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8 Must-Try Delicacies in Taipei’s Shida Night Market

Shida night market is one of Taipei’s best night markets and should be close to the top of any visitor to Taipei’s list of places to go. Shida night market has also changed somewhat in recent years many vendors have changed location or changed completely after re-zoning efforts by the Taiwan government.  As well as great local street food Shida is also a must visit for shopping too, with many fashion stalls popping up and giving everyone a chance to grab a good deal and a good meal at the same time!

1. Healthy Lok Lok

Although a little squeezy, the affectionate uncle and auntie working here are super nice and sweet. You also get to pick the ingredients you want. Although Taiwan is famous for their fried food, we recommend that you go for their fresh vegetables to cleanse your stomach before hitting the rest of Shida for their sinful street snacks.

Photo credit: Flickr / Jonathan Lin

With its ingredients well marinated, you’ll already be salivating while choosing your ingredients! After which, choose from the myriad of seasonings available to add to your lok lok. Some popular choices include soy sauce, spicy and garlic.

Location: No. 12, Lane 83, Shida Road. Walk into the alley between FamilyMart and 7-11 before making a right turn into another alley and you’ll spot the lok lok stall with its classic red signboard.

2. Mee Sua

The seasoning is strong with this one, whether plain or with large intestines, everyone loves the taste of mee sua, especially when it warms your soul during winter.

Photo credit: Flickr / Twang_Dunga

You can also add pepper or chilli to enhance the taste of your mee sua.

Location: No. 17, Long Guan Street, next to the smelly tofu stall.
P.S. Give the heavenly smelly tofu a shot as well, if there’s still space in your tummy.

3. Aunt Lee Shuijian Bao

Photo Credits: Flickr / Robyn Lee

Aunt Lee Shuijian Bao is seemingly an ordinary vendor in the night market selling shui jian bao (pan-fried leek buns) but with the skin of their bao thick and rich with fillings, tourists are flocking to them to satisfy their bao cravings. Now we know their secret to keep customers coming back for more!

Be careful when you sink your teeth into their bao — just like xiao long bao, gravy might leak out of the shui jian bao. Aunt Lee Shuijian Bao comes in three flavors but do yourself a favor and do not attempt to finish all three at once or you’ll leave the night market feeling like a bloated ball.

Photo credit: Flickr / Yusuke Kawasaki

Our only grip is that Aunt Lee Shuijian Bao has mysterious opening hours with no fixed days off so you might miss it if you’re a #badlucktourist. You won’t miss this stall if it’s opened because it’s always surrounded by long lines but don’t let the queue deter you from tasting this glorious bao. We assure you that the lines move quickly and every minute spent queueing up is worth it.

Location: No. 11, Long Guan Street (Shida hostel’s backdoor)

4. Xu Kee Fried Dumplings

Possibly the signature of Shida Night Market, fried dumplings are similar to shuijian bao except in dumpling form. Although the thin layer of dough outside may be cooled, the dumping’s gravy — its highlight — is still piping hot.

Photo credit: Flickr / LWYang

The best part of this dumpling is its fried skin. Accompanied by the flavorful stuffing and hot soup, fried dumplings are definitely one of the best snacks in Shida Night Market.

Location: No. 9, Lane 49, Shida Road (Along the alleys of Yi Zi Xuan Bakery)

5. Da Zao Yi Pig Leg

With an affable boss, it’s no wonder that the four walls of this stall is filled with postcards and words of encouragement from all around the world. Known for their signature dishes of pork and mala duck blood smelly tofu, if you’re looking for a place that serves the home cooked food you miss from home, Da Zao Yi is the place for you.

Photo credit: Flickr / Johnson Wang

The pork is cooked tenderly over a long period of time to ensure that the meat, tendons and bones can be separated easily, giving you a burst of flavor upon on chewing on it.

Photo credit: Flickr / Joanna

Although some find its mala duck blood smelly tofu a tad too spicy for their tastebuds,  If you can’t get enough of food in Taiwan, you’ll be delighted to find that this eatery serves other localized dishes too.

Location: No. 9, Lane 49, Shida Road

6. Salted Water Chicken

Photo Credits: Flickr / Party Lin

The place to grab some pieces of salted water chicken is none other than Shida Night Market. Don’t worry — even though the boss is the only one handling both payment and cooking, he ensures that the hygiene standards of this vendor is kept high by doing both separately.

Although the booth may seem tiny at first sight, you’ll soon find that you have many choices of vegetables to go with the chicken. The taste of chicken mixed with vegetables isn’t overbearing so fear not! You can continue stuffing yourself with other food even after this snack.

Coming in a takeaway bag, it’s common to see passersby holding a bag of salted water chicken while shopping.

Location: Next to Shida’s Kim Hing Fat, the old stationary shop

7. Beigang Beancurd

To make the perfect tofu pudding (known to Singaporeans as beancurd), the owner of Beigang Tofu Pudding decided to forgo the typical practice of adding ice. Instead, he found the perfect blend of beancurd and sugar, quickly becoming one of the most well known street snacks in Shida Night Market.

Photo credit: Flickr / 加蛋不加價

With the minimal amount of choices in their menu, Beigang Tofu Pudding‘s specialties are almost everything listed — smooth beancurd, fragrant peanut coupled with their sweet soup that glides down your throat. We’re not even exaggerating when we say that some people travel to this night market just for Beigang Tofu Pudding!

Location: No. 15, Lane 39, Shida Road

8. Shi Yun Fried Chicken

You’re letting yourself down if you leave Taiwan without tasting their iconic fried chicken! The two biggest fried chicken stalls in Shidaa Night Market, Shi Yun Taiwanese Fried Chicken and Shida Salty Fried Chicken, taste as good as each other and both comes with generous topping of garlic.

Photo credit: Flickr / george ruiz

There’s no major difference between them aside from the other side orders from their menus.

Location: Lane 39, Shida Road

What are the other food you must eat in Taiwan? Let KKday help you!

For articles on Taiwan:
>> 8 Things You Must Do in Taiwan
>> 5 Reasons You’ll Fall in Love With Taiwan
>> A Complete guide to Tsukiji Market — The Ultimate Seafood Paradise in Taiwan

For more things to do in Taiwan:
>> 1-day Tour to Jiufen, Shifen and Pingxi
>> Leo Foo Village Theme Park
>> Watch Sunrise on HeHuan Wountain

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