Set in an arable plain by the sea, Tainan makes full use of its edible resources.
As Taiwan’s oldest city, Tainan is full of cultural and historical heritage—and that includes the living legacy of its cuisine. A trip to the southern city is incomplete without systematically sampling everything on offer, from breakfast congee to midnight fruit plates.
The old capital serves some of the country’s most authentic and unique foods both at street stalls and in restaurants. Fresh seafood from nearby harbors lands daily before going straight to diners’ plates, while fruit and vegetables from the city’s outskirts add color and flavor to dishes.
Danzai noodles—dressed with minced pork and fresh shrimp cooked in shrimp head broth—features on every must-try list. While the general recipe is well known, the spices and proportions of the ingredients are a closely guarded secret for each individual restaurant or stand.
Coffin bread is a snack high on the list for fans of deep-fried food. A slab of thick white bread is fried, then a lid is cut from one side, and the interior is hollowed out before being filled with a creamy seafood stew. The lid is then replaced, inspiring the name.
Beef soup is famous across Taiwan, but Tainan’s version is demonstrably gourmet fare, with thin slices of fresh beef cooked medium rare in beef bone and tendon broth.
Then there are the desserts: mango and other locally grown fruits on shaved ice with or without condensed milk and tofu pudding topped with sweetened barley, red or green beans, and cubes of sweet potato and taro. Some eateries have been in the trade for decades or longer, while others have just opened; together, they make up a rich mosaic of pleasurable flavors and textures.
—by Jim Hwang
Du Hsiao Yueh serves danzai noodles following the same recipe that has been used since its opening in 1895.
Chikan Coffin Bread delights customers, just as it has since 1942.
A Sha Restaurant serves picture-perfect crab with glutinous rice in the same way it has since 1940.
Skilled hands at You-ai finely slice quality beef for gourmet beef soup.
A cook at Qingjiang Eel Noodles produces the prized dish of local ricefield eels stir-fried with noodles.
Chou’s Shrimp Rolls is a must-try restaurant specializing in the delicious dish since 1965.
Tongji Anping Bean Jelly provides sweet moments with its tofu pudding served with tapioca balls, left, and red beans enjoyed by customers since 1970.