Potsticker and Dumpling (鍋貼 — 水餃）

Potstickers

Dumplings

Chinese name: 鍋貼 — 水餃

English translation: potstickers and dumplings 

Where to find it: almost anywhere in the city on the street in a shop. It's not one of those outside food stands.

Price: usually priced at either 5-8NT per potsticker/dumpling

I'm sure everyone knows what these are. Usually, filled with pork inside of them and some with shrimp. Potstickers are the pan fried ones and dumplings are the ones cooked in boiling water. I will tell you about the typical menu you will get. Both kinds come with "house special, curry flavored, kimchi, shrimp, leek" They usually have soy sauce, white and black vinegar, oil, spicy sauce on each individual table. You will always see on the menu corn soup or hot and sour soup. Traditionally, you're supposed to drink hot and sour soup to go with your dumplings and/or potstickers.

Baked Potato (起司馬鈴薯）

The menu at RaoHe Night Market

Chinese name: 起司馬鈴薯

English translation: cheese baked potato

Where to find it: Raohe Night Market or ShiLin Night market (main street 2 stands)

Price: 40-60NT

Basically, this is a baked potato top with cheese sauce. It's a bit different from the kind we have back in the states. You can choose what toppings you want like broccoli, corn, mushrooms, bacon and pineapple. There's no onions, salsa or butter like how you would add to it back in the US. They also like to toss pepper on top as well. Surprisingly, the 2 stands at ShiLin Night Market on the main street always have a line for it. Also, the on at the end of RaoHe Night Market has a long wait as well.

Taiwanese Burrito (潤餅)

Chinese name: 潤餅 (run4 bing2)

English translation: Taiwanese version of a burrito

Where to find it: Jiu Fen (潤餅） Ice cream version, and some small night markets. 

Price: 30-40NT

Thin layer of skin with shredded peanuts mixed with parsley and different flavored ice cream usually like taro or lychee. This type of run bing is harder to find. The more typical kind is the kind that has vegetables in side with some pork meat. When it's rolled up it looks just like a burrito. I'm not sure if other countries eat this as well or if it's just a Taiwan thing. But I'd recommend trying it if you see it.

Oyster Noodles (蚵仔麵線)

Chinese name: 蚵仔麵線

English translation: oyster noodles

Where to find it: any night market or roadside food stand

Price: 30-50NT

This dish is very popular in Taiwan and consists of oysters and vermicelli noodles. Sometimes it can be found with pig intestines in it as well. The most popular restaurant that sells it is known as "Ah Zhong Mian Xian" located in XiMenDing in Taipei. You can get there by MRT getting off at the Ximen stop on the blue line. If you go at night or during the weekends you'll see a line of people standing there eating it. Another place where you can find it is in San Gabriel, CA in the Ranch 99 plaza. Although, in my opinion it doesn't taste as good and it's probably more expensive as well.

Lian Wu (蓮霧）

Chinese: 蓮霧

English translation: Chinese Apple

Where to find it: any supermarket

Price: sold by weight

The translation literally mens "lotus fog" but has nothing to with either word. Perhaps it is named this because it grows in a foggy area? It's a very common fruit in Taiwan, just like apples are everywhere in the U.S.

Huo Long Guo (火龍果)

Chinese name: 火龍果

English translation: dragon fruit

Where to find it: any fruit stand in the grocery store

price: based on weight, not very expensive

Dragon fruit seems to only grow in tropical places such as Taiwan, China, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia etc. The inside can either be found white or red with tiny black seeds all over that you can eat. It also doesn't seem to have a very sweet, sour taste at all. It's a very light tasting fruit. 

Bao Bing (刨冰)

Mango snow

Strawberry snow

Chinese: 刨冰

Taiwanese: Tua bang

English translation: shaved ice

Where to find it: shilin night market (or any night market and roadside food stand)

Price: 90-150NT

Very popular especially during the summer time. You can put almost anything over the ice. From any type of fruit like strawberries, papaya, mangos, pineapple, passionfruit etc. Or you can add any type of jello like ai-yu or grass jelly. Beans can also be seen in it like green bean, red bean etc. Usually, condensed milk is drizzled on top to add some sweetness to it. 

This particular version is called "snow piece ice" because of the texture. If you look closely you can't see the actual ice pieces you'd normally see in most shaved ice desserts. This one is found in Shilin Night Market. Because it is one of my favorite places and I strongly recommend it, here is the address.

no 1 士林 區 安平 St 

Ke Zai Jian (蚵仔煎)

processed of being cooked.

Chinese: 蚵仔煎

English translation: osyter pancake or oyster omelette

Taiwanese: O-ah jien (pronounced)

Where to find it: any night market or roadside food stand

Price: 50NT

Eggs mixed with this starch batter and some small oysters and served on top of cooked cabbage. Often serve with chili or sweet sauce on top. Apparently, it originated from China and can also be found in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Chou Doufu (臭豆腐)

Chinese: 臭豆腐

English Translation: stinky tofu

Where to find it: any night market or roadside food stands

Price: about 30NT

Stinky tofu has many variations to it. It's most commonly served fried and with some vegetables on the side and optional chili sauce. However, you may also eat it cold or steamed as well. It has a very strong odor and you will most likely smell it almost a good block away. You can also find this in many other Asian countries as well, but most popular in Taiwan and China.

Bing Tang Hu Lu (冰糖葫芦)

Chinese: 冰糖胡芦

English translation: sugar gourd

Where to find it: any night market

price: 30NT

Hardened candied sugar coated candied fruit on bamboo skewers. Apparently, also very popular in China as well. Fruits include strawberry, plum, kiwi etc. It's common to see kids eating this.

Liang Mien (涼麵)

Chinese: 涼麵

English translation: cold noodles

Where to find it: any night market or roadside stands

Price: 40-60NT

Cold noodles mixed with peanut sauce and shredded cucumber and ham. There's some light sesame oil in it too. Different variations I saw include Thai style, or super spicy and many more. Sometimes there's shredded carrots as well. Usually this eaten in the summer time. Japan also has their version of cold noodles known as soba. Also, very tasty!

Tian Bu La (甜不辣）

Chinese: 甜不辣

English translation: Taiwanese Tempura

Where to find it: Any night market (Shilin, RaoHe)

Price: 50NT

Chewy fish flavored cake topped with pickles and sweet chili sauce on top. Has no relationship to Japanese tempura except for the sound.

Eating in Taiwan

Welcome! Since I'm going to be living in Taiwan for 9 months studying Chinese, you might as well join me in learning about the various foods here. If you've ever visited Taiwan, then you probably know some of these already. If not, this should be very educational for you.