night market/taiwanese: i still strongly recommend TONGHUA/LINJIANG NIGHT MARKET

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TONGHUA/LINJIANG NIGHT MARKET
Linjiang Street between Tong Hua Street and Keelung Road

MRT: Liuzhangli (about 10-15 minute walk) or SYS Memorial Hall (about 20 minute walk)

hours: evening to 2AM

$

Visit reviewed: 5/24/2013

I've had an unusual number of visitors from the states this year. The good thing about it, besides catching up with friends, is that I've had a chance to revisit a bunch of night markets to compare and update my impressions. I get to take them around, point out the good eats and watch their faces as they happen upon the smell of stinkalicious stinky tofu.

While Tonghua Night Market may not be as famous or big as Shilin night market or have as fancy a sign as Raohe (which I think has gone downhill since I reviewed it last), I think it might be my new favorite. It's got great renditions of my favorite night market snacks- ice cream run bing wrap, Taiwanese sausage in sticky rice da chang bao xiao chang, and stinky tofu. Also not to be missed (though I didn't get a photo) are the candied yams that are bite sized pieces of yams with a crunchy, sugary coating and shaved ice. If you haven't eaten dinner, you can also grab a seat at the cheap teppanyaki shops that Tonghua is known for.

While most of my friends call it Tonghua night market, it's actually on Linjiang Street, so some people also refer it as Linjiang Night Market. The main night market area is marked by two entrance signs, so be sure to note which cross street (Keelung or Tong Hua) if you are meeting up with friends.

Remember to look for the block of peanut brittle sitting alone on the vendor's stand to spot the ice cream wrap. Otherwise it's really easy to miss if you can't read the signage. Once you place an order, the vendor springs into action to make fresh peanut brittle shavings to go with the ice cream and cilantro (yes! cilantro!)

The ice cream at this vendor was sorbet-like with pineapple, red bean and taro flavors and was not too sweet or watered down (I had a bad one at Sanxia last month) and the wrapper was paper thin. I recommend you try it with the cilantro, it really works with the flavor and texture of the peanut shavings. FAVORITE!

This was one of the first times I've seen so many savory options for the red bean cake. Not necessarily enticing to me, but unique.

This is what I'm talking about. Sweet grilled Taiwanese sausages shoved into a grilled sticky rice sausage, cut in half to be the bun. In Chinese, this Taiwanese "hot dog" is called Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang or Big Sausage wrapping the Little Sausage. Love it. LOVE IT! Not the most healthiest snack, but hey, I only night market it once in awhile.

You can get it with different toppings and sauces, but I prefer the original flavor with some pickled vegetables- not too much other craziness.

So if you're visiting Taipei this summer and making the night market rounds, be sure to include Tonghua on your list (I gotta go back and explore it some more too). Especially if you're staying near 101, as this is the closest night market to it. 

indian: i strongly recommend THE SPICE SHOP

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THE SPICE SHOP

No. 6, Alley 10, Lane 50, Tienmu East Rd, Taipei
台北市天母東路50巷10弄6號
(02) 2873-7775

MRT: Mingde or Shipai (closest MRTs but would probably still need a taxi to the restaurant, or 30 minute walk. Near/behind Tianmu Shin Kong Mitsukoshi mall)

website: Spice Shop's FB page

hours: 11:30AM - 2PM; 5:30PM - 10PM

$$ (about NT$500-600/person)

Kid friendliness: I always think Indian is a more difficult kid friendly cuisine unless your kid can tolerate spiciness- some non spicy options- naan and tandoori chicken.

Visit reviewed: 5/29/2013

I'd often passed by Spice Shop on my way to its next door neighbor Saffron, also an Indian restaurant. I  was curious and heard good things about Spice Shop, but didn't want to give up a sure thing for a delicious lunch for a new unknown, especially when I had made the trek to Tianmu. 

So luckily someone asked to meet me there for lunch so I had no more excuses to not try it, and I'm glad I did. It's equally delicious as Saffron, with a more casual vibe and slightly more affordable prices. It seems they've remodeled since the last time I passed it by, making the decor more modern and upscale from the brighter, eclectic decor they had before. It's not too crowded for a weekday late lunch, though it's probably best to make reservations for the weekend.

The menu is expansive, with lots of vegetarian options to choose from. Since my friend was vegetarian (and chose the restaurant), we ended up with two vegetarian dishes and one meat. Dishes range from NT$260-NT$560, so if you want variety, it's better to come with more people to share. That's definitely one thing I miss from the states- the weekday lunch buffet and get stuffed with a plate full of different curries and chicken tandoori for US$10. Does anyone do a weekday brunch here? I only know of Ali Baba and Tandoor on the weekends. Oh and Aaleja (I almost blocked it out, it was so traumatizing).

Complimentary papadam

The food came out fairly quickly, in small deep bowls. I loved the flavors and mild spiciness of all the dishes and even though I only got to try three, it was enough for me to want to come back again. If you like it spicy, you should let them know what level of heat you want when you order.

The baigan bharta (eggplant curry) (NT$270) had a sweetness from the additional cooked tomatoes and onions.

Aloo gobi had a lot of cauliflower and large chunks of potato.

Butter chicken (NT$360) has become a new favorite of mine, with its creamy, sweet curry, being a less spicy cousin to my previous favorite, chicken tikka masala. I usually sop up the curry with plain naan (NT$80) or basmati rice (NT$30). So good!

For those of you Hungry in Hsinchu, there's a Spice Shop there as well! 

OTHER LOCATION

No.19 Xinguang Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan
(03) 5710687

japanese/food court: i recommend MARUKAME UDON at A8

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MARUKAME UDON
(or MITSUKOSHI A8 UDON & TEMPURA BAR)
丸龜製麵-新光三越A8館
at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A8
No. 12, Song Gao Rd, B2
台北市信義區松高路12號B2
 (02)2729-1658

MRT: Taipei City Hall

website: Marukame's corporate site or Marukame's Taiwan FB site

hours: 11 AM- 9:30PM

$-$$ (about NT$150-300/person)

Kid friendliness: lots to choose from including rice triangles and fried veggies in disguise. Self serve food court seating. A8 also has high chairs available to use, usually in an area near Mcdonald's

Visit reviewed: 5/20/2013

The last time I saw lines this long at a food court was for Taipei's new tsukemen spot at the Hankyu Mall... but despite my disappointing experience the last time, I wanted to give the new sanuki udon spot at Xinyi Mituskoshi's A8 foodcourt a try. I saw the crazy lines on a Sunday and thought it would be less busy on a weekday, but I was wrong. Monday lunchtime was still about a 20-30 minute wait. I'd advise showing up early when the mall opens around 11AM if you want less of a wait. I saw lines even at 3-4PM in the afternoon.

After the ramen craze last year, with the openings of Ippudo and Santouka to lines of up to two hour wait times (or so I heard), everyone is looking for the new thing. I'm a bit surprised it's udon, with the relatively quick closures of previous tasty sanuki udon favorites in the area- Tenpura Sanuki Udon and Jika Udon- which both were busy at first, but eventually flustered at Vieshow.

While waiting in line and deciding what to order, you can spy the busy chefs making the sanuki udon  and frying the tempura vegetables and shrimp to keep up with the orders. It's cafeteria style, grab a tray and plates, order what kind of udon you'd like, grab it, pick out your tempura and then pay at the cashier at the end.

I end up ordering the Ontama Bukkake (NT$119 for large/NT$89 for medium bowl) because it's one of the few cold udon options.. Most of them are hot, including the plain soup udon in a wooden bucket. The Ontama Bukkake comes with a soy sauce and dashi broth and a soft boiled egg atop (which I asked to be on the side). There's about 12 udons to choose from- I was also tempted by the pork tonkatsu broth, spicy pork tonkatsu broth or the curry udon.

It takes a a minute or two for them to cook, scoop and assemble your bowl, but there are still people in front of you in line deciding on their fried options and paying, so just wait and watch the chefs.

Next up is the self serve tempura bar, perfect for those that have wished for more shrimp and less eggplant in their tempura set orders. Grab a plate (or two if you are getting food for your friend who is saving seats for you), and you can pick up however many pieces and whatever you want, paying by piece (NT$25-35 each). This concept works especially well when it's busy- since the turnover is high and the pieces are coming hot out of the oil. There's nothing worse than cold, soggy tempura.

I saw some people who just grabbed 2 pieces, or you could pile on a plateful (like I did) and end up paying about the same price that I would for a sit down ten zaru set.

There's even onigiri rice triangles (with mentaiko, tuna or beef) and inari sushi pieces at the end if you are especially hungry.

Of course, there's a DIY condiments bar, including toppings like chopped spring onions or tempura batter crumbs (aka tanuki) to finish off your bowl. At the very least be sure to grab some chopsticks and spoons.

Finally get to sit down and eat!

Two pieces of shrimp tempura, a vegetable tempura kakiage, pumpkin and green bell pepper (about NT$150). Hot and crispy, perfectly battered- not too thick or overfried.

And the udon is awesomely chewy, in long ribbons to use your teeth to bite into sections, though the noodles get saltier the longer they sit in the sauce. Next time, I'd definitely ask it for it on the side to dip, or get the pork broth, though I usually find the cold udon more refreshing during the summer.

Besides Japan and Taipei, Marukame (or Marugame) Udon's website lists its other branches in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Russia(?!) and Hawaii.

So udon vs ramen? What's your pick? Would you wait half an hour for food court udon and tempura, or just go to the less busy stand around the corner?

not taipei: BEJING- BAO YUAN DUMPLING RESTAURANT, DA DONG, PEKING DUCK PRIVATE KITCHEN, IN and OUT, LET'S BURGER PLUS

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Are you the type of traveler that makes a rough itinerary, with bookmarked restaurants and addresses, and highlighted blog posts and guides, or the type that wings it, eats whatever smells good and is crowded with locals, wherever is walking distance from your hotel? I suppose I'm a mix of the two. I do like to arm myself with some research, easier now with more blogs and helpful readers than ever, even if I've been to that city before. 

The last time I went to Beijing was in 2008... a lot can change in five years in Asia. Also, this was the first time I was traveling to China by myself, without family or friends, and the friend I was meeting there was not only new to Beijing, but didn't speak any Chinese. So with a rough list of places she wanted to visit and restaurants I thought she might like, we had a four day adventure in Beijing before a week of work.

DAY 1- BAO YUAN DUMPLING RESTAURANT- i strongly recommend

Bao Yuan Dumpling Restaurant turned up in many of my searches as the best dumplings in Beijing, and its brightly colored dumplings definitely caught my eye. We made it for a late lunch, and while Bao Yuan is quite local with its setting and service, it's tourist friendly with two thick menus with full colored photos and English.

We were saving room for roast duck dinner at Da Dong, so we didn't want to order too much. After browsing through the 40 plus different types of boiled dumplings, we ended up choosing 3 types to try. The waitress asked if wanted the colorful dumpling skins (made with dye from vegetables, purple from purple cabbage, orange from carrots and green from cabbage), we said, Yes!

The full plate of fat, candy colored dumplings is definitely eye catching and an Instagrammer's delight. Self serve soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce on the table to spice it up.

We wanted one traditional flavor, so we went with the basic pork and cabbage dumplings which were green (12 yuan each).

Orange dumplings were the carrot, mushroom, egg and shrimp dumplings, while the purple colored ones had purple cabbage, pork, crispy rice, and bean sprouts. I liked them all, but the purple crispy rice dumplings really grew on me with the crunchy surprise contents.

After lunch, I took my friend to Nanluoguxiang, a long row of shops housed in a traditional courtyard, which I loved browsing during my last trip. While there are still some cool shops there to check out, like postcard, leather goods, knickknack and tshirt shops like Plastered, I was disenchanted to find that the whole lane had become MUCH more commercialized, with random food stands lining both sides, including takoyaki and churros! What? It lost a bit of its artsy charm.

Can't escape it! Can you spot the Starbucks? 

Never thought I'd see churros sold by Chinese cowgirls.

Of course I had to take a picture of this... 

Going from the old to the new, but still touristy, was our walk around the Sanlitun Village Shopping Center area which houses mostly Western brands, as well as a huge Apple Store, movie theaters and a Page One bookstore.

DA DONG

I LOVED Da Dong so much on my last few trips to Beijing, I think I put it on a culinary pedestal. So it had a long way to fall when I was disappointed in the higher prices, small portions and not so awesome service this trip.

There's no consensus on where the best roast duck is in Beijing (or I don't think there is), and I think when I first fell in love with Da Dong, it wasn't the big fish in the sea that it is now, with several busy locations. It's definitely a presentable place with another huge set of glossy menus with color photos and English...

The chef brings the duck to your table, but didn't carve tableside. Having grown used to Taipei portions of peking duck, I ordered only a half duck for our party of two.

Da Dong was also the first place I had ever been served sugar and asked to dip the crispy duck skin in it to eat, before eating meat and skin in the hoisin drenched wrapper. Love at first bite. 

The presentation is still gorgeous, but this portion was so tiny- this was all the skin and meat of half a duck?

I guess the technique has become so popular that it has been copied at quite a few places in Beijing so much so that it has become standard. So Da Dong started serving small puffy sesame buns to also wrap the duck in with thin strips of cantaloupe, cucumber and a touch of garlic paste, to create a new uniqueness.

I also thought I ordered the noodles made from lobsters (another Da Dong unique must order menu), but didn't realize until it was too late they gave us regular noodles in lobster broth. Dang it. Not the same. Boo.

Back to the hotel to rest up for another day!

DAY 2- breakfast at Opposite House

Pretty, fluffy pancakes to start the day. The continental breakfast is great too, with lots of fresh fruit, cheeses and breads/pastries if you're hungry.

FORBIDDEN CITY

It was actually my first time to the Forbidden City and it was interesting to visit the iconic landmark that I was first exposed to by the film THE LAST EMPEROR. Despite it being crowded and showing its age, there were some great nooks and areas that were breathtaking and revealed a tiny bit of how life might have been back then. I recommend looking for the Opera Theater area in the Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds (Changyingge) and trekking up the temple near the exit gate to get a view.

IN AND OUT- i strongly recommend

Not to be confused for the California burger chain, In and Out is an award winning, cozy Yunnan restaurant in the Sanlitun area.

Another overwhelming menu decked out with beautifully photographed dishes. Luckily, my local friends who chose the restaurant knew what to order.

Rose cakes, which were flaky pastries with sweet filling with hint of aromatic rose came first though it was more of a dessert, along with green papaya salad.

I really enjoyed the Yunnan Cheese, which had a soft but firm texture, almost like tofu or Indian paneer cheese and the spicy Yunnan mushrooms. 

The Dongba No.1 Ribs were also spicy, coated with chopped chilis and a killer marinade. They were pretty tender though.

The pineapple sticky rice is a perfect partner to all the mouth burning, with its sweet thick chunks of pineapple and glutinous rice. It came quite late to the table though, so luckily we had ordered a lime mint juice (kind of like a non-alcoholic mojito).

We had also ordered sticky rice in the bamboo, but I loved the sweetness of the pineapple version better.

It was my first time having Yunnan food and it left quite an impression on me. There really are so many different regions of China and thus a huge landscape of Chinese food beyond what I experienced growing up in the states and even more than what I've grown to love about Taiwanese food. So much more to discover.

PEKING DUCK PRIVATE KITCHEN

I was hoping to have better luck with a recommendation from a reader, with Peking Duck Private Kitchen, opened by a former chef of Quanjude, but the portions were still small and pricey (compared to Taiwan). The setting is quite modern and trendy, as we spotted a ton of expats dining, and the menu has English, but not a lot of photos for guidance.

My favorite thing about the meal were our choices for the cold appetizer dishes- eggplant and boiled black peanuts (which tasted fried).

Familiar looking condiments...

The braised tofu dish and fried pumpkin dishes we ordered was too heavily seasoned for us so we finish more than a few bites, but the duck luckily was decent. 

The served a few slivers on a plate with sugar, and then the rest on another small plate with the meat tucked underneath the crispy skin. I thought I had wised up by ordering a whole duck this time, but the portion was not too much bigger than the night before. Luckily, we were still full from lunch, so we didn't need too much.

Day 3- 798 ARTS ZONE

If you have time, check out 798 ARTS ZONE, which we only got to browse for an hour or so, and ended up most of it in the wrong area. It wasn't until we spotted the White Box art gallery and bought a map, did I realize how large the zone is and what better areas there were to explore.

It's a vast collection of art galleries, shops and reimagined spaces in what were state owned factories and warehouses that were designed by East Germans during the 1950s.

I really loved this iphone case, but I couldn't bear to pay 460 Yuan (about US$60) for a limited edition plastic iphone case. Later when I googled the Chinese artist, I fell in love with many of Liu Ye's paintings and his style. I can only use the image as a screen saver, as his original paintings have sold for as much as US$2.5 million dollars.

LET'S BURGER PLUS - i strongly recommend

This day unintentionally ended up being my non-Chinese food day. Met up with some different friends and Let's Burger Plus is where he chose. It had moved from a nearby location to newer, roomier digs and we got a nice seat by the window with a view of Sanlitun Village.

There are a ton of creative burgers (mediterranean sea bass burger anyone?), but we went with two Original Angus beef burgers, and fries of course, which my friend said was his favorite. 

He said he hasn't been able to find fries like this in Taipei, with the thick cut and taste of freshly fried potatoes. They were pretty addicting, especially with so many sauces to dip in from the self serve sauce bar.

This is an awesome idea someone in Taipei should steal, a self serve sauce bar- there was everything from wasabi mayo to honey mustard to sweet and sour to Thousand Island to bbq to plain old ketchup and mustard.

Ordered the chorizo cheese jalapeno fries on a whim (or maybe I was really hungry), but regretted it when I saw the cheese was too runny and the fries not crispy. I'd stick to the regular fries and complimentary sauces.

And the burger, pretty damn awesome. Nothing to complain about.. probably comparable to the Counter or any gourmet burger place in LA. Appreciated after a few off burgers in Taipei.

CREPANANI

You know me, I spot Nutella and Banana and I got to give it a try. The crepes were huge and Crepanini is a nice place to chat and people watch if the weather (and air) is nice. 

SURENO at OPPOSITE HOUSE

Sureno is a posh Mediterranean restaurant in Opposite House that has pastas, pizzas and grilled meats in an intimate space. It seemed that every other table was filled with young and beautiful expats. The prosciutto and cantaloupe appetizer was my favorite part of my meal.

The lobster tagliatelle was a tad soft and the sauce was very light.

Someone's tiramisu which I thought was plated in a fun way.

My white chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet.

BIBIGO at BEIJING CAPITAL AIRPORT

Time to go home and glancing at my airport options, I ended up with Bibigo. There wasn't a line and I was curious about the Korean chain's modern approach. 

I have to admit that the bibimbap I got was pretty tasty and full of fresh vegetables, nicely packaged to separate the spicy from the rice and non-spicy vegetables too. The packaged sauces completed the dish and it was quick. Kimchi, bean sprouts, wood ears, spicy radishes, spinach... after some googling, I realized there are a couple Bibigo's in LA.. as some called it a Korean Chipotle. Not necessarily a bad thing- it could be cool to see one in Taipei.

Some coffee and airplane reading for the ride home. I know I missed a lot of "must eats" on my short trip, but I found a few new favorites to try the next time I'm back in Beijing. My blog is actually blocked in China (as is most of blogspot.com), but if anyone wants to point out the places I missed and MUST EAT on my next trip, please share below!

  

4 DAYS IN BEIJING

DAY 1- lunch at Bao Yuan Dumpling Restaurant, Nanxiluogao, Sanlitun Village, dinner at Da Dong

DAY 2- breakfast at Opposite House, Forbidden City/Gu Gong Palace Museum, lunch at In and Out, Tiananmen Square, dinner at Peking Duck Private Kitchen

DAY 3- lunch at Let's Burger Plus, meetings, Sanlitun Village, dinner at Sureno

DAY 4- working lunch, meetings, airport

Helpful links!

http://www.thebeijinger.com

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com

http://www.beijing-kids.com/magazine/FOOD/Dining

BAO YUAN JIAO ZI WU 宝源饺子屋

(or BAO YUAN DUMPLING RESTAURANT)

Liangma Qiao / Lufthansa Center Area 亮马桥燕莎桥

North of 6 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District

朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧

Daily 11am-10pm

+86 10 6586 4967

DA DONG

团结湖北口3号楼 Chaoyang, 北京市

+86 10 6582 2892

IN AND OUT YUNNAN RESTAURANT 一坐一忘

Sanlitun 三里屯

1 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang District

朝阳区三里屯北小街1号 Daily 11am-10pm +86 10 8454 0086

PEKING DUCK PRIVATE DUCK

Chaoyangmenwai 朝阳门外

Vantone Center, 6A Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

朝阳区朝阳门外大街6A号万通中心

Daily 11am-2pm, 6pm-9.30pm

+86 10 5907 1920

LET'S BURGER PLUS

Sanlitun 三里屯

The Village North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang district

朝阳区三里屯路11号,地下一层

CREPANINI 可百尼尼

Sanlitun 三里屯

Unit A110, 1/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园1层酒吧街对面

Sun-Thu 9am-midnight, Fri-Sat 9am-2am

+86 10  5208 6093

SURENO

at OPPOSITE HOUSE

Sanlitun 三里屯

B1/F, Sanlitun Village, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯Village瑜舍地下1层

Daily 12Noon-3:30PM, 6PM -10:30PM

+86 10 6410 5240

BIBIGO

at BEIJING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT