Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cantonese
This is what non-Chinese consider 'Chinese' food, largely because most émigré restaur-
ateurs in other countries originate from Guangdong (Canton) or Hong Kong. Cantonese
flavours are generally more subtle than other Chinese styles - almost sweet, with very
few spicy dishes. Cantonese cooking emphasises the use of fresh ingredients, which is
why so many restaurants are lined with tanks full of live fish and seafood.
Cantonese
diǎnxīn
(dim sum) snacks are famous and can be found in restaurants
around Taiwan's bigger cities. As well as
chāshāobāo
(barbecued pork buns), you'll find
chūnjuǎn
(spring rolls),
zhōu
(rice porridge) and, of course,
jī jiǎo
(chicken feet) - an ac-
quired taste.
Grilled cuttlefish
JEFFREY YAP, JEFF RYAN STUDIO/GETTY IMAGES ©
Aboriginal
Travellers who visit Taiwan without sampling the dishes of the tribal peoples who called
the island home millennia before the first Han sailor ever laid eyes on Ilha Formosa are
definitely missing out. The product of hunters, gatherers and fishing people, aboriginal
dishes tend to be heavy in wild game and mountain vegetables, as well as a variety of
seafood.
One must-try dish is
tiĕbăn shānzhūròu
(fatty wild boar grilled, sliced, and grilled
again with onions and wild greens). A staple that's easy to carry and an excellent source
of calories to bring along on a hike is
zhútŏng fàn
(steamed rice - with and without meat
