Hailing all the way from Taipei, the famed Ningxia Night Market has, at long last, arrived on our shores. The critically acclaimed Asian Night Market: Taiwan Food Festival has recreated a mini version of the bustling night market — a popular spot among locals and tourists for Taiwanese delicacies — which will span across Siloso Beach and Siloso Point from 16 January to 9 February 2020 (excluding 20 – 22 Jan).

Coined ‘the stomach of Taipei’, Ningxia Night Market Singapore will be offering a diverse range of mouthwatering Taiwanese street food such as Flaming Beef Cubes, Scallion Pancake and Taiwanese Oden. Locals can look forward to feast on an assortment of Taiwan’s exquisite delicacies in our very own Lion City as we will be featuring more than 30 vendors and chefs from the original market itself.

Here are 12 Taiwanese street food and drinks at Ningxia Night Market Singapore that you should not miss out on. So, put your new year dieting resolutions on hold, bring your family and friends down, and get ready to stuff yourself silly with snacks!

SESAME CHICKEN MEE SUA (STALL #7)

A perennial household favourite dish, Sesame Chicken Mee Sua is a hearty bowl of noodles that makes for a splendid comfort meal.

Stewed with wolfberries and bok choy, the broth was herbaceous with gingery nuances. It was also rich and full-bodied, pairing impeccably well with the silken noodles. Slurp the noodles with the aromatic soup to truly enjoy the dish.

BRAISED PORK RICE (STALL #7)

Braised Pork Rice is a dish testament to Taiwan’s food paradise. Essentially a dish comprising of braised minced pork served on a bed of steaming rice, this comforting bowl is sure to remind you of your grandmother’s cooking.

This simple dish is highly raved about by both locals and tourists and we can understand why. The pork was fork-tender and paired nicely with the fragrant rice, which was coated with a thin layer of flavourful oily sauce. The braised gravy also brought out the innate savouriness of the meat.

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BROWN SUGAR BUBBLE MILK (STALL #11)

Brown Sugar Bubble Milk has captured the hearts of many with its combination of fresh milk, brown sugar syrup and chewy tapioca pearls. Nicknamed “dirty tea”, the original brown sugar bubble tea fad was birthed in Taiwan, where Taiwanese brands pride themselves on their “QQ” tapioca pearls and creamy milk.

First boiled with handmade brown sugar, the sweetness-infused pearls are cooked till chewy. Cold ice milk is then added to the piping hot pearls where it blends to become a “dirty” mixture, allowing the drink to be a harmonious blend of saccharine and rich milk.

SCALLION PANCAKE (STALL #9)

The scallion pancake is an iconic local snack in the “OG” Ningxia Night Market — this well-loved, crispy delicacy is known for its gigantic size and crisp texture, reminiscent of Singapore’s very own roti prata. Customers can eagerly await their turn as they watch their pancakes being expertly prepared right in front of their eyes!

The dough is first flattened, then sprinkled with seasoning and spring onions before it is fried to crunchy, golden-brown perfection. An unpretentious dish, it is simple and prepared quickly, relying only on the strong fragrance from the onions to bring out its savouriness.

FLAMING BEEF CUBES (STALL #9)

Locals will be familiar with flame-grilled beef cubes — we have seen this beloved snack at every night market or festival. A Taiwanese street food favourite, these beef steak cubes are compactly packaged, making it a convenient snack to munch on.

The beef steak cubes are cooked over a grill and sprinkled with seasoning. Each beef cube was caramelised to perfection, giving it an addictive, smoky taste. Grilled to a medium-rare, the exterior of the beef was nicely charred and boasted juicy, tender meat.

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BRAISED BEEF NOODLES (STALL #13)

Taiwan’s “national dish” is none other than beef noodles! Featuring Braised Beef Noodles, this beloved delicacy is whipped up by renowned chef, Cheng Cheng-chung. Boasting a potent broth with morsels of beef, each bite is guaranteed to bring you an authentic Taiwanese experience.

The al dente noodles were infused with the piquant herbal notes of the full-bodied soup, allowing customers to thoroughly savour its distinct, rich flavours. The braised beef chunks were also juicy and tender.

FRIED SQUID (STALL #12)

Stroll along the stretch of food stalls, and this Fried Squid will stick out from the crowd. A giant deep-fried squid skewered on a stick, this snack will capture your attention with its monstrous size. A testament to Taiwan’s rich marine life, this is the treat to go for if you are looking to nibble on something hearty.

The battered squid is garnished with salt and pepper, allowing us to taste its rich and briny seafood flavour. The tentacles were also nicely charred, adding smokiness to the snack. We also appreciated how the meat was chewy and extremely “QQ”.

MENTAIKO PIZZA (STALL #11)

Pizza lovers should definitely check out the Mentaiko Pizza! The mentaiko is imported all the way from Japan to ensure that customers savour the dish only with the freshest ingredients.

The pizza dough is thinly spread and baked, rising to form a crumbly, flaky crust. Toppings such as the cheese and mentaiko are then sprinkled and laden on the base before it is baked in the oven a second time. This allows the layered snack to have contrasting textures of both a doughy middle and crisp exterior.

TAIWANESE SAUSAGE WITH GLUTINOUS RICE (STALL #19)

Sink your teeth in one of the most unique goodies available at the market: Taiwanese Sausage with Glutinous Rice. Known as “little sausage inside big sausage”, a pork sausage is wrapped in a bigger sausage made from glutinous rice. Customers can also spice the snack up with a variety of condiments such as garlic, peppers, or pickled cucumber.

A perfect harmony of sweet and savoury, this pork sausage is addictively good. Chomp on the springy meat and you get a satisfying burst of flavour!

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WINTER MELON TEA (STALL #3)

Beat Singapore’s sweltering heat with a cup of Winter Melon Tea! Attaining the title of Taiwan’s national tea treasure, this chilled drink is made from winter melon and sugar that has been boiled for an hour.

Regarded as a summer beverage with hydrating health benefits, the drink was mellow with just the right amount of sweetness. The usage of fresh winter melon fruits also lent the drink a fragrant, all-natural nectarine aftertaste.

TAIWANESE ODEN (STALL #3)

Taiwanese Oden, also known as Tian Bu La, is a traditional fried fish cake dish that has been moulded into various shapes and sizes. Made from a thick fish fillet paste, the mixture is slathered with sauce and seasoning before it is deep-fried. It is then skewered and enjoyed as a snack to go.

STIR-FRIED BRAISED SNACKS (STALL #12)

Known as Lo-Wei, Stir-fried Braised Snacks features an assortment of vegetables and sides that customers can choose from before it is stir-fried and served. Customers can also have a fun time watching the chefs skillfully toss their ingredients!

Expect a colourful mixture of ingredients such as chicken hearts, livers and drumsticks that individually adds a unique flavour to the dish. Distinct, herbal flavour from its gravy also entirely permeated the various snacks, making it all the more delectable.

Promising good vibes and good food, Ningxia Night Market is the perfect destination to make a beeline for when you are planning a day out during the weekends. Come on down and spoil yourself with Taiwan’s delicacies!

Ningxia Night Market Singapore
Siloso Point, Sentosa
Singapore 098997
Date: 16 Jan to 9 Feb 2020
Time: 5pm – 10:30pm

This post was brought to you by Asian Night Market: Taiwan Food Festival.

If you need another reason to hit up Orchard Road this weekend, here’s one to finally tip the balance: Takashimaya Food Fiesta is back!

Presenting you with an incredible line-up of delicious Asian street food, you will get to choose from cuisines around the Asian region including Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, as well as local delights! Prepare to feast as this festival has over 50 stalls for you to fill your tummies.

From 30 May to 16 June 2019, Takashimaya Food Fiesta will be taking place at Basement 2 of Takashimaya Square. Not sure what to indulge in? We were lucky enough to try a myriad of food here, so here is what to expect.

XING FU TANG

Bubble Tea enthusiasts, rejoice! The food fiesta has not one, two or three bubble tea stalls, but four!

Amongst them is a preview stall of Xing Fu Tang, which hails from the streets of Taiwan. We can say that, without a doubt, Singapore has just gained another worthy competitor for the title of best Brown Sugar Boba Milk.

The pearls are stir-fried in a wok before you to ensure freshness. Also unique to the brand is the shape of the pearls; they’re more like rounded discs rather than circular in shape.

Importing their sugar from Taiwan, Xing Fu Tang’s Brown Sugar Boba Milk is easily one of the best in Singapore. If there is only one thing you have to try at this festival, this is it.

KAZO

Light and flaky, the Original Kazo Polo is a must-try for all pastry lovers. We also had the Kazu Kazu with both of the fillings in Hokkaido Cream and Chocolate Cream; these make lovely sweet treats and we love how flaky and crispy the pastry is.

Durian Lovers will definitely enjoy the Durian Cream Puff. The filling is so sweet, velvety and smooth that even non-durian fans will be able to enjoy and appreciate this dessert.

BBQ CHEF

Creating their own unique rendition on a classic Swiss Rosti by fusing beloved Southeast Asian flavours, BBQ Chef offers an addictive selection of rosti that make for something different at the food fare.

Taking the cult-favourite salted egg flavour and combining it with crispy golden-brown potatoes, the Salted Egg Rosti with Chicken Bratwurst is a must-try! Although the rosti was a tad greasy, it was not too overwhelming on the palate.

Stick to a recognised favourite with the Classic Rosti with Smoked Salmon. Complemented by the addition of sour cream, this left us craving for more.

Cheese Stick with Special Sauce has 5 sticks per serving; cheese lovers will get a kick out of the drool-worthy cheese pull and the delicious crunchy batter the sticks are coated in.

BAO MAKER

We love mantou, whether dipped in a luscious helping of Chilli Crab sauce or not, and Bao Maker’s contemporary take on the Asian bun is something different to love.

Immediately drawing our attention was the Blackened Chicken Bao, which arrived with a piece of chicken that was actually black. Don’t let that deter you though, the bun was garlicky and well-paired with the soft bun.

A match made in heaven, the Chilli Crab Bao was no surprise with the crispy exterior of the deep-fried mantou paired with everyone’s favourite crab meat coated in rich chilli sauce.

XI PIN XIAN

It is Xi Pin Xian’s first time in Singapore, and they feature incredibly tasty lunchboxes that will instantly transport you to the busy streets of Taiwan. Their lunchboxes are loaded with fragrant rice, bamboo shoots, mixed vegetables and your choice of meat.

We got the Braised Minced Meat with Pork Belly and the Braised Pork Trotters. The meat was really well-seasoned and had been steeped for a long time. Our favourite of them all was the Pork Belly; it was insanely good with how melt-in-your-mouth the fat was.

THE KIMCHI POT

Featuring a colourful plethora of lunchboxes, The Kimchi Pot is a true Asian favourite.

We had the Bulgogi Lunchbox; it was well-rounded and wholesome with well-seasoned slices of beef along with side dishes of japchae and kimchi, as well as fluffy brown rice!

We couldn’t resist the Egg Rolls too—cooked with seaweed, spring onions and carrots, this is a dish that the little ones would surely love!

BONCHON

Bonchon is a favourite amongst locals for their mouth-watering Korean Fried Chicken. At the food fiesta, they also offer Rice Burgers.

The Luncheon Meat with Egg Rice Burger could be an exciting alternative for breakfast, the creamy mayonnaise in the rice burger complemented the luncheon meat and egg nicely.

Also, try the Truffle Mushroom Rice Burger, it held the alluring smoky aroma of truffle and proved to be a unique rendition of rice burgers.

TAMARU & BAR FIRST DINING (HIROSHIMAYAKI)

If you love Japanese Street Food, head on over to Hiroshimayaki, which is located in the corner close to the water fountain.

Presenting a selection of Dango, Japanese Rolled Omelette and Yakisoba, this stall is as authentic as it gets; it is run by friendly Japanese staff who cook the Rolled Omelette right before your own eyes!

The Rolled Omelette we tried was topped with mentaiko sauce, and biting into it was unbelievably satisfying with creamy sauce flavouring the fresh and distinct layers of egg wrapped around one another.

We also had the takoyaki skewer. Delightfully crisp and generously covered with a sweet and savoury sauce, the takoyaki batter itself was light yet fragrant, and encased in every ball is a chunk of fresh octopus.

MURUAMAMI

Selling addictively squishy and chewy mochi pancakes, expect unique flavours that are oh-so-creamy and rich at Muruamami.

Try the Hokkaido Melon and the seasonal Mao Shan Wang Durian flavours, both of which tasted accurately true to the fruit sans the artificial flavouring. If you want something heavier, go for the Purple Sweet Potato which is filled with a rich puree of the vegetable.

SAWADEE THAI

Thai street food is always a hit, and Sawadee Thai proves this with their diverse selection of dishes.

The Crispy Chicken Wings is a crispy rendition that is subtly packed with a little spice for a robust aftertaste. The Grilled Pork Collar features thickly-cut pieces of meat served with a special sauce; so aromatic and flavourful, you’d want seconds for sure.

Also, try their Glutinous Ball in Coconut which is served with generous portions of sweet rice balls and fresh coconut flesh!

DOCTOR C MALA MALA

Sourcing pure white Snow Corn all the way from Cameron Highlands, the passionate stall owner of Doctor C Mala Mala informed us of how each and every piece of Snow Corn is pleasantly sweet and tasty despite only being steamed and prepared as it is—no frills, no fuss.

The Roasted Sweet Potato here left a lingering earthy scent of roasted goodness throughout the festival. Wonderfully roasted and perfectly gooey inside, the sweet potato was caramelised and amazingly sweet on its own.

COOKIES FOR YOU BY SCOOPZ

To end off our feast on a delightfully sweet note, of course, we had to get ice cream! Scoopz handcrafts all of their uniquely-flavoured ice cream, and the stall at the Takashimaya Food Fiesta is no different.

We selected the soft pink coloured grape ice cream that’s exclusive to the fair, and also paired Avocado and Chocolate Ice Cream together.

Takashimaya Food Fiesta
391A Orchard Rd
Takashimaya Square, B2
Singapore 238873
Daily: 10am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard/Somerset
Open from 30 May to 16 June 2019

This post was brought to you by Takashimaya.