Shilin Night Market

Calling all lovers of food: Shilin Night Market is the largest of many night markets in Taipei. It is easily accessible by MRT and has endless stalls of restaurants/stands as well as shops. Bring a friend so you can share and experience more of the many dishes that this great market has to offer. If you do take the MRT, make sure you get to the platform before 12am because the trains stop running after that. If you stay past 12am, you will need to catch a cab to get back to your hotel.

Taiwan sweet sausages, otherwise known as “fragrant sausages,” are pork-filled sausages stuffed with spices and sugar, marinated in wine, and air-dried. Though such sausages are common around Asia, it’s been said that Taiwanese sweet sausages may contain emulsified meat and often have greater amounts of sugar. Taiwan sweet sausage can be found at local butcher shops or in night markets.

Tofu connoisseurs will have a field day with Taiwan’s different options when it comes to tofu. One of the most unique forms of tofu has actually been banned in some public places throughout Asia - Stinky Tofu, otherwise known as Chou Dofu. You can smell stinky tofu wafting down the street long before you see it. I’ve eaten Chou Dofu several times and the only place I enjoyed it was at one stand found in Shilin Night Market, Taipei. So where does it get its rancid stench? A brine created from vegetables, milk, dried shrimp, meat, and Chinese herbs ferments for several months until it is pretty much rotten. Tofu is then marinated in this brine until it putrefies and reaches a certain degree of rancidness. Next, it’s deep fried and served up with garlic and chili sauce or pickled cabbage. It’s commonly seen on a stick at night markets, but it also can be served cold or steamed in soup. Most people who try it either love it or hate it.

I got to know a shop owner’s very smart pet pig while picking up my groceries.