Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
EATING LARGE IN LITTLE BURMA
In the western suburb of Zhonghe, near the Nanshijiao MRT station (see the Great-
er Taipei map,
Click here
)
, is a small but vibrant community of immigrants from
Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). Huaxin Street is the centre of this community
and, not surprisingly, a great place to go for food.
To get here take Exit 4 of the MRT and go right. In about five minutes you'll reach
Huaxin Street. There are at least a dozen restaurants and canteens to choose from
here (and a score of small grocery shops with Southeast Asian food staples and
oddities such as durian-filled Oreos), with dishes averaging NT$60 to NT$100.
Don't expect any English menus, but almost everyone has a picture menu on the
wall.
If you need a recommendation try
Burmese Flavors
(Nánguó Fēngwèi; Lane 1, 43
Zhongxiao Jie, 1 43; dishes NT$80-150; 9am-3pm & 5-9pm Fri-Wed)
. It's the first shop on an
alley on the left about 400m down Huaxin Street. Try itssānjiǎo(samosas),jiāo má
jī(fried chicken on shredded cabbage),gālí(curry) orliǎng bàn jiāng sī(ginger
salad).
Eastern Taipei
Taipei city east of Fuxing Rd is vast and offers a plethora of flavours. Anhe Road is a
playground for young professionals with Japanese whisky bars and upscale restaurants
for brunch and dinner. The alleys around Zhongxiao-Fuxing MRT station are loaded with
small eateries. Dunhua S Rd Lane 160 (running west) is half a kilometre of Japanese res-
taurants: from brightly lit sushi bars to dark wood and smoky barbecue joints, to cheerful
lunchbox outlets. Many places have decks that spill out onto the alley.
Raohe Street Night Market
MARKET $
(Ráohéjiē Guānguāng Yèshì; Yongchun)
Taipei's oldest night market, Raohe Street is a
single pedestrian lane stretching between two ornate gates. In between you'll find a great
assortment of Taiwanese eats, treats and sometimes even seats. Look for pork ribs in
herbal broth, vermicelli and oysters, spicy stinky tofu and steamed buns.
At the eastern end of Raohe St sits the multistorey
Ciyou Temple
(Cíyòu Gōng)
, dedic-
ated to the Goddess Matsu. The rooftop
jiannian
(mosaic-like decoration) is delightfully
vibrant. To get here, head out of Exit 5 at Yongchun MRT, turn left on Songshan Rd and
follow it for about 10 minutes.
