Taiwanese street food (台灣街頭食品).

So we're heading to the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) and we're going to take the

MRT to get there.

Let's go eat.

Sam may be feeling a little bit hangry right now.

Just a little bit hangry.

Let's ask to be sure.

Hey Sam?

What?

How hangry are you on a level from one to ten?

I think I've burst through ten.

I'm eleven.

So to get to the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) you want to take the red line to Jiantan Station

(劍潭站) and then take exit 1.

So we have just arrived at the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) and it is still quite

early.

It is 4:30 PM.

Most of the stalls start opening closer to five o'clock and things will only continue

to get busier as the night goes on.

And apparently this market can run until like one or two in the morning.

So yeah, still very early.

We were hungry so we couldn't wait any longer.

So we are having some kind of Barbecue roll with green onion (黑胡椒豬肉卷) in it.

Okay so we are having our first snack of the night.

And if you have a look over here it is basically a pork roll and it is filled with green onions

and she also asked us if we wanted it spicy so she put some powder over it.

Of course we said yes.

Yes.

Haha.

Always.

So look at that.

Oh that looks good.

Mmmm.

Oh man.

Do you like that?

That is really nice.

Yeah.

I'm so hungry right now.

What does it taste like because I've never had anything like this before?

Well, have a look at it here.

It is filled with green onions.

That is like the main ingredient in the middle.

So you taste both the pork and the green onions.

Okay, so Sam's going in.

Time for me to try it.

Mmmm.

That is really good.

I like that the green onions give it like a bit of juiciness.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And the pork is a little bit salty but it is not too as spicy as I thought it would

be.

Yeah.

And we paid the equivalent of five dollars for this.

It was a bit expensive.

A little bit pricy but I mean.

It was 150 Taiwanese Dollars.

So yeah.

But it is good.

So there is one drink I've been wanting to try ever since we got to Taipei (臺北市).

I love bubble tea (珍珠奶茶) and apparently it originated here so voila.

Look at that.

Look at that.

I got one with brown sugar so you can see me mixing it.

You can see the brown sugar.

So good.

On the sides and then you can see the like the pearl tapioca jellies at the bottom.

Man, that looks good.

Oh man.

Oh man.

Mmmmm.

Real deal?

That is so amazing.

I love this drink so so much.

Is it nice and sweet?

Mmmm.

What can you taste?

Don't want to choke on the tapioca balls but it is almost syrupy.

The brown sugar.

Like it is quite thick.

So you really get that flavor coming through and I love that it is made with milk because

apparently you can just get straight up tea and I was like no no no let's go with the

classic.

Give me some milk here.

The milk in there.

So yeah, it is so good.

So good.

So Sam just had to get a taste of it as well.

Of course.

I'm sharing.

Sharing is caring.

So how much was this one?

Mmmm.

Okay, before I talk about that I just have to say how good and sweet that is.

Yeah.

You really taste the brown sugar.

Oh man.

And then you get sucking up all of the jellies.

Man, that is good.

Okay so that was 50 Taiwan dollars which is about a dollar fifty US.

So yeah that is a nice affordable cheap drink.

And so worth it.

So worth it.

And you know what else is cool.

They give you a really thick straw so you can get at your bubbles.

Yep.

Exactly.

Suck them bubbles.

So for our next Taiwanese street snack we are having Taiwan fried chicken (鹹酥雞)

and this was quite the process.

Like first he took the chicken breaded it, deep-fried it and then he took a pan and added

the sauce.

We got sweet chili and then pan-fried the chicken even further in the glaze.

And are those rice cakes beside it?

These look like these could be little rice cakes.

Yeah.

Oh wow.

And then on top of that he sprinkled peanuts and sesame seeds.

It looks amazing.

Yeah.

And that was one hundred and ten Taiwanese dollars so you're looking at about three US

bucks for that.

A little bit more.

A little more than three US.

How is that?

Mmmm.

Oh my gosh.

Good?

It is so tender but so juicy at the same time.

How about the sauce?

Sweet.

So sweet.

Which is really good.

So this was Sam's pick tonight.

And I think you're going to be very pleased.

I think I will.

Oh that is so good.

Isn't it?

Like you said really tender.

Yeah.

And I love the combination of nuts and sesame seeds on the outside.

Yeah.

It gives it a crunch.

Yeah.

Mmmm.

Perfect combination.

And it is a bit spicy too.

So if I can offer one piece of advice when visiting this market it would be to come a

little bit later in the evening.

We arrived around four thirty and it was you know pretty quiet.

Things are starting to pickup a little bit but our food options have been a little bit

limited because people are just you know showing up and opening their stalls.

So later in the evening is best.

Thank you.

So Sam is leading the way with this one.

What are we having next?

Alright moment of truth.

We've been playing it kind of tame.

Playing it kind of safe so far.

We're going right in to the classic Taiwanese street food (台湾街头食品) here.

We are having Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐).

Oh my.

And it is funny because we saw this tofu stand and we're like is this stinky or not we don't

know.

So I walk up to it and I go.

Sniff.

Oh yeah.

That is the real deal.

That is stinky.

That is definitely the real stuff.

So if you've never tried this before I was reading on wikipedia earlier this afternoon

that it smells something like stinky feet or garbage.

Rotting garbage.

Oh my.

So yeah it is strong.

I'm going to go take a bite here.

Yeah.

I think there is some cabbage.

You can see it is on a double skewer here.

Yeah, a double skewers and it has got cabbage in the middle.

Somewhat like a sandwich.

Oh my.

A little overpowering there.

That is something else.

Oh.

It is spicy.

Um.

Oh man.

I'm keeping my distance.

It is just you really taste the sourness of it.

And the fermented aspect and woah.

That is something that would take a while to get used to.

I don't think I'm ever going to enjoy this one to be honest.

How about a second bite to.

Alright I'll do one more.

I'll do one more.

Maybe it'll grow on you.

I also kind of want you to eat most of it so I will have very little left for myself.

So just go ahead.

Oh.

Go ahead.

That is something.

I don't even know how to describe it because I've never had anything quite like it before.

So.

Wow.

That is fascinating.

How much did it cost?

That was only forty five.

So just over a dollar.

About a dollar thirty or a dollar forty for that.

So it is cheap.

And you should try it if you're in Taipei (臺北市).

Why not right?

Yep.

And did I mention that scooters come zipping around out of nowhere.

Okay.

So after stinky tofu (臭豆腐) comes the reward.

Although that being said I don't deserve a reward because I didn't try the tofu.

But we decided to get something sweet instead.

This is for you Sam.

I'm going to sample it for you to make sure it is okay.

So we got a crepe (蛋餅) with oreo ice cream, Nutella, banana, whipped cream, chocolate

powder.

Yeah, it was the whole process of making it was pretty fancy.

Mmmm.

How is that?

Mmmm.

Sweet tooth cravings fulfilled?

Haha.

You're speechless.

That is how I know it is good.

For your bravery.

You are being awarded an ice cream.

This is my reward here.

Which I've sampled for you.

Hey don't make out with the ice cream.

Mmmm.

I'm still going to have some more.

Oh I'm going to be making out with the ice cream some more.

Hey!

Sam!

That is so mean.

It is all over your lips too.

That is so good.

So decadent.

I mean I just got on the second bite a lot of Nutella and like woah.

With the ice cream and whipped cream and then the light fluffiness of the crepe.

Man, I haven't even.

Oh yeah it is a good dessert.

I haven't had Nutella yet.

That is a nice Taiwanese dessert here.

So we've already had dessert but we thought 'hey' there is always room for one more.

Dessert just keeps rolling.

And this is definitely the most colorful thing we've seen out here at the Shilin Night Market

(士林夜市) so far.

So apparently if you can see here.

These are pieces of strawberry that have been put on a skewer and these are candied (糖葫蘆)

or called a toffee kind of fruit.

Yeah.

And you also notice sweet tomatoes and also plums as well.

Yeah.

We decided to go with strawberry.

Yeah.

So let's try that here.