Have you ever tried these Taiwanese local street foods?

Taiwan is home to the best street food markets in the world. Known as a melting pot of cuisines, where a night out for dinner could entail anything. It’s day and night street food markets are a popular attraction both for tourists and locals, and an important part of Taiwan food culture. Here are the best dishes you should try once traveling.

Fried Chicken

Taiwan has a fried chicken obsession, and every neighborhood has at least one late-night food stall where you can pick up a deep fried chicken steak or chicken pieces. Take a walk through the night market, and you’re likely to see quite a lot of people snacking on some as they wander the stalls. But bear in mind that no two fried chicken vendors are the same, so you may have to search a little to find the one that suits your tastes.

Coffin bread

A specialty from the night markets of Tainan, a slice of thick-cut white bread is deep-fried to a golden crisp then the top is cut open and creamy seafood chowder is poured in. Think of it as Tainan's version of the San Francisco bread-bowl chowder.

Sausage

It’s a bit of a thing in Taiwan to wrap things in other things and in this case, it’s a small pork sausage wrapped in a sticky rice sausage that is split open like a hot dog bun. It’s a wonderfully sticky, chewy, messy, and filling dish that’s perfect for late night eats on the street.

Guabao

A white wheat bun filled with pieces of pork belly, cilantro, and a few pickled greens, make up this Taiwanese sub/burger hybrid. There might even be a few crushed peanuts thrown in for good measure making this a rather tasty dish.

Bubble tea

While tea served in the traditional way is popular here in Taiwan, bubble tea is even more so. It’s so popular that it is now served across the globe and more commonly known as bubble tea or boba tea. Created here in Taiwan, this tapioca ball-filled drink is fast becoming the island’s official drink and with good reason. As far as afternoon snacks go, it takes some beating.

Spring onion pancake

For the less carnivorous, the Taiwanese-style spring onion pancake is a good bet. It's light, flaky, and toasted to a perfect crisp. Locals usually make their own at home and eat these savory pancakes for breakfast, hot from the pan. Luckily, you don't have to go knocking on anyone's door to taste the real thing because it's also available for cheap in most street markets in Taiwan.

Stinky tofu

You’ll know you’re near the night market when you can smell the stinky tofu! Some people find the smell just too much to bear but it actually tastes great. No traveler can leave Taipei without trying this unique food. Be warned! It really does stink.

Iron egg

It's called "iron egg" because it's so tough. These chewy little eggs, dyed black from long braising in soy sauce, are a highly addictive Taiwanese food. Often made from quails' eggs, the protein balls are cooked for hours in soy sauce then air-dried. The process is repeated over several days until the snacks become tough and acquire the desired chewiness.

Read more: 24 hour culinary experience in Taiwan

Deep-fried prawns

The key to any deep-fried savory dish is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and this snack from Tainan does it perfectly. Freshly caught prawns are battered and insta-deep fried and served with a sweet brown sugar sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for a sweet, sour, nose-clearing finish.

Source Internet