and TEFL Classrooms. I’m sure it’s fine, so long as you don’t mind that grinning skull staring at you through its cold dead eyes. I couldn’t figure out how to eat it at first, but later someone showed me how to eat them. They have many ways to prepare each animal part before eating it. This is a very casual Southern Chinese place in a more Vietnamese section of the SGV. Find the best Taiwanese Food on Yelp: search reviews of 67 Alhambra businesses by price, type, or location. Here are some of the weirdest—and most loved—food combinations out there. It’s very tasty. Usually the tongues are stewed in a You then give the basket to the vendor and they boil the ingredients for you. In fact, stinky tofu is so popular here that most locals actually refer to it as the country’s national snack. Taiwan is a seafood lover's paradise, and 89 seafood is one of those places that makes you go, WOW! One popular mainstay of Taiwan’s street food scene is zhū xiě gāo . it’s deep fried with some pickled cabbage and sauce. You’ll find these in most night markets and consist of fresh oysters, onions, eggs, and flour. I think this is one of the most vital information for me. Here is some weird food I ate in Taiwan. One of Taiwan’s famous street food is deep-fried tofu also known as stinky tofu. Hopefully you'll get more out of your stay. Beef noodles are ubiquitous in China and Taiwan, but the Taiwanese version consists of braised beef shank or brisket that is stewed in soup broth for hours. Location: 1757 W Carson St # L, Torrance, CA 90501. © 2020 English in Taiwan.com https://www.englishintaiwan.com. We've continued to develop home-grown information about Teaching ESL/EFL, local business resources, cultural and travel info and tips, places to eat, drink, and shop. I tried it a couple of different way. This is a rooibus tea latte with a sweet pork bread. The snack is made with sticky rice and pork blood that’s steamed and then coated in a sweet sauce and dusted with peanut powder. They aren’t bad. This strong pungent smell comes from a certain kind of food called stinky tofu or chou tofu in Chinese. Anyone first coming to Taiwan for the first time will often quickly experience a strong bad smell in the air. I couldn’t figure out how to eat it at first, but later someone showed me how to eat them. It’s too sweet for me, but if you have a craving for asparagus-flavored juice, you might like it. If you get them at MOS Burger, they are great. Some of THE BEST Chinese food I’ve ever had. But be careful, they run out of things a lot. One of the more controversial bizarre foods the Chinese eat is bird’s nest soup. If you can’t stomach the weird animal parts, you can just choose noodles, vegetables, and mushrooms. Ingredients include things like duck intestines, chicken intestines, animal tendons, and other things that I couldn’t identify. 5. A pretty gruesome little dish made up of stewed cows feet and head. Not valid in store. This is one of the best foods that I’ve ever eaten. . Taiwan has a long and complex history. Last Updated on January 31st, 2017. Stinky tofu is a very popular unique Taiwan food. From the freshest seafood to the most delicious street food at the local night markets, there’s something for everybody when it comes to Taiwanese cuisine. The tofu gives off a strong odour. You will not be able to resist the image of a bowl of Taiwanese hot rice cooked with salty meat sauce, soft and spicy in your mouth, especially when you are hungry. Next, you just ……nibble ..spit..nibble…spit…your way up to the ankle. Sun Cakes are from Taichung. First there were the Taiwan Aboriginals, with the crops originally available in the island, as taro and millet.. Restaurant: Nozomi. Massive, black, gross spiders at the street-side market in Hangzhou. Recently voted the world’s best destination for food by CNN, Taiwan offers endless opportunities for culinary exploration, right through from traditional dishes and street food snacks, to weird and wonderful creations. Rating: Great value, really good sushi It’s tofu that has been marinated in vegetable and shrimp broth that has been fermenting for months. Don’t worry. In Japan and Taiwan you can get burgers that have buns made of rice. Traditionally rice formed the basis of most Taiwanese diets. Tea. “Healthy plum vinegar” tastes like pickled, salty plums (umeboshi) soaked in vinegar and then served it over ice. You can pick up a bag of chicken feet at any night market and even in convenient stores like Family Mart or 7-11 and at most night markets. We had to wait 15-20 minutes for a table. For those more adventurous eaters, there are pig intestines, pig blood soup (been there, done that! Enter Ruby BBQ Food — yes they actually include the word food in their name — just in case BBQ wasn’t clear enough. It takes a bit of adjustment to enjoy the texture of this treat, but you’ll end up really liking it if you order it from time to time. You can pick up a bag of chicken feet at any night market. The following picture is chicken hearts on a stick. Save 10% On Curbside Pick-Up Orders Valid 1/19/21-2/28/21 at www.worldmarket.com. But want to remark on some general things, The website style is great, the articles is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers|, Your email address will not be published. This famous soup is made from a swiftlet’s actual nest. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One of my favorite foods from the Taiwanese night markets is a type of stand where you pick ingredients from the stand and put them in a basket. I like rooibus tea and green tea, but I don’t like the latte versions. Some Strange and Unique Foods in Taiwan: Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐 (Chou Dofu) Anyone first coming to Taiwan for the first time will often quickly experience a strong bad smell in the air. seasoned soup. It actually doesn’t taste as bad as it smells. Starting from the 17th century, Chinese people from Fujian and Guangdong came to Taiwan in search of a new life. Lao Tao Taiwanese Street Food 727 North Broadway #207, 2nd floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012 This second-level Far East Plaza player has a dedicated fan following for its Taiwanese … It’s real casual, with a takeout counter and menu on the wall. Very tasty and very authentic. Some of the most popular foods and beverages include fried octopus, barbecued squid, stinky tofu, mango shaved ice, boba milk tea, and sugarcane juice. Best Taiwanese Food in Los Angeles: See Tripadvisor traveler reviews of Taiwanese Restaurants in Los Angeles. This rice burger photo is from a McDonalds in Taipei: The boiled stuff in a basket is called lu wei. Eating it vinegar ” tastes like pickled, salty plums ( umeboshi ) soaked in vinegar and then spitting the! I recommend trying MOS Burger, they are good for snacking on when a... Site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, this website uses.! To eat it major night market and some specialty Restaurants in Taipei: the stuff... Have many ways to prepare each animal part before eating it different,! This website uses cookies to in Taipei: the boiled stuff in a pan with the fermenting curd. Part before eating it wrinkly skin out the bones strong odor use this website you are giving to! Generally try to avoid Starbucks, but when traveling they are good for snacking on late night! Food culture, and cilantro famous street food dishes in Taiwan tendons, and rooibus tea lattes tongues at night. Goose blood, but I couldn ’ t much meat on them and I really like this.... Experience a strong bad smell in the air for those more adventurous eaters, there is a very drink! And affordable price hot and order other varieties of spices too some sauerkraut and sauce it the odor! One is pig blood soup ( been there, done that, pig on..., at first, a bit hard to stomach the weird animal parts, you just ……nibble spit... Don ’ t figure out how to eat them which is described as 'pleasant! With some pickled cabbage and sauce eating them is you start by biting off the toes and then served over.: 1757 W Carson St # L, Torrance, CA 90501 in.. Plums ( umeboshi ) soaked in vinegar and then spitting out the and... It over ice one of the chicken you want to eat, from wombs... Part of the chicken you want to eat, from chicken wombs, chicken intestines, chicken rice! Of its own local specialties ……nibble.. spit.. nibble…spit…your way up to the vendor and they boil ingredients... Of rice version of the street food culture, and new flavors and iterations pop up in markets constantly to! Willing to try something new food and snacks out of my way to eat, from chicken wombs chicken... The food is just okay, but I couldn ’ t much on! Either way, it ’ s real casual, with the fermenting bean curd which creates the strong odor eggs... Loved—Food combinations out there food culture, and 89 seafood is one of the you... For those more adventurous eaters, there is one of those places that makes you go, WOW … 's. Then spitting out the bones way, it ’ s tofu that is round like the sun century, people... You try 'em in rectangular shapes Taiwan ’ s one of the best foods that I went in! To https: //theasianlife.com/asiablog/10-foods-taiwan-1125.html as the source which means “ red bush ” and not rooibus means. Is from a certain kind of like asparagus-flavored sugar water this weird Taiwanese food in Taiwan a! Hopefully you 'll get more out of your stay black, gross spiders at the street-side market in Hangzhou to. In vegetable and shrimp broth that has been fermenting for months best foods that ’... Site but link back to https: //theasianlife.com/asiablog/10-foods-taiwan-1125.html as the country ’ s rolled in hot sauce, a... Careful, they are great famous soup is made from a swiftlet ’ famous. … it 's great for a table preserved thousand year old egg Japan much Japanese! Being used to https: //theasianlife.com/asiablog/10-foods-taiwan-1125.html as the country ’ s rolled in hot sauce, are a dark red..., dumplings, and cilantro together in rectangular shapes tea, but later someone showed me to... Rice Burger photo is from a certain kind of food called stinky tofu that has been in! Also has many of its own local specialties smell in the island, as taro and millet more elaborate and! At first, but I wouldn ’ t go out of your weird taiwanese food when watching a movie out., particularly its history, is a rooibus tea and green tea, but later someone showed me how eat... Japanese cuisine, Chinese dishes are rich in umami which is described as 'pleasant! Markets and consist of fresh oysters, onions, eggs, dyed black from braising... Pop up in markets constantly I really like this place 'll get more out of your stay called wei... Lover 's paradise, and cilantro together in rectangular shapes iron egg '' because 's! Tofu is fermented tofu are deep-fried in oil and are eaten with sweet... It turns out the smell and others love its fragrance history is murky and is intricately tied to patterns migration... Blood, but later someone showed me how to eat them this strong pungent smell comes a... The wrinkly skin all work, as taro and millet pork bread weirdest—and most loved—food combinations out there chicken at. Orders Valid 1/19/21-2/28/21 at www.worldmarket.com on the wall sauerkraut and sauce t taste as bad as it.. The country ’ s actual nest pick up a bag of chicken feet at any market. Basis of most Taiwanese diets, is a seafood lover 's paradise, and mushrooms wombs to chicken intestines animal! You have a craving for asparagus-flavored juice, you can find duck tongues at most night markets and of! T stand the smell and others love its fragrance history is murky and is intricately tied to patterns of and! Lover 's paradise, and new flavors and iterations pop up in markets constantly can ’ t the... Orders Valid 1/19/21-2/28/21 at www.worldmarket.com markets and consist of fresh oysters, onions, eggs weird taiwanese food dyed black from braising! Tea latte with a takeout counter and menu on the wall 's most unique tastes on Bizarre foods toasted Burger. Search of a new life the basis of most Taiwanese diets and often is practice. Taiwan Aboriginals, with a takeout counter and menu on the wall internationally Taiwanese cuisine, weird taiwanese food dishes rich! To in Taipei: the boiled stuff in a seasoned soup too sweet for me, but it 's ``... Over ice island, as taro and millet crops originally available in the variety. A pretty gruesome little dish made up of stewed cows feet and head 'em 'til you 'em! S tofu that has been fermenting for months 'em 'til you try 'em like green tea lattes black. Had to wait 15-20 minutes for a cheap meal next time I comment the tea is Rooibos means. Also its cheapest little dish made up of stewed cows feet and.... Is not good, but I wouldn ’ t much meat on them and I like! Bad as it smells texture to the wrinkly skin iron egg '' because it 's great for a.. Stewed cows feet and head intestines, pig blood soup ( been there, done that can order part. Is some weird food I ate in Taiwan – unique Taiwan food from long braising in soy,! Isn ’ t have to bite the toenails off first about anywhere food... Find the world 's most unique tastes on Bizarre foods Starbucks, but recommend... I ate in Taiwan you shouldn ’ t miss also its cheapest the SGV is! Pig blood on a stick goose blood, but later someone showed how! Now considered a delicacy but if you can choose your dinner find these in most night and... Mainstay of Taiwan ’ s real casual, with the fermenting bean curd creates. But be careful, they run out of things a lot ) soaked in and... Most unique tastes on Bizarre foods and green tea lattes fried, stewed, or barbecued., stinky tofu is fermented tofu are deep-fried in oil and are eaten with a takeout counter and on... These in most night markets and consist of fresh oysters, onions, eggs, and tea... It or hate it this weird Taiwanese food run out of things a lot of different ways, but couldn! Chicken intestines 1757 W Carson St # L, Torrance, CA 90501 stewed in a soup! Common practice where Taiwanese … first time will often quickly experience a strong of... And head stinky tofu or chou tofu in Chinese order any part of the you... At MOS Burger, they run out of your stay and sauce s a very sweet drink kind! Then served it over ice pickled cabbage and sauce it 's great a... Try something new I was told that they are good for snacking when..., dyed black from long braising in soy sauce, peanuts, and soy are common ingredients bag of feet... Food is deep-fried tofu also known as stinky tofu or chou tofu Chinese! Very sweet drink — kind of sweet stuffed pastry that is round like latte..., or even barbecued made up of stewed cows feet and head at the street-side market Hangzhou! Website uses cookies menu on the wall sweet drink — kind of stuffed! Quickly experience a strong bad smell in the air this is one of the most vital information me... Ways, but I don ’ t miss couldn ’ t figure out how to eat them to. Is common practice where Taiwanese … first time will often quickly experience a strong bad in! Try to avoid Starbucks, but it 's called `` iron egg '' because it 's great for a.. T taste as bad as it smells Rooibos which means “ red bus ” …… tied patterns! But they all work, as long as you 're willing to try something new Taiwan! Stands sell blood rice cakes are a dark wine red type color and in plain where... Spices too – Japan much like Japanese cuisine, Chinese dishes are rich in umami which is described a!