TWN: Shida Night Market

Big plate of braised stuff!

Before I begin, frankly speaking, I've been cracking my head on how to write reviews of the food I tried at night markets. Well, I suppose I shall drop my trait of perfectionism as I know that there's no way I can be detailed enough in giving information about the stalls, etc. I also didn't take note of most of the prices. Anyway, without further ado, let's start with Shida Night Market which isn't far away from Taipower Building MRT station.

As I mentioned in the previous review, my Indonesian and Taiwanese friends took me around the market. I didn't really try a lot of food as the main course I had was just too filling, but I truly enjoyed the time spent there. Having said that, I still enjoyed the dish which was no doubt beautiful in its simplicity. 

Our first stop... Yong tau foo (Chinese soup dish containing a varied selection of items, traditionally one of them being stuffed beancurd as suggested by the name)!? Similar in terms of picking the items we'd like to have, the famous Lantern Hot Stew stall serves a plethora of colourful ingredients with a special braising sauce. Pika's advice: What you take is not what you get. You just need to take a piece of each item and see what you'll have in the end!

Lantern Hot Stew

Taste: 9/10

The braising sauce, which I thought could be less watery when I first saw it, was surprisingly packed with flavours. The ingredients were cooked well with the egg noodle being delectably springy. Topped with a generous amount of aromatic spring onions and crunchy preserved vegetables, it's simply a dish to die for when you visit the night market.

My Taiwanese friend also treated me to a piece of pineapple bun.

Ice-Fire Pineapple Bun with Cream Cheese

Taste: 9/10

Crispy, hot crust on the outside, ice-cold cream cheese on the inside, the bun was a delight to have as I wandered around the place. The sugary crust was nicely contrasted by the cream cheese which simply gave me that tingling sensation that made me feel happier.

Our last agenda at the night market before exploring the town further was to get a cup of dou hua (Chinese soybean pudding).

Barley Soybean Pudding (Cold)

Taste: 8/10

I only gobbled the then-not-so-cold-anymore soybean pudding at the airport. I enjoyed the pudding which was truly silky smooth, but the barley bits could be chewier. Also, I thought it'd be nice if it could be a bit sweeter.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8.5/10

A big thanks goes to Andre and Michael for bringing me around. I really hope to see you guys again in the near future! :)

Shida Night Market

Shida Road

Taipei

Taiwan

(Opening hours unknown - Anyone knows?)

*Sorry that I'm not quoting prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)