Shilin Night Market, Taipei

Hello everyone! Oh my goodness. Yesterday, I thought the rain would stop but it didn't. I hope everyone is safe..

To all my blogger friends who keep on commenting they get hungry whenever they read my food posts, I would like to apologize in advance because this is yet another food GALORE entry. Of course visiting Taiwan, you cannot not go to Shilin Night Market!

According to Wikipedia, the most famous foods that one should try are:

• Fried chicken steak (炸雞排)
• Literal translation: "Small bun wrapped in large bun" (大餅包小餅)
• Fried buns (生煎包)
• Peanut candy (花生糖)
• Oyster omelet (蚵仔煎)
• Tempura (甜不辣)
• Lemon aiyu jelly (檸檬愛玉)
• Pearl milk tea (珍珠奶茶)
• Stinky tofu (臭豆腐)
• Oyster vermicelli (蚵仔麵線)

I made it my mission to try every single one of the items that night. Let's go see if I was able to do it! 

*Photo Heavy*

You can take a cab to go there directly because cab fares in Taipei are quite cheap or take the MRT for a faster ride. You have to look for the red line on the map and go to Jiantan Station because that is the nearest to Shilin. DO NOT go the actual Shilin Station. Jiantan Station is in Beitou line.

Upon getting out the MRT station, you'll pass by a long row of food carts. Prevent yourself from getting anything and continue walking till you reach the end.

You'd see a lot of cute gaming booths because the young people love to play these.

At the end of the block you'll see the Shilin Market. This is a fairly new built place because the one we went to last year was just outdoors. Opening time is about 4 in the afternoon and closing time is probably around 2 in the morning. The market is now covered so all visitors can eat gluttonously happy even if it rained.

Before going inside the market, there is this big blue booth called Hot Star at the sidewalk. This is the famous chicken chop/fried chicken steak shop. You'd always see a line there because they prefer to serve their chicken freshly fried and uncut.

Since I cannot eat poultry, the companion happily ate one all by himself and he loved it.

Upon entering the market you'd see a lot of booth selling clothes and games but not much food. It is because the food place is located in the basement.

Welcome to the street food heaven!

The whole place is air conditioned and well ventilated. You cannot even smell the stinky tofu being prepared by a lot of stalls.

Look at all those people! We hurriedly sat on the last empty table we could find and of course we have to order something so we got oyster omelet.

While the oyster was being prepared, I was asked to just sit down and wait while the aunties and  companion went around to get more food. They got me a Taiwanese sausage sandwich or "small bun wrapped in large bun"

The sausage was sweet and super flavorful. It was wrapped in sticky rice and some sliced cucumbers were added. It was so good!!! ( My game face when I eat. #galitgalitangdrama )

They also got fried buns. They were like fried siopaos but the fillings were not the normal kind. One was filled with peppered beef and the other one was with rice noodles, shredded cabbages, and minced pork meat.

Auntie Ah Hua ( the lady in printed dress ) got me a cup of Lemon Aiyu Jelly drink from this famous Wow Frog Eggs booth. They do not actually put frog eggs on the drink but rather put tapioca pearls. They can also put red beans on your drink for an additional few cost. I do not like red beans so mine was just the Lemon-lime drink with a huge block of lemon jelly and tapioca pearls.

After eating all of those the owner of the shop we were staying at asked us to order again. Since we all ate a plate each of oyster omelet and wanted to try others, we decided to keep on walking and find other food. Before leaving the basement I saw this booth. It sells ice cream wrapped in lumpia ( rice flour wrapper ) with shaved peanut candy.

Of course I have to have one! It was definitely interesting but good.

At the end of the Shilin Market, keep on walking till you see this street market. Food stalls and shops lined the closed road.

Taiwanese oranges are the sweetest so don't forget to get a cup of the freshly squeezed orange juice

A food card selling my favorite Oyster Misua/Oyster Vermicelli.

All street foods are supposed to be eaten while standing or walking but since we wanted to eat more comfortably, we had to sit at the dark alley tables but not to worry, the entire place is safe.

My oyster & pork intestine vermicelli and tempura. The tempura is not the Japanese tempura but rather has the consistency of fish balls in rectangular shapes covered in sweet sauce.

Wumigao ( top left, a dish made from pork blood and rice. It is usually cut into a rectangular piece and served on a stick, dipped in soy sauce, with the option of adding hot sauce, then topped with powdered peanut and cilantro ), Rouyuan ( bottom left, a sticky gelatinous tapioca dough filled with pork, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and served with a savory sweet and spicy sauce ), and a tall cup of FOJ.

A temple can be found in the middle of the street. Another place where you can sit down and enjoy your food ( due to lack to tables ).

Plenty of shops that sells clothes, shoes, accessories, fake eyelashes, toys, and others.

Out of the 10 items on my food list, I only missed one! I was not able to try the stinky tofu. I repeat, everyone visiting Taipei should visit Shilin Night Market. Don't forget to go there on an empty stomach! :D

Have A Lovely Day!