Taiwanese food — Chinese roots plus Japanese influence, unique identity. Best night markets. Bubble tea, soup dumplings, beef noodles origin.
Night Markets
Night markets — soul of Taiwan. Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia, Fengjia. Stinky tofu, oyster omelet, ba wan, sausage in sausage, lu wei, salt crispy chicken, shaved ice. Cheap delicious.
Bubble Tea
Bubble tea — Taiwanese invention (1980s Taichung). Black tea + milk + tapioca pearls + sugar. Global export. 50 Lan, Gong Cha, Coco.
Soup Dumplings
Xiao long bao — Shanghai origin but Din Tai Fung Taipei made it world-famous. Thin skin, soup inside, pork filling. Michelin starred.
Beef Noodles
Beef noodles — braised + clear + tomato. Taiwanese people's food. Every shop secret recipe. Beef noodle festival annual competition.
Lu Rou Fan
Lu rou fan — commoner's national rice. Braised pork sauce + white rice + braised egg + pickled mustard. Every family eats.
Desserts
Mango ice, shaved ice, douhua, taro balls, pineapple cake (souvenir), sun cake, mochi. Strong Japanese influence — matcha, wagashi.
Drinks
Taiwanese tea — high mountain (oolong), Alishan, Dongding. Coffee revival. Taiwan Beer, gold medal beer. Kaoliang spirit (Kinmen 58% strong).