Taipei’s Night Markets ultimate food frenzy are reasons to visit
Best pepper buns and street food at Taipei’s Night Markets
Black pepper buns baking in a tandoor style oven
Exploring Taipei’s Night Markets
Food culture can be enjoyed at all price points, and with that simple directive, we hopped on a plane to explore the biting edge of their culinary cuisine at Taipei’s night markets.
Taking advantage of a flight plus hotel short-stay package, we checked in and immediately spoke to the concierge about Taipei’s Taipei’s night markets.
Related Hong Kong feast of local organic vegetables
We were rewarded with a tourist map and circles around four locations, the nearest within walking distance of our hotel.
Linjiang Night Market
I recalled a night market delicacy called Taiwanese black pepper buns, baked in a clay tandoor-like oven from a previous visit to Taipei’s Night Markets.
Linjiang Night Market
It was crispy on the outside, spicey and juicy on the inside. Wanting to taste that again, the hunt was on.
Related History and culinary delights awaits in Macau
We walked to the Linjang Night Market in the southwest part of the city. Starting from the west end, we walked east along Linjiang Street in Da’an District.
Pan fried pork dumplings at Linjiang Night Market
Not wanting to stuff ourselves too soon, we browsed the whole market before making our choices.
Lin’s Sheng Jain Bao was the most exciting venue, serving fried and steamed pork dumplings.
Pans of pork dumplings at Linjiang Night Market
A team of well-practised people wrapped the dough around a mixture of spiced pork and cabbage.
Live action at all of Taipei’s Night Markets
The dumplings were then placed on an oiled platter heated to a ridiculous temperature by three gas burners.
They are seared, and hot water is dramatically poured in; as the steam rises, the pan is covered with a wooden lid, and after a short wait, the cooking is complete.
Pan fried onion cakes at Linjiang Night Market
By now, a line has formed, and our olfactory sensors are overwhelmed with anticipatory smells of freshly steamed dumplings and spiced meat; we handed over the equivalent of HK$ 20 for a box of ten.
Related Traditional family-style Pun Choi is the must for celebratory feasts
The trick then was to find a way to eat the “must be eaten while hot” dumplings using only a pair of pointy skinny sticks pretending to be chopsticks without burning or spilling on ourselves, a real risk because each dumpling contained a squirt of scolding hot soup.
Related Teahouses and dim sum tradition alive Hong Kong
But the risks were worth it; the flavour combination worked, and we would have gone back for seconds, but that would have been beyond the stretching size of our stomachs.
Candied fruit on a stick at Linjiang Night Market
Two other delectable treats tempted us; the first was fruit balls dipped in boiling sugar water. This colourful dessert on a stick was both seemingly hygienic and appealing to look at.
Fresh fruit sorbet
The second was fruit sorbet. The super-friendly vendor insisted we try all her flavours: mango, red dragon fruit and yuzu, lemon, lime, and coconut.
Related Sensational and Spectacular California Wine
She tempted us with so many samples we bought a tub of delicious red dragon fruit with yuzu. Parting with HK$ 15, we completed our “night market” dinner.
Grilled meat on skewers at Linjiang Night Market
On our second night, we got serious and went to the Shilin Market, the largest night market in Taipei.
Shilin Tourist Night Market
Located on Jihe Road in the northwest of Taipei in the Shilin District, we were not disappointed by the size.
Entrance to Shilin Night Market
The market has a long history; the original was built in 1913 and completely rebuilt in 2011. It is a maze of covered and open-air streets with stalls selling what seemed like everything a local or tourist could desire.
Related Bargains makes memories at Temple Street Night Market
Dozens of carnival-like skill games provided a festive atmosphere. But we were there for the food, and we were not disappointed. It took us minutes to find the Cheng Zu shop selling black pepper buns.
These dough-wrapped meat and chive delicacies are baked by a brave man risking third-degree burns to attach and remove buns from the inside of a pair of tandoor ovens.
Related Modern ceramic by Gu Yue, Fiona Wong and Caroline Cheng
They offered black pepper beef, as well as traditional pork and an innovative kimchi pork bun.
Raohe Night Market
On our third night, we found our desired black pepper buns. The Raohe Night Market is located in the eastern district of Songshan on Raohe Street.
Raohe Night Market
We entered from the east, and almost immediately, the aroma and queue alerted us to Fuzhou Black Pepper Buns.
Related Facts & Fictions in the Wine World
Walled on two sides by six tandoor ovens and staffed by a uniformed team, they serve only perfected green onion and pepper spiced buns.
Fried crab at Raohe Night Market
We went to the Raohe Night Market early, around 5:30 pm on Saturday, so we missed the larger crowds that usually arrive after 7:00 pm.
This allowed us to browse the many vendors and their offerings.
Grilled squid at Raohe Night Market
We were fascinated by one vendor who was deep-frying bread and then dropping in an egg which stuck to the bread.
Many delights at Taipei’s Night Market
He then rolled it up, poured hot sauce over it and handed it to his customer in a paper envelope.
Barbequed oysters at Raohe Night Market
Barbeque corn seemed to be another favourite, with different vendors providing sauces that ranged from savoury to sweet.
Sausages at Raohe Night Market
Multi-coloured deep-fried taro balls and any meat on a skewer or vegetables wrapped in meat were also popular.
Ningxia Night Market
As it was early, we decided to visit another of Taipei’s night markets, Ningxia, in Datong District.
Steamed peanuts at Ningxia Night Market
We entered from the western end of Naingxia Road. Unlike our earlier visit to Raohe, Ningxia was intense.
Related Delightful holiday adventure in Singapore
Seven thirty on a Saturday night is reportedly the busiest time.
Kiosks are close together and only allow for a two-metre-wide path for crowds to shuffle the length of the road.
Related Taliesin West Arizona: Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural sanctuary
Patrons wanting to buy need to line up in the valley behind their chosen vendor.
As this market is open until 2:00 am, a wiser tourist would have gone later.
Boiled corn at Ningxia Night Market
Setting aside those caveats, Ningxia Market provides some exciting food options.
Takoyaki at Ningxia Night Market
Oyster omelettes, cheese egg takoyaki, ornate squid on a stick, deep fried then barbequed chicken and boneless chicken feet, to name but a few.
After three nights roaming Taipei’s night markets, I found my perfect black pepper buns at Fuzhou Pepper Buns in Raohe Night Market.
Food on offer at Ningxi Night Market
I also found many innovative food vendors experimenting with new ways to tempt our tastebuds.
My only regret is my limited stomach capacity and time to try the foods.
Related Growing fresh hope Hong Kong gardens in the sky
It seems evident, therefore, that a return visit to Taipei’s night markets will be necessary.
Text Martin Wray / Photo Cammy Yiu
