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hey say that Taipei, with its clusters of night bazaars and

endless street food options, is one of the world’s most food-

obsessed cities. I couldn’t agree more. As chef-owner of five-

year-old French restaurant, Ephernite, I can see how the food scene

in Taipei has shifted. More fine dining restaurants have popped up

and 2018 was the inaugural year for Michelin Guide Taipei. With the

city offering the best of both worlds, it’s only a matter of time before

Taipei becomes a must-do of every jet-setting foodie.

Hidden eats that hit

the spot

While tourists flock to big

chain restaurants such as

Din Tai Fung for their fix of

xiao long bao, Hangzhou Xiao

Long Bao is a hit with the

locals. Order its signature

pork or shrimp xiao long bao

followed by red bean pancake

for dessert. Located next to

the National Chiang Kai-shek

Memorial Hall, the dumpling

restaurant gets busy at around

6pm, so set off early to beat

the crowds.

My favourite French patisserie has got to be Quelques

Pâtisseries. Their chocolate tart is a silky smooth chocolate dulcey

was infused with tieguanyin, a premium variety of Chinese oolong

tea adding some rich and earthy flavors with complex overtones

to the tart. Their Paris-brest, in my opinon is the perfect hazelnut

praline. Not far away, WUnique Pâtisserie serves the best croissant in

town, I reckon it is on par to the ones I had in Paris.

If you are a huge fan of seafood, head over to Xianjin Haichan,

a humble seafood joint in Taipei’s Songshan district. I usually order

a lot of seafood from their daily selection; it’s fresh, affordable, and

can be prepared in any way you like. The steamed fish is particularly

From under-the-radar night markets to French pâtisseries,

there’s a place in Taipei for every kind of foodie.

Vanessa Huang reveals her favourite haunts.

Off the menu

CHEF’S TRAVELOGUE

good, as they use a housemade seasoning and add some Chinese

wine into the soy sauce. Tip: after you are done, ask the server to

cook a scrambled egg with the leftover sauce. Trust me, you are in

for a treat. Xiaozhang’s Seafood in Zhongshan is also another spot to

hit; the seafood is as fresh as it gets.

No visit to Taipei is complete without a tour of its famous

night markets. Avoid the touristy ones and head to Tonghua Night

Market instead, where everything is conveniently located – there’s

something for everyone.

Linjiang Street Night Market

is also another popular

night market to visit. Try

the marinated chicken

at Honghua Yanshui Ji and

seek out Ice Wonderland for

traditional Taiwanese desserts

like aiyu, a natural gelatin

served with lemon over ice.

Fine food city

Tucked inside a side alley next

to Okura Prestige Taipei Hotel,

Mountain and Sea House

showcases a vintage Taiwan

on exterior, with a charming

terrace as if you’re entering a private home but stepping back thirty

years in time. Every dish is made from fresh and organic ingredients.

Despite the pricier menu, you won’t regret it after devouring in fried

spare ribs, five-topping tofu, and four treasures soup with salted

duck egg.

With only 12 seats and a reservation list of about four to six

months-long, Sushi Amamoto is the hardest sushi-yato to book in

Taipei. Using freshly imported ingredients from Kyushi and Tokyo,

and sushi rice cooked in natural spring water from Nagano, this

two Michelin-starred restaurant comes highly recommend for

their omakase.

The xiao long

baos from

Hangzhou Xiao

Long Baos are a

must-eat.