Taiwanese restaurant chain, Isshin Machi has opened a new outlet at Serangoon Gardens and it will be taking over the former space vacated by Nic & Tom Eatery.

Photo credit: Isshin Machi

Known for serving authentic Taiwanese dishes at reasonable prices, Isshin Machi has quickly expanded in Singapore with various outlets at East Coast Road, GR.ID, Holland Village, Greenwood Avenue, and Waterway Point.

Some of the popular dishes and drinks include Lu Rou Fan, Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodles, Spicy Wonton Noodles, Fried Rice with Pork Chop and Brown Sugar Caramel Milk Tea.

After the opening of JU Signatures, Isshin Machi is the next restaurant to open in Serangoon Gardens.

Which is your favourite Taiwanese restaurant in Singapore?

Isshin Machi
55 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555951

Read our Serangoon Gardens Food Guide featuring 26 restaurants, cafes and eateries in the neighbourhood.

Taiwan is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Southeast Asia because what is there not to love about that country?

Besides their friendly locals and scenic landscapes, we have always been fascinated with Taiwanese food. Bring on the pungent beancurd and pig’s blood!

But hold your horses and please do not get the wrong idea. Taiwanese classic dishes ain’t a fear-factor show but instead, an exciting exploration of food. From Beef Noodle Soup, Oyster Omelette to Pineapple Cake, here is our guide to 11 Taiwanese Classic Dishes To Eat.

Source: Hufu Wong

#1 BA-WAN

The disk-shaped Ba-Wan is essentially a translucent doughy dumpling with a diameter of approximately seven centimetres. It is filled with minced meat stuffing and then served with a sweet-and-savoury sauce.

Ba-Wan’s texture bears an uncanny resemblance to gummy and the fillings vary across different parts of Taiwan.

#2 BEEF NOODLE SOUP

As its name implies, Beef Noodle Soup, or also known as Niu Rou Mian is exactly what it is. Think noodles and braised succulent beef dunked in an aromatic semi-dark broth. The dish is then topped with chives, leafy vegetables and/or Chinese pickled cabbage. It is a comfort food that can be found everywhere in Taiwan.

#3 BRAISED PORK RICE

Braised Pork Rice—called Lu Rou Fan in Chinese—is basically a piping hot bowl of steamed rice topped with delicious minced pork. The meat’s sauce is key in this delicacy and adds an extra depth of flavour to its overall taste profile. Complement your Braised Pork Rice with a Chinese tea leaf egg and pickled vegetables.

#4 BUBBLE TEA

Bubble Tea was first invented in Taichung in the 1980s and the rest is history. The iconic tea-based beverage is served with chewy tapioca pearls and you can savour them hot or chilled. Other cities, especially those in the United States of America, call these delightful drinks Boba.

#5 FRIED CHICKEN STEAK

The Taiwanese Fried Chicken Steak is beyond sinful but definitely worth all the calories. A tenderised marinated chicken breast is deep-fried till golden brown and seasoned with pepper, salt and (optional) spices. No one leaves Taiwan without trying this iconic Taiwanese snack!

#6 SMELLY TOFU

Caution: the smelly tofu is not for the faint-hearted. The fermented beancurd has such an overwhelming odour that your nose could certainly detect its presence even from hundreds of metres away! This dish is a popular snack amongst Taiwanese and you will definitely find them at the night markets.

#7 MANGO SHAVED ICE

Mango Shaved Ice boasts fine snowflake ice with chunky fresh mango pieces—an ideal treat to combat the intolerable summer heat! The icy treat is a crowd pleaser and Smoothie House located along Yong Kang Street in Taipei has one of the best renditions.

#8 OYSTER OMELETTE

The glorious Taiwanese Oyster Omelette—also known affectionately amongst natives as orh-ah-jian—is a heavenly union of the gelatinous sweet potato starch and the pan-fried omelette with freshly poached oysters that will melt in your mouth.

A sauce made from tomato ketchup, soy paste and sweet chilli is then drenched over the fragrant oyster omelette.

#9 OYSTER VERMICELLI

Oyster Vermicelli features a generous amount of wheat-based noodles mixed with thickened soup. The flour-rice noodle dish is served with fresh oysters but it is also common to see other interpretations replacing oysters with braised pig intestines instead.

#10 PINEAPPLE CAKE

Traditional Taiwanese pineapple cakes or Feng Li Shu are sweet bite-sized squarish cakes with a buttery exterior and filled with thick jam-like pineapple filling. They are best eaten fresh but also make great souvenirs to bring home.

Source: Easy Eat in Taiwan

#11 ZHU XUE GAO

Zhu Xue Gao—made from pig’s blood and glutinous rice—might come across as a terrifying dish but is actually a well-loved street snack amongst Taiwanese locals. In Taiwan, the pig’s blood could be boiled, braised, fried or steamed.

The most popular way to eat it would be a steamed version on a stick coated with cilantro, peanut and soy sauce.

#12 CONG ZHUA BING

Cong Zhua Bing is a type of Taiwanese pancake that is highly raved about by the locals. You can find hawkers at night markets flipping these scallion pancakes with oil before topping them off with a topping of your choice.

Photo Credit: Taiwan Food Culture

#13 DA CHANG BAO XIAO CHANG

The English name literally translates to ‘big sausage wraps small sausage’ but this iconic Taiwanese street food is essentially Chinese sausage wrapped with glutinous rice. It usually comes with lettuce, salted vegetables and lots of garlic.

#14 TAIWANESE PORRIDGE

After all that feasting, it would be good to have some Taiwanese porridge to cleanse your palate. Everyone gets a bowl of plain porridge which they can complement with a wide variety of side dishes—really similar to our economic rice stalls in Singapore when you think about it!

Be it your first time or second time to Taipei, one thing that you must include in your itinerary is a trip to one of Taipei’s night markets. We love night markets for the splendid array of street food (at reasonable prices), the lively atmosphere and simply the thrill of getting our hands on cheap clothing or goods!

Admittedly, most would only cater time to visit the more commercialised or popularised night markets such as Shilin Night Market or Raohe Street Night Market, but there are plenty of other undiscovered night markets in Taipei that deserve your time too. And, why only visit one or two night markets during your visit to Taipei when you could go to many more?

Here are 12 Night Markets In Taipei You Should Include In Your Itinerary.

Photo Credit: Alec Travel Guide

#1 GUANGZHOU STREET NIGHT MARKET

For a better feel of what a local and authentic night market in Taipei is like, Guangzhou Street Night Market will be a great place to visit. As one of the oldest night markets in Taiwan, Guangzhou Street Night Market is preferred by locals and is part of the Longshan Temple Night Market area.

Apart from regular street food that you can find in other night markets, some interesting dishes that you can try include pig feet, frog soup and glutinous rice. Visitors can also get up to plenty of fun games where you can play the night away. However, do take note that this is not a place to visit if you are searching for good clothing deals.

Guangzhou Street Night Market
Lane 152, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Longshan Temple

Photo Credit: HJ Love To Travel

#2 GONGGUAN NIGHT MARKET 

Located right beside Exit 1 of Gongguan Station, Gongguan Night Market is the biggest night market in the South district of Taipei City. The night market is strategically located in the midst of a business district, which allows visitors to browse through clothing and accessory stores, portrait studios, coffee shops and more.

Due to its close proximity to the National Taiwan University, majority of the traffic at this night market are made up of students. Yes, this means that prices are less steep and in fact pretty reasonable! And why not pick up some QinWaZhuangNai i.e. famous bubble milk tea in the area, whilst exploring the night market?

Gongguan Night Market
Section 3, Luosifu Road,
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Daily: 3pm – 11:45pm
Nearest Station: Gongguan

#3 HUAXI STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Huaxi Street Night Market is another one of Taiwan’s more traditional markets. You would not have a hard time finding this night market as a large, red palace-style archway marks the entrance to the market which is open throughout the day.

Plenty of old, historical shops occupy the streets of Huaxi Street Night Market and you would be able to find plenty of yummy street foods to indulge in! For instance, this is where the Danzai noodle restaurant business began and something interesting you can try is the snake soup—a dish unique to Huaxi Street Night Market. Otherwise, why not take part in some fortune-telling or simply go for a good massage?

Huaxi Street Night Market
Huaxi Street, Wanhua District
Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Tel: +886 2 2388 1818
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Longshan Temple

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

#4 LEHUA NIGHT MARKET 

The origins of Lehua Night Market date back to the early 1970s, and this night market is located in the Yonghe District which is famous for its delicious soya bean drink. Offering a wonderful mix of street food stalls, shopping and entertainment facilities, this is an all-in-one market where you will never feel bored.

Another night market that is a favourite of many locals, this night market is wider and easier to navigate even for those who are visiting for the first time. Unfortunately, due to noise complaints from the neighbouring areas surrounding the market, Lehua Night Market may be closed down soon. Quick, make sure this night market is on your to-go list if you are visiting Taipei soon!

Lehua Night Market
Yongping Road, Yonghe District,
New Taipei City, Taiwan 234
Tel: +886 800 000 123
Daily: 5pm – 12.59am
Nearest Station: Dingxi

#5 LIAONING STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Located a stone’s throw away from Fuju Temple, Liaoning Street Night Market is a popular night market that often draws mostly locals, unlike other regular night markets in Taipei. Thus, this is the best night market to visit to avoid tourists but yet have a taste of authentic Taiwanese cuisine.

Some delicious street food that you can try include the oyster omelette, boiled squid, mochi and oden cooking. The seafood stir-fry shop at the night market is also very popular and this is where you can get your seafood fix, cooked according to your preference.

Liaoning Street Night Market
Liaoning Street, Zhongshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 10491
Daily: 4pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Nanjing East Road

#6 NANJICHANG NIGHT MARKET 

Nanjichang Night Market is another night market which has not been tainted by tourism and is recognised for its ruggedness and truly Taiwanese character. A hot favourite of the locals, you would hardly see any tourists in the area which means that you are in for a night of authentic Taiwan street food and culture.

Albeit slightly smaller in size than other notable night markets such as the Shilin Night Market, the street food offered at Nanjichang Night Market does not pale in comparison. One identifying trait of this night market is that all street foods offered at night will be available even during the day. Rest assured also that Nanjichang Night Market is budget-friendly and would not burn a hole in your pocket.

Nanjichang Night Market
Lane 307, Section 2, Zhonghua Road
Wanhua District, Taipei
Tel: +886 2 2305 3036
Daily: 6am – 12am
Nearest Station: Wanhua

#7 NINGXIA NIGHT MARKET

Like Nanjichang Night Market, Ningxia Night Market is a smaller night market which offers just as fantastic street food as the larger ones do. This is a nostalgic night market where you can stuff yourself silly with all the Taiwanese snacks available such as fried yam balls, oyster omelette and braised pork rice!

If you need a break from all the food, consider participating in some games or shopping in the southern part of the night market. A well-balanced night market adventure, we’d say.

Ningxia Night Market
Ningxia Road, Datong District
Taipei City, Taiwan 103
Tel: +886 915 652 480
Daily: 5:30pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Shuanglian

#8 RAOHE STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei, which has been extremely well-received and usually considered a must-visit for all tourists. Spreading out along a 600-metre path of Raohe Street in the Songshan District, have tons of fun exploring all the different interesting and delicious street foods and snacks, shops and stalls and even carnival activities available there.

A word of advice—7pm would be a good time to drop by this night market as most vendors usually only begin setting up their stalls at 5pm.

Raohe Street Night Market
Rao He Street, Songshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Tel: +886 2 2763 5733
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Songshan

#9 SHIDA NIGHT MARKET

Looking for a trendy night market? Shida Night Market is waiting for you! This night market is located within the Da’an District, which is known for its upmarket and hipster vibes and is home to several rock bars, cafes and restaurants. Best of all, visitors would appreciate that Shida Night Market is well-organised, quaint and compact, as compared to other larger and messier night markets.

Offering an incredible selection of delightful street food and cheap clothes from stylish boutiques, you would find plenty of young entrepreneurs cum vendors in this night market. Thus, a visit to this night market would be a great way to extend some support for the local fashion community whilst securing good clothing deals.

Shida Night Market
Lane 39, Shida Road, Da’an District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Tue to Sun: 5pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Taipower Building

#10 SHILIN NIGHT MARKET

As one of the largest and most popular night markets in Taiwan, most would usually have Shilin Night Market on their minds when planning their trip to Taipei. And to make it better, this night market is also conveniently located near Jiantan Station.

Shilin Night Market is famous for their impressive selection of authentic Taiwan eateries and fashionable clothing boutiques. A newly-renovated building of Shilin Night Market comprises three basement floors and one ground floor. Just think, 94 food vendors on Level B1; how amazing is that? It is time to get crazy and go all out!

Shilin Night Market
Wenlin Road, Shihlin District
Taipei City, Taiwan
Daily: 11am – 2am
Nearest Station: Jiantan

#11 SHUANG CHENG STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Operating for over 40 years, Shuang Cheng Street Night Market is a hot spot for plenty of Taiwanese food and variety shows. As a relatively low-key market, this is where you can escape for good Taiwanese street food without all the hustle and bustle of overly-commercialised night markets.

Some dishes you can try include steam goose meat in goose soup stock and Chiayi Chick Rice. For desserts, favourites include Granny’s old-style flavour sweet noodles and jelly fig ice.

Shuang Cheng Street Night Market
Shuangcheng Street, Zhongshan District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 104
Daily: 8am – 4pm, 5pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Zhong Shan Elementary School / Mingquan West Road

#12 TONGHUA NIGHT MARKET 

Found along the fringe of a residential area in Da’an District, Tonghua Night Market is often filled with plenty of locals and tourists alike. Specialising in local street foods and more, this lively night market will be sure to thrill you even after your first visit.

One popular dish to try at Tonghua Night Market is yan su ji (Taiwanese salted crispy chicken ), braised foods and Cong You Bing (scallion pancake). When you had enough of street food, there are steak restaurants and teppanyaki eateries for you to dine at.

Tonghua Night Market
Linjiang Street, Da’an District,
Taipei 106, Taiwan
Daily: 6pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Xinyi Anhe

Happening for two consecutive weekends this April (19 to 21 April 2019 & 26 to 28 April 2019), Singapore Turf Club at Kranji will play host to Shilin-inspired Night Market—a Taiwanese-themed street food festival of massive proportions.

Boasting rows upon rows of stalls selling authentic Taiwanese street snacks such as mee sua, ji pai (Taiwanese fried chicken cutlet), and many more!

Just to be clear, the Shilin Singapore is a Shilin-inspired Night Market concept and not the actual Shilin Night Market from Taiwan.

Read our guide on Shilin-inspired Night Market in Singapore – too crowded and not worth trip.

This Taiwanese-themed street festival is held at a 200 000 ft² space with over 300 stalls and different vendors segmented into four zones: Eat, Shop, Play, Fun.

Brought to you by the same folks responsible for massive events such as Artbox Singapore, the event will see a culmination of both local and Taiwanese street food delicacies fit for any fancy.

In addition to the endless sea of food stalls, expect a wide array of activities as well such as movie screenings, performances and game booths too!

Shilin-inspired Night Market Singapore
The Grounds @ Kranji,
Singapore Turf Club @ Kranji (Carpark B)
19 Apr – 21 Apr 2019
26 Apr – 28 Apr 2019
Fri to Sun: 3pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Kranji

Read our Taipei guides to discover the best places to explore in the city.

The Salted Plum pays tribute to hearty, comforting Taiwanese street food that is the hallmark of Taiwan’s ever-popular night markets.

Managed by the same people behind the former FIVE-TEN, The Salted Plum—located in Boat Quay—came to fruition after many months of intensive research while Chef Shawn Koh was travelling through Taiwan in hopes of replicating the same flavours but with an innovative twist back in Singapore.

The casual restaurant serves a medley of Taiwanese street food—from favourites such as Braised Pork Belly, Braised Pig Intestines and Taiwanese Sausage Patties to other interesting options including the likes of Salted Pork and Oyster Steamed Egg.

And just like what you would expect from the street food stalls at Taiwanese night markets, prices at The Salted Plum are kept affordable so you can indulge in Taiwanese-style meals, “tapas” and alcohol all day (and night) long without feeling the pinch.

THE SALTED PLUM CONCEPT

The humble establishment’s concept is one that is easy to grasp; prices are mostly set at S$5, S$10 and S$15 for most items and S$25 for the premium choices. Their S$10 lunch bowls are the top picks, with incredible options such as the Lu Rou Fan and Steak Rice.

As much as their lunch deals are insanely attractive, it is really the a la carte dishes you should be keeping a lookout for. Known as ‘xiao chi’, the small plates featured at the Salted Plum are essentially similar to those substantial snacks you will find at any traditional eatery in Taiwan.

Complement the delicious “tapas” with their selective range of drinks, from red tea to beers and wines.

S$5 DISHES

LU ROU

Even those who have not been to Taiwan would have heard about Lu Rou (braised pork belly) because it is THAT iconic.

But there is no need to get on a plane just to have taste of this street delicacy if you are short on cash/time; the recipe has been perfected by The Salted Plum and what you get at the humble establishment is two gorgeous slices of pork belly that are braised in savoury and sweet sauce. Have the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly with their Shiny Rice in one bite—you will be blown away by the sheer umami flavours.

BAMBOO SHOOTS

While bamboo shoots is hardly anyone’s idea of a signature dish at a restaurant, The Salted Plum seeks to prove that notion wrong. Fresh chunks of bamboo shoots are simmered in aromatic pork broth to allow the decadent porky flavours to penetrate into the crunchy vegetables.

By the way, this is a great snack if you are drinking beer. The Taiwanese could call that ‘xia jiu cai’.

SMASHED BABY POTATOES

One of the most memorable dishes on the menu during our previous trip was the Smashed Baby Potatoes with salted plum powder—and is still, by far, a dish we would highly recommend to diners.

Think smashed potatoes deep-fried to perfection so you get that crispy texture with every bite. It was so good, it may very well be the only way we want to have potatoes for finger food from now on!

S$10 DISHES

TAIWANESE SAUSAGE PATTIES

Inspired by his experience with Taiwanese sausages and Taiwanese-style cured bacon during his travels, Chef Koh’s version of Taiwanese Sausage Patties has been modified to suit our local palates, using less rice wine and sugar but throwing in more five spice powder.

Made in their kitchen daily, fresh ground pork belly is first marinated with fragrant spices before they are moulded into small patties and stir-fried in a pan. We thoroughly enjoyed the layer of char on the outside for that smoky flavour while the meat remains tender and juicy.

BRAISED PIG INTESTINES

Those who do not take innards won’t be inclined to try this dish but trust us when we say, this is the place that will change your perception of pig offal.

The fresh large intestines are braised in a piquant dark sauce that strikes out any pungent smell you would usually taste in poorly done pork innards dishes.

OYSTER STEAMED EGG

To be honest, the Oyster Steamed Egg did not look like much when we first saw it. You really have to dig into it to find the treasure hidden within the steamed egg—a generous serving of baby oysters so plump and they provided great textures when eaten with the silky smooth steamed egg.

MUSSELS

Steamed mussels with wine is not a new recipe but the one at The Salted Plum stays true to traditional Chinese culinary techniques by using only Shaoxing wine, a type of yellow wine that is commonly used for Chinese cooking to elevate flavours.

This mouthwatering bowl of mussels is then topped off with sliced ginger for that additional kick.

STEAMED PRAWNS

Enjoy a piping hot bowl of prawns that follows the classic, healthy Chinese method of steaming and is served with garlic, chilli, fish sauce and soy sauce.

The freshness of these juicy prawns is complemented with a hint of heat from the chilli padi and garlic—just the way Asians love their spicy food.

MORE TAIWANESE-INSPIRED FOOD ON THE MENU

The list doesn’t end here. Apart from our favourites, The Salted Plum also has other choices that make for great tapas or filling meals when you have them with rice. Some other options to consider are the Haus Bacon (S$10) which are made in-house, Brussels Sprouts (S$10) and Corn (S$5).

For something even fancier, the Hamachi Collar (S$15) and Slipper Lobster (S$25) will do the trick.

FREE-FLOW DRINKS FOR S$5 AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Complete your meals with iced teas at S$5 for groups of four. Served in a decanter, the iced teas are free-flow so you can have as much as you desire for just a one time charge. What a steal, we know!

Beyond that, The Salted Plum is also the perfect place for after-work drinks with your friends and colleagues because of the chill ambience and selection of reasonably-priced alcoholic beverages which include Taiwan Beer (S$10/ bottle) and wines.

STAY TUNED FOR A NEW SUPPER SPOT AT BOAT QUAY

For night owls who are looking for a supper spot in Boat Quay, you will be delighted to know that The Salted Plum will be opened till late on Fridays and Saturdays, offering Taiwanese porridge from 11pm to 3pm on these two nights. Imagine having a bowl of warm porridge with sweet potatoes after a night of drinks—how comforting!

Diners can also have their porridge with other sides such as Fried Frog Legs with Haus Chilli Mayo, Dough Fritters with Minced Pork and Haus Sauce, Crispy Duck Leg and Golden King Mushroom and Plum Powder. Signature items from their main menu including Braised Intestines, Burnt Chilli Chicken and House-made Taiwanese Sausage Patties can also be enjoyed.

The Salted Plum
10 Circular Road
Singapore 049366
Tel: +65 9181 6265
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

This post is brought to you by The Salted Plum.

FIVE-TEN is the latest addition to the developing restaurant scene located along South Bridge Road. If there is any way to describe their food, it is total comfort inspired by the dynamic street food scene of Taipei.

During lunchtime, they offer a spectacular array of innovative dishes such as their take on the popular Taiwanese street food, Lu Rou Fan, and at night, the humble and seemingly innocent establishment transforms into a bar where you can enjoy a tipple.

At FIVE-TEN, you can expect quality Taiwanese-style comfort food at super affordable prices.

The interior is dark yet sophisticated, similar to the kind you would expect to find at a speakeasy bar. The brick wall by the bar adds to the ambiance by giving this eatery a rustic feel.

FIVE-TEN has an array innovative tipples like gaoliang slushies as well as a curated selection of beers, wines, and spirits—priced between $5++ and $10++—to cater to the after-work drinking crowd and late night revelers.

For starters, we ordered a sharing plate of their Fried Chicken (S$5++). A mixture of chicken thigh and breast meat are thinly coated with flour and are deep fried till crispy. The dish comes with a seaweed mayonnaise which the chef makes in-house.

The fried chicken pieces were super crisp and surprisingly juicy on the inside. The seaweed mayonnaise added a refreshing umami touch to the dish, creating a new dimension of savouriness which worked exceptionally well with the crispy chicken.

Fans of Taiwanese food fare will be impressed with their version of the iconic Lu Rou Fan
(S$10++).

A bowl filled with a generous scoop of Japanese short-grain rice doused in a sweet and savoury sauce is topped with thick cuts of braised pork belly, boiled kai lan and a sous-vide egg.

Each individual element was executed perfectly; the braised pork belly was tender, juicy and beautifully infused with the braising liquid, while the kai lan added a nice crunch to the dish. The runny egg yolk provided an added richness to the dish which we felt was what made the whole dish such a joy to eat.

One of their popular mains at FIVE-TEN is the Steak, Rice, and Egg (S$10++). As its name suggests, it is essentially a rice bowl with seared sirloin steak topped with a sous-vide egg.

A generous portion of beautifully cooked steak is neatly displayed to showcase its glorious pink shade. It was tender and the few sprinkles of sea salt really helped to bring out the beefy flavours.

The dish comes with pickled Chinese cabbage on the side. We felt that the tartness added a whole new flavour dimension. It really helped to cut through the richness of the steak and the egg.

If tasty innovative Taiwanese-style eats at affordable prices are what you are after, then you need to make a trip down to FIVE-TEN today!

Five Ten
237 South Bridge Road
Tel: +65 6924 7352
(Closed on Mondays)
Tues to Sat: 10am – 10pm
Sun: 10am – 2.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Shihlin Night Market is a must-visit “attraction” for anyone visiting Taipei for the first time and this bustling night market is home to some of the best of Taiwanese street food.

Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks is a food chain in Asia Pacific that offers authentic Taiwanese snacks with more than 150 outlets throughout the region and there is a total of 14 outlets here in Singapore.

You must have had a taste of their famous XXL Crispy Chicken, a popular snack that you can find in the actual Shihlin Night Market. This is probably the closest you can get to the real deal. Now, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks has introduced a spanking new rendition of this snack—Salted Egg Yolk Crispy Chicken.

We already know how great fried chicken tastes like, but when coated with salted egg yolk sauce, it is pure genius! Here is what we loved about the all-new Salted Egg Yolk Crispy Chicken and other signature snacks from Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks.

SUPER ADDICTIVE SALTED EGG YOLK CRISPY CHICKEN

Introducing the new Salted Egg Yolk Crispy Chicken, something that you really must try.

It is true that there have been a lot of salted egg yolk dishes introduced over the last year. And we are adding this rendition to our list of favourites. Imagine your favourite XXL crispy chicken, without the seasoning powders, but slathered with generous amounts of golden and creamy salted egg yolk sauce. It is truly heaven on earth.

We liked that the sauce is not too potent and that it did not overwhelm each bite. The crispy chicken is the same good old chicken that we have always loved—huge so it would be good to share, or even alone as a light meal.

To make it a full meal, you can choose from one of Shihlin’s new milk blended drinks.

NEW MILK BLENDED DRINKS

Taro Milk Blended and Papaya Milk Blended are the two new drinks offered alongside the Salted Egg Yolk Crispy Chicken.

Both drinks are extremely rich and creamy, almost like a dessert. They come in adorable plastic bottles that you can reuse.

SIGNATURE ORIGINAL XXL CRISPY CHICKEN

This is a classic order at Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks and you can never go wrong with it.

The XXL Crispy Chicken is the most popular order, and you can even have it as a complete meal in a rice box. The chicken is always deep-fried upon order, then coated with seasoning powders. Once the flavouring is done, the chicken cutlet will be cut up into bite-sized pieces for easier consumption.

The chicken cutlet is skinless and has no fat on it so you get an even, tender bite in each piece. The XXL Crispy Chicken is best eaten immediately when served to enjoy its crispiness and tenderness at best.

SLURP UP THE HANDMADE OYSTER MEE SUA

Of course, you have to try the Handmade Oyster Mee Sua as it is one of the quintessential Taiwanese street snacks.

The stock is made in-house with five core ingredients over a small flame; the end result is an intense and tasty broth. The mee sua is imported and huge plump oysters are added in every bowl. We also enjoyed the added serving of shredded chicken.

SAVOURY CREPES (AND SOME CHEESE PORN)

Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks also offers savoury crepes such as Sausage Cheese Egg Crepe and Mushroom Cheese Egg Crepe.

Every crepe is filled generously with the ingredients and is wrapped up in handmade spring onion crepe skin. These crepes are also best eaten hot, and the cheese pull is an immense satisfaction to watch.

NIBBLE ON SWEET PLUM POTATO FRIES

The Sweet Plum Potato Fries are painstakingly hand-cut in store to maintain its freshness. The fries are deep-fried upon order, then coated with their special in-house plum powder.

Just a heads up—these fries are extremely addictive. You will find yourself munching on these non-stop until you are done with the bag. They are that delicious!

Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks
1 Sengkang Square
#B1-51 Compass One
Singapore 545078
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Sengkang

This post is brought to you by Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks.

When it comes to night markets in Taipei, most people are familiar with the famous ones such as Shilin, Raohe and Shida. However, not many know about Linjiang Street Night Market (also known as Tonghua Night Market) which is located on the fringe of a residential area in Da-an District, near to Taipei 101 and Xinyi.

For first-timers to Taipei, stick with Shilin and Shida night markets as they are bigger in scale and much more accessible. However, if you have been to the other markets before, you might want to check out Linjiang Night Market.

One of the most popular street food in night markets is yan su ji (Taiwanese salted crispy chicken). Small chunks of chicken are deep-fried and sprinkled with pepper salt, and they are offered with a variety of other ingredients such as Taiwanese tempura, fish ball, pig’s blood, squid, mushroom, tofu, and intestine. At the intersection of Linjiang street and Tonghua street, you can find this stall which has been around for 20 years.

Just across the street, there is a popular yan shui ji (steamed salted chicken) stall. It offers side dishes like vegetables, intestines, and different parts of chicken. Everything is chopped into small pieces and stirred with a pepper sauce.

Lu wei, or braised food, is also another must-try. A lu wei braised snacks stand typically offers a good selection of food such as vegetables, bean curd, intestines, and meat. Pick your preferred ingredients and the chef will cook it in a special sauce.

My favourite in Linjiang Street Night Market is this stall (pictured above) selling Cong You Bing (scallion pancake), a savoury flat bread with green onions and pork. It is greasy and sinful, but oh so delicious.

Besides having the usual oyster omelette, tian bu la (Taiwanese tempura), pig’s blood rice pudding, Taiwanese sausage and stinky tofu, Linjiang Night Market also has several stalls which offer something different. The appearance of German’s pork knuckle in a night market seems like a stroke of genius as it combines two favourite things: deep-fried food and pork knuckle.

Over at a corner, you can find an old lady making zhuang yuan bing (scholar’s cake), a traditional Chinese cake that comes with either peanut or sesame filling.

Surprisingly, I spotted two stalls selling Vietnamese street food such as banh mi sandwiches, salad and pho. It is really fascinating how different cuisines from around the world can be found in Taiwan’s night markets.

Other than street food, there are also steak restaurants and teppanyaki eateries. You can get a huge steak on a hotplate for NT$150 (S$6.50), while a delicious teppanyaki meal starts from as low as NT$100 (S$4).

If you are staying in the Da-an or Xinyi district – well, even if you are not, there is absolutely no reason to not pay Linjiang Street Night Market a visit.

For more recommendations, read my Guide to Taiwanese Night Markets and Street Food

Mention Taiwan and anyone would immediately think of night markets and street food. In Taipei alone, there are many night markets that offer an amazing array of mouth-watering street food. Below, we explore three of the most popular night markets in Taipei – Shilin, Raohe, and Shida.

Let’s eat our way through Taipei night markets!

Shilin Night Market

Shilin is probably the most well-known name in Taipei. While some people do not like Shilin because the market is perpetually packed with tourists, it is definitely the place to start if this is your first time visiting the city.

Walk around the market and you will see a few stalls selling Da chang bao xiao chang – a Taiwanese sausage sandwiched in sticky rice bun – which is one of the most popular street food in Taipei.

A few stalls down, we made a pitstop for orh ah mee sua – another must try Taiwanese snack – a bowl of hearty oyster vermicelli that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

And of course, nobody leaves Shilin Night Market without having the famous Hot Star large fried chicken (Hao Da ji pai): crispy and delicious fried chicken cutlets that go best with bubble tea. Nothing beats the combination of greasy ji pai and bubble tea.

Most of the stalls have moved to the underground basement “food court”, and they are still as crowded as usual. Orh ah jian (fried oyster omelette), ru rou fan (braised pork rice), sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork bun) and guan cai ban (coffin shaped bread) are just a few of the options that you would be tempted with.

Raohe Market

The Raohe Night Market, a stone’s throw away from Wufenpu wholesale market, is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei. You can find the usual Taiwanese street food like oyster vermicelli, fried chicken and stinky tofu, but what you must not miss is the famed hujiao bing (pepper pork buns). There are several stalls selling the same thing, but for the best, you have to go to the one located at the entrance of the night market, which is not difficult to spot as there is always a long queue.

Some of the other things that we tried include waffles, grilled mushrooms, and spare ribs stewed in herbal soup. Wash everything down with bitter-gourd juice, which is surprisingly not bitter.

Shida Night Market

Of the three night markets in this post, my favourite is Shida Night Market – located near National Taiwan Normal University – with niche fashion boutiques, cute cafes, and affordable street food catering to the students.

There have been rumours that Shida Night Market has closed down due to complaints from residents, but that is not true. While a part of the old market was forced to shut down, the main market is still around, and they cover several small streets along the main Shida Road.

Start off by having tian bu la (tempura soaked in sweet gravy), and share a serving of aiyu bing (jelly served with lime) – a refreshing dessert that is perfect to go along with everything. Also, you must try the sizzling giant steaks with noodles and sunny side-up. They are so cheap and good!

There are several hot stew stalls in Shida Night Market, but one of the most prominent names is Lantern Hot Stew where you can choose from a variety of food – including fishballs, vegetables, different parts of duck and pig like innards, and pig’s blood cake – and it is served in a braised sauce.

If you are still hungry, there are other night markets in Taipei like Liaoning market, Huaxi Street market, and Ningxia night market. But that’s a story for another day.

For more recommendations, read my guide on where to eat in Taipei