Kristen Lan
Night markets are one of the best places to experience all sorts of Taiwanese foods: ranging from bubble tea (which tastes totally different from the bubble tea in Ann Arbor) to takoyaki. However, before digging into the wide variety of foods, be prepared to be squeezed!
For starters, imagine a typical farmer’s market. Then, change the veggie & fruit stands into stands serving oyster omelets, scallion pancakes, tanghulu, and lots more Asian treats that would take me pages to list down. Next, of course, being a night market, it should start after the late afternoons mostly after sunset (that’s usually around six or seven year round). And finally, “insert” crowds of peoples. They make up 95% of the liveliness in night markets.
The vendors sell all kinds of foods. One notable treat would be stinky tofu due to its distinctive smell. It’s a type of fermented tofu, which, according to its name, gives off a stench. However, the smelliness isn’t all to it, the deep fried stinky tofu is a combination of a crunchiness and softness. Some people cannot stand the smell of this fried treat, but absolutely love the taste of it!
The next snack’s smell will hit you even if you are ten stands away. The names usually vary for it, but I’ll go with a double layer roll sausage. The literal translation of it is “big intestine wrap small intestine,” but no worries; we’re not talking about intestinal organs here. It’s a pork sausage wrapped in a rice sausage “bun.” At a night market, these treats have one of longest lines, and pass the smell of grilled meat even from meters away. A smart “tactic” I would advise is don't eat a whole double layer sausage, but share with a few friends. Therefore, you could try out more treats along the way!
A foreign drink that has been gaining popularity in Taiwanese night markets is the teh tarik. It’s an extraordinary sight to see the vendors “pull” the tea around with their cups before serving. The teh tarik is commonly served in a clean plastic bag with a straw stuck to the opening. You could fasten the plastic bag to your wrist and don’t have to worry of losing your drink.
In Taiwanese night markets, the food choices vary so much that it is hard to introduce all the treats. However, the buzzy crowds in the night market create quite the scene. A trip to the night market will not only be a great chance to experience the culture, but also present a great opportunity to have a wide variety of foods.
