Taiwan Hot Take: Whatever you do, DON'T go to Tainan first!
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Alas, when it comes to food, Taipei is nothing but a "food desert" compared to Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan known for its rich history and fantastic food scene! My dining experiences in Taipei were far from satisfactory.
- Those popular establishments often have interminable lines, or they choose their opening hours at whim, making it incredibly challenging to enjoy a meal.
However, Tainan is a different story entirely! Staying in the Bao'an Street area of Tainan, which is famous for its concentration of local food stalls and traditional eateries, was like being in heaven for a food enthusiast!
- I ate so much every day that I had to lean against the wall to walk back to my accommodation.
- The best part is that I didn't even need to research beforehand; just randomly choosing a place resulted in delicious dishes every time, with absolutely no "bad experience" (踩雷). (Chinese internet slang for having a bad experience.)
- To be honest, I am so regretting… I wish I had stayed in Tainan longer!
A reminder for friends planning a trip to Taiwan (especially food lovers):
- Manage expectations for Taipei's cuisine: If you have high standards for meals and don't want to waste too much time waiting in long queues at popular spots, or you’re concerned about inconvenient operating hours, you may need to adjust your expectations.
- Visit Tainan for sure: If you love eating, you must spend more days in Tainan! Discovering culinary treasures there happens simply as you wander about, and you don’t need to look up much information beforehand.
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Isn't Tainan food really sweet? I'm from Sichuan and can't really handle sweet food, so I've actually avoided Tainan on my many trips to Taiwan.
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It's not overly sweet. You can taste some sweetness, but the savory (umami) flavor definitely stands out more than the sweet.
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As someone from Hunan, it all looks pretty average to me. However, my colleagues from northern China who've visited Tainan all rave about how delicious the food is.
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I'm from Wuhan. Well, maybe I've just been in Canada for too long, because I find even a random zongzi (meat dumpling) bought from a Tainan street stall to be incredibly delicious.
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As a Tainan native, studying in central Taiwan was pure agony. Tainan's food is so delicious and comparatively cheap...
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I'm from central Taiwan, and eating in Tainan was sheer torture for me... everything was so sweet! I guess it just goes to show how different culinary preferences can be.
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What's in the second picture?
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That's the bone marrow with special sauce from A-Ming Pork Heart. Their stuff is seriously out of this world!
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Visit Tainan first... and food elsewhere just won't hit the same. Tainan excels in amazing street food and snacks; in other cities, you're more likely looking at restaurant dining.
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Totally! When I'm in Taipei, I'm constantly craving the street food from Tainan.
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I've tried pretty much everything in these pictures. The verdict: on the sweet side, on the sweet side, definitely on the sweet side...
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Well, in that case, maybe Sichuan cuisine is more your style.
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Seriously, we started our trip in Tainan and spent the latter half in Taipei. Every single day, we were clamoring to go back to Tainan.
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We had the exact same itinerary! Honestly, Taipei just couldn't compare after Tainan.
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Shhh, keep it down! Don't let everyone else find out, save some for me to eat when I get back home! (A Tainan local just passing through).
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Heard that!
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@
草莓酸奶猫 @Petshare @autocratic -
Aaaargh, now I'm starving!
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I'm heading to Taipei in a bit. Is there really nothing special to eat there? I generally prefer the food in the south too.