The scenic eastern county offers a wide variety of Hakka, Hoklo, and indigenous foods. By Steven Crook & Katy Hui-wen Hung Like other tourists, foodies often begin and end their visits to Taiwan in Taipei. Some go as far south as Tainan to try that city’s “little eats” (小吃, xiaochi). If they do head over…
What does it mean for a food to be described as “Q” and what is the derivation? A decade or so ago, the restaurant reviews by local writers in the Taiwan newspaper where I was features editor often dwelt at great length on the chewy nature of certain dishes. To vary the wording, the reviewers…
After living in Taiwan for two decades, regular Wine & Dine contributor Mark Caltonhill returned to his native UK at the end of 2013. Now he’s back and looking at what has changed on the food scene. Returning to Taiwan after a five-year absence, my initial reaction was that prices seemed a lot higher. Currency…
Mandarin Oriental General Manager Karan Berry’s 23-year-long career in hospitality has taken him from India to Indonesia, and now to Taiwan. To successfully run a luxury hotel, he says, you need to understand and respect not only the most visible parts of the operation, but also all of the various back-end roles – what he…
Warning: Do not serve alcohol to minors. When you drink, don’t drive. A guide to some of the city’s busiest, best, and most unusual taprooms. Taiwan’s ubiquitous convenience stores are consumers’ go-to places for snacks, cold and hot drinks, cigarettes, and even microwaved meals. But recently, they’ve expanded their inventory with a new item. Since…
A handful of Taipei eateries look to preserve the culture, atmosphere, and – most importantly – the flavors of Taiwan’s once-ubiquitous veterans’ villages. Taiwan’s juan cun (眷村) – or military dependents’ villages as the Chinese term is usually rendered in English – are one of the more notable features of Taiwan’s urban and rural landscape….
Specialist farmers in Taiwan are concentrating on such niche areas as snails, deer antlers, and “red quinoa.” Text and photos by Steven Crook & Katy Hui-wen Hung The 11 metric tons of meat that Akwey Chen dispatched to his customers in 2018 is just one-tenth the volume produced by the average pig farm in Taiwan…
As the Ko Hospitality Group opens it first U.S. restaurant, CEO Stan Ko talks about the family business and why he’s fiercely dedicated to the dining experience. Ignoring the “Opening Soon” sign on the door of Ramen Nagi restaurant in Palo Alto, California, two curious pedestrians try the handle. The door opens, but not far….
Taiwan was for a time the most advanced colony under the Japanese empire, and there is a lingering affinity in Taiwan for all things Japanese, including its diverse cuisine. While options for Japanese food in the capital Taipei are plentiful, not all can be considered high-quality or authentic. One place that definitely achieves that standard,…
A good way to become more familiar with Taiwan’s geography is to acquaint oneself with the specialty food items of places around the island. A number of Taiwanese foods are closely associated with particular cities or towns, even if they can now also be found in other sections of the country. Join us on a…
