Off the menu
From under-the-radar night markets to French pâtisseries, there’s a place in Taipei for every kind of foodie. Vanessa Huang reveals her favourite haunts.
They say that Taipei, with its clusters of night bazaars and endless street food options, is one of the world’s most foodobsessed cities. I couldn’t agree more. As chef-owner of fiveyear-old French restaurant, Ephernite, I can see how the food scene in Taipei has shifted. More fine dining restaurants have popped up and 2018 was the inaugural year for Michelin Guide Taipei. With the city offering the best of both worlds, it’s only a matter of time before Taipei becomes a must-do of every jet-setting foodie.
Hidden eats that hit the spot
While tourists flock to big chain restaurants such as Din Tai Fung for their fix of xiao long bao, Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao is a hit with the locals. Order its signature pork or shrimp xiao long bao followed by red bean pancake for dessert. Located next to the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the dumpling restaurant gets busy at around 6pm, so set off early to beat the crowds.
My favourite French patisserie has got to be Quelques Pâtisseries. Their chocolate tart is a silky smooth chocolate dulcey was infused with tieguanyin, a premium variety of Chinese oolong tea adding some rich and earthy flavors with complex overtones to the tart. Their Paris-brest, in my opinon is the perfect hazelnut praline. Not far away, Wunique Pâtisserie serves the best croissant in town, I reckon it is on par to the ones I had in Paris.
If you are a huge fan of seafood, head over to Xianjin Haichan, a humble seafood joint in Taipei’s Songshan district. I usually order a lot of seafood from their daily selection; it’s fresh, affordable, and can be prepared in any way you like. The steamed fish is particularly good, as they use a housemade seasoning and add some Chinese wine into the soy sauce. Tip: after you are done, ask the server to cook a scrambled egg with the leftover sauce. Trust me, you are in for a treat. Xiaozhang’s Seafood in Zhongshan is also another spot to hit; the seafood is as fresh as it gets.
No visit to Taipei is complete without a tour of its famous night markets. Avoid the touristy ones and head to Tonghua Night Market instead, where everything is conveniently located – there’s something for everyone. Linjiang Street Night Market is also another popular night market to visit. Try the marinated chicken at Honghua Yanshui Ji and seek out Ice Wonderland for traditional Taiwanese desserts like aiyu, a natural gelatin served with lemon over ice.
Fine food city
Tucked inside a side alley next to Okura Prestige Taipei Hotel, Mountain and Sea House showcases a vintage Taiwan on exterior, with a charming terrace as if you’re entering a private home but stepping back thirty years in time. Every dish is made from fresh and organic ingredients. Despite the pricier menu, you won’t regret it after devouring in fried spare ribs, five-topping tofu, and four treasures soup with salted duck egg.
With only 12 seats and a reservation list of about four to six months-long, Sushi Amamoto is the hardest sushi-yato to book in Taipei. Using freshly imported ingredients from Kyushi and Tokyo, and sushi rice cooked in natural spring water from Nagano, this two Michelin-starred restaurant comes highly recommend for their omakase.
For French cuisine, Villa Ollila and (of course) Restaurant Ephernité comes highly recommended. The former is a private dining spot that serves up lip-smacking classic French cuisine. And the latter is where I work at. At Restaurant Ephernité, our ingredients are sourced locally and combined with a French tour. Think the Cherry Chicken Liver, it is our rendition of the foie gras – it is impossible to import foie gras to Taiwan due to its price and demand. We use chicken liver and shaped it in a cherry for a beautiful rendition of the classic French dish.
Time to stop munching
Apart from F&B spots, I love to hang out at two places. I studied film making and art in university, so film will always have a special place in my heart. The former U.S. ambassador’s house in Taiwan has been restored and transformed into an independent movie theater and charming cafe. Renowned movie director Hou Hsiao-hsien led the project to restore the house and turn it into a reference point for theatre lovers. It is the perfect place to watch a foreign film.
Located across Taipei Fish Market is Bin Jiang Market, which is home to many fruits and vegetables stores. And it is also a place to chefs-watch as many of them, including me, will head down to source for their ingredients. Another must-visit spot is the Comfortable Body Health Concept Hall, a massage haven for the aching feet. The masseurs are folks with plenty of experiences. The best bit? They are open till 2am.