All posts by yuning

Hey there! My name is Yuning. I’m a full-time adventure travel blogger & photographer who’s been exploring the world for over 6 years, with no plans to stop anytime soon. Welcome to my travel blog! This is where I share entertaining stories,amazing photography, and crazy adventures with you from my perpetual travels around the world.
China, Taipei, Travel

5 Days, 4 Nights, 22 Stores Big Adventure | Taste Taiwanese food for myself

Leave a comment

Here is my summary of Taiwan specialties, no matter which restaurant you eat, it is recommended to try:

Began to eat!

The following is my experience of eating, drinking, and fatting five pounds in 22 stores in five days. I decided to abandon the common star ratings and use the expressions to guide the foodies whether to eat.

Main Meal

Braised pork rice

Jin Feng braised pork rice

Business hours: 08: 00-01: 00

Address: No. 10, Section 1, Roosevelt Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: recommended to eat

Braised pork rice is basically the standard of Taiwanese cuisine, braised pork with sour radish and rice. Taiwan may actually have one thousand kinds of braised pork rice practice, Jin Feng as a trending internet celebrity shop, becomes my Taipei cuisine first stop. Jin Feng Braised pork rice particularly special is that it has a relatively long strip of minced meat, different from the general braised pork rice. Braised pork rice is divided into large, medium and small bowls, about 45 Taiwan dollars, the amount is not much but the taste is very good. It is observed that many locals also come here to eat. Jin Feng’s braised pork rice is a long strip of meat, so the taste of a single piece of meat covered with fat and thin is more complete, the saltiness of the marinade is more moderate, and the meat is soft and rotten. It feels like the standard braised pork rice in my mind, it is worth trying.

Three cups of chicken

Three cups of chicken is definitely my favorite after my first time eating Taiwanese food in the Mainland, and every time I go to a Taiwanese restaurant, I order the chicken dish. This time, the first thing I want to eat in Taipei is three cups of chicken, with a gourmet pilgrimage heart. when I write the guide before, I am surprised that I search for a restaurant in which the three cups of chicken is delicious and do not see the clues. I ask the locals which is the best three cups of chicken restaurant in Taipei, I can not be answered. Then the local people share with me that three cups of chicken belongs to the hot fried dishes, this dish is found everywhere, so it is not recognized.

Shin Yeh Main Restaurant

Business hours: 11:00-15:00 17:00-22:30

Address: No. 34-1, Shuangcheng Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: recommended to eat

Shin Yeh Main Restaurant should be the most expensive meal in Taipei. The popularity of Shin Yeh Main Restaurant is very high, if it is a weekend to eat, especially if there are a large number of diners, it is recommended to make an appointment online in advance (after five days, within two months). If you do not make an appointment in advance, you need on-site wait. Shin Yeh Main Restaurant’s three cups of chicken is more tender than the authentic three-cup chicken in my mind and lacks a bit of burnt aroma. Maybe in order to make it more tender, the chicken is larger. Shin Yeh Main Restaurant’s fried pork liver is also a specialty recommended by everyone. The taste of the salty-sweet liver is very special, and the liver is very tender. I feel that fried pork liver is also a good choice. The diced radish in the preserved egg we ordered taste very well, and the scorched aroma of the outer egg is also recommended.

Shin Yeh Main Restaurant really doesn’t pay much attention to dish arrangement, but Shin Yeh Main Restaurant does have it’s own reasons for pride. If you feel like eating an authentic Taiwanese meal, Shin Yeh Main Restaurant is a good choice. The disadvantage is that fewer people is not good to order dishes, and it is slightly more expensive. Shin Yeh Main Restaurant has many branches, and you can easily check the information of each store on the official website. In fact, you can simply register on their official website, which is very convenient. http://www.shinyeh.com.tw/ (Reservation is in “Customer Service Information”)

Beef Noodle

Because of the lack of time, I just eat Yongkang beef noodle during this trip to Taipei.

Popular Beef Noodle restaurant: Lin Dongfang beef noodle, Fuhong beef noodle, Yongkang beef noodle

Yongkang Beef Noodle

Business hours: 11:00-21:00

Address: No. 17, Lane 31, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

For beef noodles, our first choice is Lin Dongfang. Because we go out too late that day, we originally want to come to Yongkang Road to eat chicken leg rice, but it is closed, we are used to waiting in line for the meal in mainland, by now it’s the first time that we encounter standing in line waiting for food in Taipei. We can only line up at the door when the sun is at noon. After waiting for about thirty minutes, finally we share a table with a Korean couple to have a meal. The menu is also very simple, that is, spicy and non-spicy soup base, with beef or beef tendon (half tendon and half meat). My best female friend MIFFY as a the finicky eater choose beef noodles, I choose beef tendon noodles, we both need spicy soup base.

The beef noodles is being served on big porcelain bowls, the beef and beef tendon is stewed rotten, beef taste is delicious, the noodles is chewy, I feel a bit big oil, but the soup base is really the taste of MasterKong’s stewed beef noodles.

Sashimi

Addiction Aquatic Development

Business hours: 06:00-00:00

Address: No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Not recommended to eat

This store is really a recommendation for locals and travellers to punch in. It’s also a traffic inconvenience meal for me on this trip. Addiction Aquatic Development can be said to be a supermarket, which mainly sells all kinds of seafood, and also processes seafood for customers to eat. Although we are required to stand for dinner, but this store is packed during working days. The fresh seafood platter has a set menu of NT$1400 and NT$1200. We choose NT$1400 seafood set meal. The seafood set meal is very rich, I feel very cost-effective. I try to eat raw oysters for the first time. One is delicious, but the other is not clean. The lobster is good, the sea urchin is good, and a sliced ​​shellfish is also good. Others are very general. Objectively speaking, ordering a platter is worse than ordering a single item directly, because the portion is too big to eat so much. Because the traffic is not very convenient, if you want to eat more seafood at a low price, you can go to try, but it really tastes in general.

Barbecue

Takemura Izakaya

Business hours: 17:00-01:00

Address: No. 2, Alley 1, Lane 253, Songren Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

Takemura Izakaya really is Taipei travel place to punch in. It may be more Pro-Japanese. Taipei has a lot of Japanese food stores, and there are also many Japanese-style stores like Izakaya. As tourists who can’t drink much, we are still curious to punch a time clock. Izakaya mainly serves barbecue and alcoholic drinks. We order food from the recommend barbecue on the menu and then try the legendary Taiwanese beer. The taste of barbecue is not bad. Tamagoyaki is highly recommended. Taiwan beer does not have the legendary bitterness, but the malt taste is quite heavy. I feel good to relax here after a day of shopping. But the traffic is not convenient, so it’s optional.

Snacks

Rice noodles

Rice noodles soup under the banyan tree

Business hours: Weekdays 10: 30-15: 00 (Monday, Tuesday sabbatical) Weekends 08: 00-19: 00

Address: No. 96-1, Shifen Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Rice noodles is a characteristic food in southern Fujian. The noodles are as thin as hair and become transparent after being cooked, the soup is thick. I have eaten rice noodles before, but the rice noodles in this restaurant are soft in the mouth, solid ingredients, full of umami, good taste. In addition, we order the signature rice noodles soup.

Oyster omelet

Tiantianli Restaurant

Business hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-22:30

Address: No.1, Lane 32, HanZhong Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

Oyster omelet is very common in various roadside restaurants and night markets in Taiwan. Tiantianli is recommended by a mobile phone store owner when I buy a mobile phone card in Ximending. It is really a traditional small store. According to observations, 99 percent of the people who eat in there should be locals. The sweet potato starch on the fried oysters in this restaurant is very soft waxy, the egg and lettuce have a good taste, the taste of the sauce is also good, but the fishy smell of clams is a bit obvious.

Fried oyster is definitely a must-eat snack in Taiwan. Tiantianli’s fried oyster is around 60 out of 100. I hope you will go to Taiwan to find more and leave a message to share. I will taste it next time.

Pot stewed sauce food

Lu wei also known as a Taiwanese braised dish. You can choose what you want, and then your selections will be chopped and boiled in a savory broth. For example, braised pork rice is actually a kind of lu wei.

LauTianLu

Business hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-22:30

Address: No. 56, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

This old store in Ximending is also very famous. We buy a bag of chicken feet to eat on the road. It is also the salty flavor of braised pork rice, chicken feet don’t compete nearly as well other braised food. This store is also complained by the locals for being too expensive. I feel like it is not too bad, but it’s not so amazing, you can eat it or not.

MasterGuiLuWei

Business hours: Monday to Saturday 16:30-23:00, Closed on Sunday

Address: No. 50, Andong Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

This food stall is near our residence and the landlord warmly recommend it. Master Gui only sets up a food stall at night, the food stall is still very popular after ten o’clock in the evening, and everyone queue up with small bowls of vegetables. Master Gui’s Lu wei really has a reason to line up. Although the food looks brown and black, it is more flavorful than LaoTianlu’s Lu wei, and it also has a hint of sweetness and spicy. I highly recommend beans, rice noodles, fish tofu.

PS: The address and business hours of MasterGuiLuowei can be found on Google Maps. Haha, it seems to be quite famous. If you can’t find it, you can use Google to navigate.

Black pork

Pingxi Story Sausage

Business hours: Weekdays 10:00-17:00 Weekends 9:00-20:00

Address: No. 23, Pingxi Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

The mustard garlic Sausage is the most recommended. The round pork intestines are freshly roasted. After roasting, make a neatly arranged small opening on the intestine, insert thin slices of raw garlic, and drizzle with mustard. A bite of the meat intestines with some sliced garlic, the outside of the pork intestines is browned, the inside of the pork intestines is juicy and chewy, without the powdery taste of ordinary sausages, it is very solid.

PS: three sausages for one hundred Taiwan dollars, one sausage for thirty-five Taiwan dollars. The proprietress and the younger sister in the store are also very friendly and cute.

Soya bean milk and deep-fried dough sticks

Yong He Soy Milk King

Business hours: Monday to Saturday 05:00-23:00, Sunday 05:00-18:00

Address: No. 102, Section 2, Fuxing South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Not recommended to eat

We originally plan to eat in the famous Fuhang soy milk, but because we go out too late, we go to the dining area on the second floor of Fuhang soy milk and its window is closed. we are hungry and see the sign of Yonghe Soy Milk in the distance, so we decide to try it. Yonghe Soy Milk is a chain store in my impression, Taiwan is the birthplace of Yonghe Soy Milk. In the 1950s, a group of retired veterans from Chinese mainland had been forced to grind soy milk, bake sesame seed cake, and deep-fried dough sticks to earn a living. These veterans have superb craftsmanship. The soy milk produced is fresh, nutritious, fragrant and delicious, the sesame seed cake and deep-fried dough sticks made are golden in color, soft and crispy. Yonghe County is famous in Taiwan for its soy milk.

At that time, the young Chairman of Yonghe Soy Milk Lin Jianxiong grew up drinking soy milk and eating fried dough sticks from retired veterans in Yonghe County. Chairman Lin Jianxiong has deep feelings for these traditional Chinese delicacies and is determined to carry them forward.

Desserts and beverages

Tofu pudding

Xingchun three brothers and sisters tofu pudding

Business hours: 11:00-23:00

Address: No. 18, Lane 114, Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Pingxi Mountain Spring tofu pudding

Business hours: 08:00-18:00 Closed on Monday

Address: No. 20, Pingxi Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

The restaurant is near the small stone bridge in Pingxi. This tofu pudding has no obvious signs. When we go there, the aunts in the store are sitting leisurely, watching the Eternal Love TV series. The tofu pudding here has a heavier bean flavor. The tofu pudding is slightly looser. It is not as delicious as Xingchun three brothers and sisters tofu pudding. It is good to take a break and eat some mango sorbets when you’re tired from walking on the Pingxi line.

Pearl milk tea

Taiwan’s bubble tea really rekindled my love for bubble tea. The Q-bounce level of the pearls in each store is really satisfactory. Even though many brands have branches in the Mainland, the taste of pearls is not in the same level at all. I really can’t distinguish the high and low in milk tea category, Milk tea shops are everywhere, no need to specifically list addresses. If you encounter them, drink them. Let me list the three shops I have tried.

Taiwan’s milk tea is sweeter than those from Chinese mainland. I usually feel that full sugar is the most authentic taste. In Taipei, there is less sugar (seventy percent of the sugar). I feel that it is already very sweet. I feel that half sugar should be no problem. Everyone pays attention to adjustment when choosing. In addition, Hua-da milk tea has no choice of sweetness. Hua-da milk tea has a uniform taste. It is slightly sweet but the taste is good.

COMEBUY

Business hours: Weekdays 10:00-22:00 Weekends 10:00-21:00

Address: No. 242, Jinzhou Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

50lan

Business hours: 10:00-22:00

Address: No. 136, Hanzhong Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Hua-da milk tea

Business hours: 10:00-22:30

Address: No. 14, Gongyuan Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Fried chicken chops

Devil Chicken Chops

Business hours: Open at 17:00, and close at 24:00 from Sunday to Thursday, close at 01:30 on Friday, close at 01:00 on Saturday

Address: Raohe Tourist Night Market No. 125, Raohe Street

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

How can you not eat fried chicken chops when you come to Taiwan? Because I see a few people queue at Devil Chicken Chops and then decide to try it. This chicken chop is claimed to not cut the chicken chop into thin slices, directly fry a whole chicken chop, so each chicken chop needs eight minutes to fry. While waiting, I have been watching the recipe video in which the host says that the outer skin is crispy and juicy and she feels too exaggerated. But it’s not an exaggeration to get a bite of the chicken chop. The outer wrapped layer is very crispy and has a hint of sweetness. The inside of chicken chop may be thick because it is not cut with a knife. One piece of chicken chop is almost thumb-wide and the juice is very good wrapped in the meat, very juicy.

PS: the Raohe Night Market branch of Devil Chicken Chop, Ningxia Night Market also has.

Taro Balls

Taro balls has always been my best friend MIFFY’s favorite food. I have eaten some taro balls in Chinese mainland, and I always feel that the middle part is either slightly hard or not melted, and of course the whole is very hard, so I have never liked it anyway. But this time I come to Taipei. After eating delicious taro balls in Xingchun three brothers and sisters tofu pudding, I start to change my mind about taro balls. Then I and MIFFY go for the two most distinctive taro balls stores in Jiufen.

Lai Ah Po Taro Balls

Business hours: 07:00-21:00

Address: No. 143, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Recommended to eat

Granny Lai’s taro balls are very rich in color. Generally, the taro balls eaten in other stores are yellow, but her store also has black sesame taro balls and green matcha taro balls, and there is no pigment. I feel that the taste of taro balls is very soft waxy, and the sweetness of sugar water is also very good.

Ah Gan Taro Balls

Business hours: 09:00～20:00 on weekdays, 09:00～23:00 on holidays

Address: No. 5, Shuqi Road, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Recommended to eat

As a taro balls enthusiast, we just ate Granny Lai’s taro balls, but we still can’t give up trying Aunt Gan’s taro balls. Aunt Gan is on the heights of Jiufen. Maybe because of the legendary Invincible Mountain view dining spot, the queue is very long. in fact, the glass of Invincible Mountain View is very impenetrable, we can’t see much. Photos shot with cellphones are fuzzy, you make do with it out.

Shaved ice

Chengdu Star Fruit Ice

Business hours: 13:00-22:30

Address: No. 3, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Don’t eat

Smoothie House

Business hours: 10:00-23:00

Address: No. 15, Yongkang Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

This is known as the first shaved ice shop in Taipei, an Internet celebrity shop strongly recommended by CNN.

Roji Monster Ice

Business hours: 11:00-23:00

Address: No. 10, Section 4, Civic Blvd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Can eat or not eat

For this store, if you like taking photos, then you come to here, if you concern about the taste of those food, forget it.

Shifen Artin peanut roll ice cream

Business hours: unknown

Address: Outside Shifen Railway Station platform

Evaluation: Recommended to eat

Peanut roll ice cream is made with a thin slice of pasta, rolled with ice cream, sprinkled with ground peanut powder and coriander. It’s really cool to have such a bite in the hot weather. I don’t know how his ice cream is preserved, I feel my tooth is frozen in almost loose. The flavor of the ice cream is fairly dense and harmonizes with the aroma of crushed peanuts and crispy mouthfeel. A roll is about the size of a breakfast coarse cereals pancake, and both of us almost don’t finish it. Recommend to try!

Bread

Wupaochun bakery

Business hours: 11:00-22:00

Address: No. 58, Songren Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

“Mai Fang” means bread. The bakery of the legendary world champion. Master Wu Baochun participated in the 2008 Coupe Louise Lesaffre and won the runner-up with the “Walnut and Dried longan bread”. Two years later, he made a comeback and won the 2010 Coupe Louise Lesaffre with the “Litchi Rose Bread”. There is even a movie about him in Taiwan.

I don’t know if I’m hungry. When I choose bread in this store, I basically buy one of the top-ranked breads. But it’s a pity that I don’t see the “Litchi Rose Bread”. Everything I bought is delicious, yes, delicious. The “Walnut and Dried longan bread” that won the runner-up is also very full of fillings and has lots of flavour. I feel that it is really worthy of its own name. I love the “extreme sweet potato bread”, the bread is very soft, and I can eat obvious sweet potato grains, which is fragrant and waxy. This bread, which looks like a small sweet potato, has a gelatinous fillings and is delicious. Although eating bread in Taiwan doesn’t seem to be special at all, the taste of this store is that the fillings on the dough are obviously different from what you usually eat.

The only drawback is that the queue is too long. The store starts to restrict the number of people not long after we enter the store, and the quene waiting to pay for goes round and round. Although the waiting time is long, I have to say that this store is really worth a try. After visiting Eslite, I buy some breads, so that the breakfast and supper for a few days will be solved.

Pancake

Stayreal Cafe

Business hours: 12:00-21:00

Address: No. 14, Lane 177, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

The Pancake in this coffee shop is good. I glance down the menu and choose the distinctive black sugar pearl Pancake. For the salad, I choose the Baked Egg Salmon Salad. The waitress carries over a heavy bowl full of Salmon Salad.

The black sugar Pancakes are very fluffy, the pearl milk tea flavored ice cream balls on top are really delicious! It is probably the most exciting delicacy I have eaten in Taipei. The baked egg salmon salad is also very delicious. I don’t expect a salad to be so amazing. The even distributed baked eggs pair with salmon and vegetables, the taste is very balanced, and the sweetness and acidity of sweet and sour sauce is just right.

Some other delicious food

Le Phare

Business hours: 9:00-midnight

Address: No. 293, Section 3, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Recommended to eat

There is a long queue outsides Le Phare every day. One day when I go out, I suddenly feel thirsty, so I am curious to buy a cup of apple strawberry smoothie. Seeing the cup that said “two apples and three strawberries”, I am a bit dubious. After I get it, I take a sip of the cup, palate: perfumed apple with a hint of strawberry. Although apple strawberry smoothie is not pure juices, it does not have a sweet and greasy saccharin taste. The sweetness of apples and the sourness of strawberries blend very well. Recommended.

Verythainoodles

Business hours: 11:00-22:00

Address: No. 88, Yanchang Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Recommended to eat

This store is on the same floor of Wupaochun bakery. I buy some breads at that time. Miffy say she want to eat a bowl of hot noodle soup. The red decoration of this store is very attractive, so we decide to try it. A large bowl of noodles is plentiful, fried enoki mushrooms match well with mellow soup, it is good-looking and delicious, The Tom Yum Goong in the soup base in this store is authentic. Eating Thai cuisine in Taipei I feel that it is not yet popular in Taiwan, but, objectively speaking, it tastes good. They also have many branches. Website: http://verythainoodles.com/

Souvenir

Pineapple Pastry

Chia Te Bakery

Business hours: 08:00-21:30

Address: No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

The first choice for Taiwanese souvenirs must be pineapple pastry. In the travel tip, I see that there are many famous stores for pineapple pastry. Chia Te Bakery is closer to the subway station. You don’t have to be afraid of not knowing where you are when you leave the subway entrance. We walk about a few tens of meters. There is a long line of customers at the gate waiting to get into the store.

Chia Te’s pineapple pastry will not be discounted if you buy more, they are all charged according to the quantity, such as the pineapple pastry (NT$180.00 for a case of 6, NT$360.00 for a case of 12, NT$600.00 for a case of 20), each pineapple pastry is NT$30.00. If you want boxes of pineapple pastries or pineapple pastries with egg yolk, you can line up in order and fetch boxes of pineapple pastries according to the order, or you can take different sized boxes of pineapple pastries according to the flavor loved.

Chia Te’s pineapple pastry tastes very good, and I would like to recommend pineapple pastries with egg yolk. The sweetness of Chia Te’s pineapple pastry is very natural, not greasy at all, and the egg yolk is slightly salty and fresh. The taste is very special. Chia Te’s longan pastries and other pastries are also good, so I suggest you can bring them back together.

Mochi

Oriental Water Girl

Address: No. 335-9, Zhonghua Road, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Mochi is a kind of glutinous rice food. Mochi taste very soft and sweet. It is one of Taiwan’s specialty snacks. We ask the local where the best Mochi is. Hualien’s mochi is the best, because the good water of good mountain produce good rice in Hualien, mochi made from good rice with rich variety of fillings is the best in Taiwan.

Many years ago, relatives and friends travel from Taiwan and bring me a box of mochi with big head doll logo, its skin is soft and not sticky, moderately sweet, I eat it up quickly. This time I come to Taipei and see a store selling mixed mochi in Jiufen Old Street. I did’t buy it at that time and it is not easy to find in Taipei. If you come across this brand, I recommend that you purchase it. The address is provided by the local friend. If you go to Hualien, you can go to its head-office to buy it.

Nougat

SUGAR&SPICE

Business hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:00~21:30 Friday, Saturday and the day before holiday 11:00~22:00

Address: 2nd Floor, B/F, SOGO Fuxing Building, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Evaluation: Be sure to eat

Nougat is also a souvenir that can be found everywhere in Taiwan, there are more branches in SUGAR&SPICE，the bright pink bags, Nougat tastes natural, the peanut crisp taste is very fresh. Because I’m not too interested in sugar, I have no say in the matter. When the Nougat arrives, it wins instant praise from my close friends. Website: https://www.sugar.com.tw/tw

Taipei, Travel

Taipei Hsimenting: the gathering place of Taiwanese pop culture

Leave a comment

Almost many cities set off fireworks during the New Year’s Eve, Sydney Opera House, Auckland Sky Tower, Hong Kong Victoria Bay, Taipei 101 Tower, so many people spend the New Year’s Eve under the fireworks. Taipei 101 Tower is the first choice of many people on New Year’s Eve, nevertheless, Hsimenting on the other side is also the places where young adults gather on New Year’s Eve.

Hsimenting located in the northeast of Taipei’s Wanhua District, is the most important business circle in the west side in Taipei. There are not only many historical buildings and time-honored restaurants here, but also has become the gathering place of Taiwanese pop culture, gathering different foods and flavours from China, Asia and far beyond. Hsimenting is a business circle where tradition coexisted with modernity.

“Hsimenting” name originated from the Japanese occupation of administrative planning, due to the geographical location falls outside of the west gate of Taipei Prefecture, so call Hsimenting. The majority of citizens at that time lived in Taipei Prefecture, the west gate area was their resting place, this place had Taipei’s first theatre “Tokyo pavilion” in 1896, until 1922, it formally “Hsimenting named”.

Hsimenting Walking Street is the first pedestrian zone in Taipei, a growing number of various boutiques and shops have become a feature of Walking Street.

The centuries-old Red House Theater is the landmark of Hsimenting, established during the Japan-occupied period, the classical octagonal red brick Western-style building exudes smells of nostalgia. Now many cultural and creative companies settle inside Red House Theater, Red House Theater becomes a “land of treasure” where young people may not neglect when they go shopping.

Behind Red House Theater is a row of wine bars and bookstores, where is also the gathering place of Taipei homosexuals, the young handsome and pretty men and women with their fancy clothes often gather for a party, drinking beer, and nostalgically remembering what a nice time they had here.

Hsimenting is called Harajuku of Taipei. Excepting Japanese magazine specialty stores, various Japanese books, music CDs, costumes etc flooding the market, following Japanese fashion trend, here is the so-called Jap lovers Paradise.

I really miss Hsimenting, whether it is food, drink or having fun, they have it all. A lot of artists in Taiwan take part in roadshow in a crossroads in Hsimenting. There are currently over 600 buskers permitted to play for passers-by in Hsimenting, especially at night, music and dance master-hand race to appear, their performance make the lively nightlife of Hsimenting more wonderful.

A lot of good food can be found in Hsimenting, more than ten famous old gourmet shops are situated here, including Lao Tien Lu Braised Food, Ay-Chung Noodle, Fong Da Coffee etc. It is worth mentioning that Taiwan’s aborigines selling Sausage Wrapped in Glutinous Rice is widely loved, not only taste better than food in other places, it is cheaper. A lot of girls have been queuing up, maybe it is because the boss is a handsome boy.

Hsimenting is symbol to lead the fashion in Taipei, on the coming of 2018, closely following the fashion trends is the top choices for the trendsetters.

Street posters featuring the sexy girl is too hot.

The roadside marinated products are all very delicious.

The large variety of fashion small commodities made in Japan hanging in many corner stores.

Ximen metro station is the best choice for arriving in Hsimenting.

The motorcycles are everywhere in Taiwan, and Hsimenting is no exception.

The remaining antique during the Japanese Occupation of Taiwan is exhibited in the Red House Theater.

This is a set of utensils which held those stories, and was carried from Chinese Mainland to Taiwan.

The phoenix crown to perform in Red House Theater in those days

The small neon sign in creative industries park located next door to Red House Theater

Various Japanese admiration stores

HongKong

Hong Kong’s Central “forest”, the heartland of Hong Kong

Leave a comment

The first time I became aware of Hong Kong’s Central was when I watched Hong Kong movies in cinemas. It is one of my favorite shopping neighborhoods. As the heartland of Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s Central is Hong Kong’s political and commercial center. As can be seen, Hong Kong’s Central is dotted with numerous banks, shopping malls, financial institutions and countries consulates in Hong Kong, it is the prosperity of Hong Kong in miniature. Walking in Hong Kong’s Central, prosperous neighborhoods, flashing colorful life, high-rise buildings would soar higher into the sky. The Bank of China Tower, HSBC Building, International Finance Centre, The Center building, Cheung Kong Center, Landmark mall, Jardine House (Central), the U. S. consulate in Hong Kong, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong postal service, Central Star Ferry Pier, Statue Square, Legislative Council Building, the PLA Hong Kong Garrison building etc. A large number of Hong Kong landmark buildings gather here, this builds the colorful and magnificent urban landscape. People are more dazzled and cannot take them all in with one’s eyes, people never cease to be amazed.

City Plaza is the largest shopping center in Hong Kong Island, there is a Central MTR station under the mall, traffic is very convenient. The world-renowned brands and a variety of high-end goods are on display in City Plaza. It is a good choice for a wide range of shopping and leisure.

Conrad International HongKong lies in the Pacific Place, near Causeway Bay (one of the city’s bustling shopping district). Conrad International HongKong downstairs is the famous Taikoo shopping malls, walking to Hong Kong’s Central for about ten minutes.

The Lippo Centre, built in 1988, its height is about 186 meters. The Lippo Centre was designed by Paul Rudolph and was composed of two octagon buildings and the platform. The two buildings are forty-second floors, forty-eighth floors, all floors is divided into three. Each part of all floors with the middle protrude, adopting a multiple flat design, and is easy to install the dodecagonal window. Between the top and bottom of each section, with atrium room protruding from the multi-plane floors, that constitutes a very unique design pattern.

Bank of China Building is Hong Kong landmark building, which is about 315 meters high. It was designed by the famous Chinese-born American Architect Pei Leoh Ming, and completed in 1990. When it was built, it is the tallest building in Hong Kong. The outline of the building like the growing bamboo, which symbolizes strength, vitality, robust and forge ahead full of spirit. With a base of granite wall represents the Great Wall of China.

Skyscrapers are shoulder and shoulder, Central allows Hong Kong to grow taller.

The PLA Hong Kong Garrison building, built in 1979. It is now the PLA Hong Kong Garrison Central Barracks. Before Hong Kong’s handover in 1997, it is the British Garrison headquarters barracks. Overall modelling unique, it looked like a small wine glass, which defenses against foreign invasion meanings.

Cheung Kong Center is Hong Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing’s Cheung Kong Group’s headquarters, which located at the junction of Garden Road and Queen’s Road. It was designed by the famous American architect LeoADaly and CesarPelli.

The traffic across through the skyscrapers.

The tall building in the middle is the Hong Kong International Finance Center, Phase II. Its height is about 415.8 meters. It is Hong Kong’s tallest building and the sixth-highest building in the world.

Tall buildings, people and cars go back and forth in the busy streets, but everything is in good order.

The Lan Kwai Fong area located in the south side of Queen’s Road Central, which is an l-shaped narrow street between Wyndham Street and D’Aguilar Street, full of Western-style restaurants and bars on either side of the street. Although Lan Kwai Fong covers only a small area, the petty bourgeoisie taste is rich, which is the very popular land. Especially night is the subway, brightly colored, its exceedingly fascinating charm.

Beijing

Old and famous shops in Beijing Qianmen street

Leave a comment

Tianfuhao was founded in three year of Qianlong(AD 1738), the founder of Tianfuhao is Liu Fengxiang who was born in Laizhou city, Shandong province in the periods of Qianlong. The craftsmanship of upper part of a leg of pork cooked in soy sauce in Tianfuhao was listed in the first national nonmaterial cultural heritage list in 2008.

One dragon restaurant was founded in the five decades of Qianlong (AD 1785), this famous restaurant is engaged in Muslim food. In 2006, one dragon restaurant is certificated by the Ministry of Commerce as “China Time-honored Brand”. Operating instantboiled mutton in this famous restaurant has already a history of more than 220 years. The way of copper carbon chafing dish eating continues down to the present day. It has the following four features: choice of meat is fine, fine processing, full condiments, staple food tastes good. Called instantboiled mutton “authentic” in Beijing. The craftsmanship of instantboiled mutton in one dragon restaurant was listed in Beijing intangible cultural heritage protection list in 2007.

Old Beijing Beijing accent female hawk king “Zhang Guilan

Wuyutai was founded in 1887, Wuyutai is mostly developed from Wuyutai tea shop. It has a history of 124 years.

Quanjude: China Time-honored Brand, was founded in three year of Tongzhi (AD 1864). After generations of start an undertaking and hard work, Quanjude has achieved great development. In 1999, Quanjude was identified as “Famous Trademark” by State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Douyichu opened in three year of Qianlong(AD 1738), the founder is surnamed Wang, he was native to Shanxi province in China. Douyichu chiefly boiled peanuts, rose jujube, pickled vegetables and so on. Douyichu added steamed pork dumplings in the reign of Emperor Tongzhi, it is characterized by not only thin-skinned filling full but also taste good. Douyichu has already a history of more than 260 years.

Dashanlan is a famous commercial street in Beijing Qianmen street. Over the past 500 years evolution of Dashanlan, gradually developed into a commercial street, 11 industries 36 stores highly localized distribution in Dashanlan.

Xianyukou street was found in Ming Dynasty, it has 570 years of history. Xianyukou street gathered Beijing’s old and famous restaurants, retail shops, theaters, bathrooms, tea houses and arts and crafts workshops, etc.

Taipei

Dating in Taipei twelve kinds of experience

Leave a comment

Speaking of Taipei, what come to mind? a variety of snacks? idol drama? motorcycle? Before I traveled to Taipei, I also determined to eat as much as I could in Taipei. However, I came here, I found that in addition to dating delicacy, there were more variety of the unique experience in the rich humanistic temperament city.

The initial impression of Taipei was probably from the airport. The friends who understood Taiwan situation, you were familiar with Taiwan’s Taoyuan international airport. As the largest international airport in Taiwan, compared to other international airports, stripped of noise, more than a hint of quiet.

The first experience: speeding on city streets.

Sitting on the bus to downtown, along the road scenery and other mainland cities is not much different, it looked so extraordinarily kind.

When the bus entered downtown, Taipei streets came into view, the shuttle vehicles and the high buildings on both sides of the streets, there is a feeling of seem to have met before. But for those tall trees, especially coconut trees reminded me, I probably thought that I was in Beijing.

Taipei is not famous for flourish. Even in the downtown area, also appeare the outwardly decrepit building. However, this does not affect my impression of Taipei, with the old building adjacent to or across the street is a new building, this visual experience, I would be more like the seemingly devastated building, as if silently speaking about the past and change in Taipei.

The second experience: studies Taipei history in Beitou.

Beitou situated in the most northern of Taipei city, Taipei is famous for Beitou hot spring area, it is a concentration of many Japanese-style buildings. More and more tourists are choosing to come Beitou for “soaking soup” and seek the secret of the “soup” of witches.

Beitou hot springs museum is a museum of hot springs historical subjects, in the museum displayed the history of the development of Beitou. The overall building used Japanese-style wooden structure, it backs on to a green hill, the winding path leads to a secluded quiet place. Beitou hot springs museum is divided into two layers. the ground floor introduces the history and development of Beitou hot springs. the first floor
addition to a introduction of the history of the development of Beitou area, there are multimedia space and tatami area for tourists to rest, And stand in the hallway overlooking the scenery of the Beitou Park, it is very charming.

Plum Garden is the Beitou attractions of a great cultural atmosphere, here is the former residence of famous politician, educator, calligrapher Yu YouRen, displayed Yu YouRen’s calligraphy works. Mr Yu integrated into a cursive handwriting and li Script in his calligraphy, he created a unique calligraphy.

The third experience: quiet reading in the green building.

Peitou have a green building – Beitou library, it is selected as one of twenty-five the world’s most beautiful public libraries by flavorwire.com. Standing outside the library, you will know that the name is absolutely convincing.

The entire building in addition to green plants cover itself is also a wooden structure. In the forest of steel and concrete, unique, from afar, like a tree house. Read here, seems to also become more natural taste, reading has become more comfortable in natural oxygen bar.

The library uses french windows design, allow more natural light into the interior, thereby reduce the electrical energy consumption. This initiative is not only environmental protection, but also from the room directly overlooking the scenery outside the window.

Alien from the cool air in the library, the first floor and the second floor reading platform extending outward, reflected the distant mountain views, you can enjoy the oncoming breeze, holding your book, sitting in the embrace of nature, this cozy is valuable.

The fourth experience: feel like being in Kyoto, Japan.

The Beitou museum is a good japanese-style building, from the exterior view, such as being in Kyoto, Japan, the layout of this museum better preserved the building’s original appearance. The Beitou museum grows out of very famous Jiashan inn which is set up in 1920 AD, the exclusive spa hotels is a japanese officers club during the japanese occupation, now has developed into a collection and preservation of Taiwan’s early folk heritage and aboriginal art museum.

The museum can be divided into three parts; first, museum, standing exhibition; second, buddhist garden, a place offering sip tea and research tea art; third, the plow house, in addition to the cellar spa also has a Mongolian barbecue and Zhejiang cuisine.

In addition to understanding the cultural history of Beitou, also feel the quaint japanese style.

The fifth experience: taste fine dining in Wang steak.

The steak is probably about 1300 new ntd, this price compared to Beijing, a lot cheaper, the taste of food is first class, service is better!

The sixth experience: the eslite bookstore at midnight.

Walking in the streets of Taipei at midnight, is what kind of feeling? Taipei said the streets would be more quiet on Monday night and Tuesday night, the next day is a working day, more and more people coming and going on the streets on Wednesday night, Thursday began the so-called weekend, this time the street bar opened one after another, Friday and Saturday, not to mention, Taipei’s night has been extended to the middle of the night.

Even in a relatively deserted night, do not have to worry about with nowhere to go, eslite bookstore is always the best choice.

Eslite store is open until 12:00 pm, Dunnan flagship store 24 hours a day, so enjoy your leisure time, do not waste the midnight.

The seventh experience: open your eyes upon Taipei 101 building’s happiness.

I stayed at home hotle in the Hsing-Yi district, the Hsing-Yi district is Taipei’s new city center, as Taipei landmarks, the 101 building situated in the Hsing-Yi district. our hotel located in the northeast, it will take me about 5 minutes to get the 101 building, very convenient.

So the next day I opened eyes, opened the curtains, saw a towering 101 building, I am very happy.

The Hsing-Yi district centered on the 101 building, it is a big shopping area, In addition to the 101 building, XinguangSanyue, Banji department store, BELLAVITA etc. You looked out of the window and saw the World Trade Center at the foot of the 101 building. Here always have some interesting exhibitions, shopping at the same time can also take into account the cultural activities, living in the home hotel was an excellent choice.

Home hotel itself is small but it has all the vital function. Its restaurant is to take into account the functions of the bar, daytime restaurant, the evening becomes a lively bar. I sat at the counter to eat my breakfast, it is a rare experience!

The eighth experience: the ultimate Ding Tai Fung steamed dumplings

Ding Tai Fung is well-known brand to us, it’s steamed bun stuffed with juicy pork is known as ferrari of the steamed stuffed buns industry. The Taiwan steamed bun franchised store was founded in 1972, it was one of ten famous gastronomic restaurant in world on the list of the New York Times. In Taiwan, it has become the representative of traditional Chinese cuisine. Ding Tai Fung seems to be the restaurant where is a “must” for tourists, just a taste of delicious steamed dumplings.

Rigorous selection, full of juice and delicious taste, thin crust and abundant stuffing. Scrupulous attention to detail in the production is a key factor in Ding Tai Fung success, Din Tai Fung not only required near-perfect for steamed dumplings but also strive to have a certain aesthetic taste. Let the people enjoy the food at the same time, can also feel a deep sense of diet culture.

The ninth of experience: seek peach blossom in the Longshan temple

The Longshan temple is worshipped widely, located in Taipei’s Wanhua district. In addition to the elderly worshiping the Longshan temple, fashionably dressed and beautiful young people are in the majority. So can be seen, Taiwanese believe in the gods, no matter what happens, they all like to worship god in order to give thanks , praying for set aside own worries. It was said that the Longshan temple is still efficacious to strive for predestined marriage. So if you come here, is single, do not shy, ask for a peach blossom and come back, the gods of the Longshan temple will bless you!

The tenth of experience: the solemn and stately martyry

Martyry is established in honour of the officers and soldiers who died for the country. The memorial hall stationed by a guard of honour of the three services, the handover ceremony was held daily from nine o’clock to 5:00 PM, visit here, it is best to choose a whole point, you can see the complete handover ceremony, understand the army’s strict and solemn.

Building type like a Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Imperial Palace

The eleven of experience: visit the Taipei palace museum

Taipei palace museum has many stories, there is heaps of time to visit, choose wisely. Taiwan’s palace museum collection includes the essence of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Palace in Beijing, the Shenyang Imperial Palace and the former Rehe palace, etc. And antiques donated by people from all walks of life both at home and abroad, The antiques are about 700,000 germents. The museum exhibits changed every 3 months.

Undoubtedly the most famous cultural relics “Chinese cabbage” and “pork”. Forbid to take a picture in the museum, want to see famous jadeite cabbage with insects and meat-shaped stone, you should come Taipei palace museum  in your proper person.

In particular, many souvenir shops in the exhibition hall, things to sell here is not only exclusive but also very interesting and very practical. And our common souvenir shops are not the same, to better reflect the development of cultural and creative industries in Taiwan.

The twelve of experience: to feel the romance and elegance of the Shilin residence

Shilin Residence is definitely a romantic place, the Jiang Jieshi and Song Meiling residence in Taipei, seems to be retained to the present, retain their love. Beautiful gardens, elegant villas, look like a heavenly place, but it is real existence.