Ximending Night Market

Out of the four days we spent in Taipei, we found ourselves in Ximending Night Market every single day. We were there not just at night, but any time of the day may it be morning, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner or late night snack since our hotel was conveniently located right in the heart of Ximending. It naturally became our home base for every bite and every stroll.

After all, it was just a chill trip to Taipei. We do not have much in our itinerary aside from Taipei 101 and Jiufen Old Street. It was indeed our goal to explore the food scene in Taipei and try unique and authentic Taiwanese street food. Ximending was the perfect playground for that.

Think of Ximending as Taipei’s answer to Harajuku, but with more food and less judgment if you walk around with boba in one hand and fried tofu in the other. It’s a chaotic, colorful, and absolutely electric neighborhood packed with food stalls, quirky cafés, street art, local fashion boutiques, arcades, souvenir shops, hotels, anime stores and the occasional pop-up dance performance.

Now, let’s talk about food, the main reason why I’m here.

Stinky Tofu

Honestly, it was not that stinky. It was just mildly moldy in terms of taste compared to the tofu I’m used to. Our first order was a simple Fried Stinky Tofu. It’s a good thing we switched to Salty and Crispy Fried Tofo since it was much better. The rub was the same used in the famous Taiwanese chicken popcorn, with a touch of spice. The contrast between the crispy exterior and spongey interior made it texturally enjoyable too.

Scallion Pancake

I wasn’t expecting to love this, especially since it was savory and packed with scallions. But it turned out to be one of the most memorable bites. The pancake was flavorful on its own. I love how flaky, buttery and well-seasoned it was. I also had a scallion pancake at Yong He Soy Milk, which wasn’t as flaky anf buttery so I appreciated this more. The egg was cooked beautifully. I just wished it had more cheese.

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle

As someone who adores misua, I’ll admit that I’m kinda bias here. But even objectively, this deserves the hype. The broth was rich, silky, and layered with umami from start to finish. Each spoonful felt like a taste of Taiwanese tradition. Morever, the serving of noodles and toppings were so generous. It was full of it yet it didn’t lacked soup. The toppings, which were likely pork intestines and bonito flakes, brought even more flavor depth. It’s street food, but it felt soulful.

洪家特製’s Taiwanese Sausage

My husband thought that this is just gonna be another sausage that tasted like Japanese sausage or like Johnsonsville sausage. But what we got was something uniquely Taiwanese. The flavor was hard to describe but unmistakably distinct. There was a tangy sweetness, which we assumed to be pineapple. Whatever it was, it gave this sausage a local character. It wasn’t the best sausage we’ve had, but still worth the try for its cultural uniqueness.

永來香’s Pork Jerky

This jerky hit all the right notes. It was smoky and slightly sweet with a bit of char that added depth to the flavor. The texture was meaty but easy to bite, unlike some overly tough jerkies. It had a well-balanced marinade that lingered nicely. It was definitely great as a pasalubong or on-the-go snack. You can snack on it while walking around the market or stash some in your bag for a flavor boost later. It’s not greasy at all, so it won’t leave your fingers sticky.

50嵐’s Pudding Oolong Milk Tea

This cup of milk tea redefined my standards. The oolong tea was front and center. It was strong but never bitter. It was almost like how specialty coffee shops highlight the beans in third-wave brews. I could barely taste the milk, not because it wasn’t there, but because it blended so harmoniously. The pudding was a standout. It was silky, soft and not overly sweet. It was melting gently with every sip. This is how you do bubble tea right.

Yong He Soy Milk

Yong He Soy Milk is said to be the place where locals have their breakfast. You grab what you want from the counter like a mini grocery, then pay at the counter. We accidentally got both sweetened and unsweetened soy milk, which turned out to be a happy mistake as we got to try both. The sweet version was comforting and familiar. The unsweetened one surprised me as it was earthy and rich in soy flavor. It was incredibly satisfying in its simplicity. 

Popcorn Chicken King’s Chicken Popcorn

Before this, we got to try chicken popcorn at Xingyu Restaurant, a local restaurant in Jiufen and my husband really loved it. But we were already back in Ximending we searched for the most popular chicken place here and Google led us here. It actually didn’t disappoint. The rub wasn’t just all salt and pepper this time. There’s a little herbs and spice in that to sort of make them sing together.

Xing Fu Tang’s Brown Sugar Boba Milk

Upon sipping, you could really tell why it was flocked by a number tourists. Somebody really studied, knew the craft and focused on comfort.  The only thing that threw me off a bit was the milk. It felt a little too heavy and almost fatty, which made the drink a bit rich for my liking. Since the pearls were freshly cooked and still warm and the cup was packed with ingredients, they were only able add a small amount of ice so it wasn’t as cold or refreshing as I wanted it to be. But flavor-wise, it was still delicious.

Xing Fu Tang’s Xiao Long Bao

There are a number of stalls in Ximending that surely offers luscious Xiao Long Bao but we opted for Xing Fu Tang’s because they offered a drink and dimsum set, making it a better deal than other dim sum spots in the area. This wasn’t your typical soup dumpling. It lacked broth, which is essential in a Xiao Long Bao. But I didn’t mind it anymore as the meat filling was generous and tender, and the wrapper was soft and comforting. Every bite is heavenly. How can this Xiao Long Bao be so mild yet still so flavorful?