Taiwan Travel Guide 112

DAY 11 - TAIPEI

Menuju hari-hari terakhir Taiwan trip kali ini, today kita dedikasikan untuk menjadi hari oleh-oleh nasional. Tak hanya varian local foodnya aja yang banyak, untuk oleh-oleh pun sama. Ada beberapa menu oleh-oleh rekomendasi banyak orang yang wajib kita coba.

Kue Nanas (Pineapple Cake)

Kue nanas memiliki tekstur halus dengan selai nanas lezat di tengahnya, to be honest mirip nastar tapi mayoritas bentuknya kotak dengan dimensi lumayan besar sekitar 5-6cm. Rata-rata kue nanas biasanya sudah dibungkus dalam kemasan kedap udara sehingga cocok untuk diberikan sebagai oleh-oleh. Ada tiga merek kue Nanas terpopuler dan sudah jadi brand legend, ChiaTe, PanPan, dan SunnyHills. Untuk yang sudah bersertifikat halal, bisa mencoba merk Vigor Kobo dan Kuo Yuan Ye.

Nougat Bar

Jika tidak berminat dengan olahan buah, camilan dari kacang ini bisa jadi opsi lainnya. Nougat Taiwan biasanya terbuat dari susu sapi dan berbagai isian seperti kacang-kacangan, labu atau jujube. Teksturnya pun lebih lentur dan kenyal. Ada juga rasa yang berbeda seperti wijen atau gula merah. Biasanya brand kue nanas juga menjual nougat bar.

Teh Oolong

Taiwan memiliki banyak kawasan pegunungan dan kualitas teh Taiwan sudah diakui dunia. Masing-masing teh Taiwan memiliki rasa dan karakteristik yang unik. Ada yang rasanya ringan, ada pula yang beraroma pahit. Teh oolong adalah teh paling terkenal dan paling direkomendasikan di Taiwan. Di antara semuanya, teh Alishan adalah teh yang paling direkomendasikan oleh para penggemar teh di seluruh dunia, dimana memiliki rasa fruity atau buah-buahan, sementara Pouchang dan Osmanthus memiliki aroma bunga atau floral. 

Chia Te Bakery (佳德鳳梨酥) 

Chia Te Bakery is a must-visit destination, even though it’s located a bit away from the main activities. It has been our go-to spot for traditional Taiwanese pastries like Classic Pineapple Cakes & Scallion Nougat.  First of all, be prepared for the queuing process. There are two separate lines: one to enter the store and the another for payment once you're inside. Waiting hours is almost 60-120mins in the peak hours. 

To make the experience smoother, aku rekomendasi untuk langsung antri dan ambil kertas orderan begitu sampai dilokasi. To be honest harganya termasuk lebih mahal dibanding harga kompetitor lain, but completely worth it, cause you're paying for quality. The packaging, boxes and paper bag also well design for gift. Untuk fruit cake nya sendiri menurut aku enak banget, the coatings had crunchy texture and the filling tasted absolutely amazing and lightly sweet. You should definitely try one if you come to Taiwan, or you'll regret it. It only took several minutes from the MRT Station exit 2 (Nanjing Sanmin).

L'Atelier Lotus (甜滿)

Kalo ChiaTe adalah brand legend, kali ini versi local brand barunya Taiwan. This nougat shop is clearly a favorite among International tourists especially for Korean. L'Atelier Lotus state that the chef trained at Le Cordon Blue and Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil, and also worked as an intern at the Michelin Restaurant Hotel De Crillon in Paris before open this humble shop.

As for the nougat, the scallion flavor is the shop’s signature item. It has a strong scallion aroma, the filling is smooth and not sticky, with a sweetness level that might be just right for those who love sweets but is a bit too high for someone like me who prefers less sweetness.

The plain round nougat, on the other hand, has a lighter texture. The filling is a bit sparse, which makes the overall treat less greasy and more to my liking. However, the sweetness level remains high, so even though it’s less intense than the scallion version, it’s still a bit too sweet for my taste.

In summary, this shop’s nougat has its unique features, the price is reasonable even though it is so famous and long waiting. Try this one out if bored with other familiar classic brand.

Yi Jia Zi (一甲子餐飲)

Cause the queuing, we lost half of the day huhuhu Next we move to one of the best Ruo Fan beside Fang Jia in Ningxia Market we are yesterday.  Yi Jia Zi has been recognized by Michelin since 2020. I tried their famous braised pork rice, blood & intestine soup and guobao.

The guabao featured tender, well-marinated pork belly that was incredibly soft and easy to eat. The peanut powder added a nice crunch and sweetness, while the cilantro provided a distinct flavor that balanced everything perfectly. The Luroufan was just as flavorful, though mostly fatty, but it didn’t leave an overwhelming greasy aftertaste like some fatty cuts do. 

Keep in mind that this is a self-service restaurant, so be sure to clean up your table after your meal. Overall the price is reasonable and food are delicious. Even though it took a long queue to get the food, but once you taste it you won't regret the time spent for queuing. Rating 5/5 for this humble place, will be back for sure.

Qingshui Temple (市定古蹟-艋舺清水巖)

Aside from Yi Jia Zi, there is Qingshi Temple, built in 1887 dedicated to the Deity known as Master Qingshui, a Buddhist monk who saved a town and performed miracles during the Northern Song period. Overall temple is small, but it is an active participant in Taoist and folklore religious parade activities. The temple also serve as the gathering playground for the locals, including occasional free movie show for the locals.

Bopiliao Historical Block (剝皮寮歷史街區)

Ten mins walking from temple, we will get to see old building complex near Long Shan temple that was built during the Qing Dynasty which are a few centuries old. It was originally a place where Chinese for tree bark was peeled for industrial purposes. This building retains the merged architectural styles of both South Fujian and Baroque architecture. 

The buildings remain the old infrastructure. The area is open for many exhibitions to be held here. Though the visitors are quite few. Seems not so well promoted to citizens or tourists. But the whole area is so well designed,  it makes a perfect photographing spot. There are a lot of popular street food around the area.  For the traffic, Longshan Temple MRT station is in 10 minute walk. Accros the street, there is Xinfu Market (新富町文化市場), similar old building that already become one of creative space also.

Taipei Film Festival 2025

Lucky me, there was Taipei Film Festival exhibition in Bopiliao Historical Block that day. There are special screening for some legendary Taipei and Taiwan movie. Lastly, have a chance to get my selfie with Kai Ko also hahahaha so sorry for my delulu, it's just with the cupboard when he receive best actor for film Till We Meet Again in 2022. 

Addiction Aquatic Development (上引水產)

Addiction Aquatic Development is a seafood lover’s paradise. Really nice place to hang around in evening. Fresh seafood for dine in or take away, plenty kind of seafood. However all seafood here were meet expectation. Had dinner and see the people shopping and walking was quite amused. It closed around 10pm. Public transport to this place is not so easy, if by MRT, have to walk around 20mins. If by bus, still need to walk around 7mins. 

As the neighborhood is fisherman and seafood market, it's quite scary outside at night, not much light along the street.But still worth to visit, cause this place is the best places to get very good sushi in Taipei. It is also good too that they have waiters and staff who speak English, which makes ordering so much easier and convenient. Highly recommended!

You can choose from the live aquarium or from the mart section. If you wanna customize your pick, please get to the bar section. Not only custom the slice you can also mix your gram. The price is very wisely. Bad news disclaimer, AAD only accept payment in cash, so be prepare cash in advance before going here.

Took a memorable pict about my trip member very sleepy and tired after that superb dinner hahaha but night still not over yet, next we will going to our last night market in Taipei. 

Raohe Street Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市)

Taiwan tourist most favorite night market they said! Here you can get pretty much all taste of everything local Taiwan can over. There's tons of shops as well. But mainly go there for the street food stall. Easy access through the exit 5 of Songshan MRT. Love the ambience here, very welcoming and delightful. Without visiting at least one night market a day, trip in Taipei would be incomplete i guess.

Love you very much, Kebuke Tea

Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan - Raohe Branch (御品元冰火湯圓-台北饒河店)

Cause already pack with big dinner before, we looking for best dessert here. And the night bring us to Yu Pin Yuan Tangyuan. I have enjoyed hot Tangyuan in various Asian countries, but never the cold version and turns out it was a delightful experience. I recommend ordering a combination of sesame and peanut-filled Tangyuan with osmanthus soup. The sweet and nutty flavors blend wonderfully. Heaven. Last, be sure to take an extra step by adding a splash of lemon juice to the remaining ice and soup after the tangyuan was gone. 

They are popular for a good reason. It is delicious, definitely return next time.

Sesame filling

Peanut filling

Songshan Ciyou Temple (松山慈祐宮)

Beautiful temple, near the Raohe Night Market. All the lights turn on and beautiful to view. The temple was built during the Qing Dynasty in the late 18th century, Songshan Ciyou Temple is over 200 years old by now. It was constructed after a local legend, where Mazu appeared in a villager’s dream, prompting the community to build the temple as a place of worship.

The temple showcases exquisite traditional Chinese architecture with intricate carvings, vibrant colors, and ornate dragon sculptures. The roof features classic ceramic dragons and phoenixes, symbolizing prosperity and protection. Inside, detailed murals and statues of Mazu and other deities adorn the space.

Songshan Ciyou Temple plays a vital role in the local community, hosting annual celebrations, especially during Mazu’s birthday in the lunar calendar (23rd day of the third lunar month). The temple is a hub for traditional ceremonies, cultural events, and festivals.

Milksha Taipei Ximending (迷客夏 臺北西門町店)

One of most common milk tea shop in Taipei. Even the prices are extremely decent, all the menu is good, you can just randomly pick. For me the basic tea or milk tea is above the average. If you are ever in the area busy with touristing and you feel the need to quench your thirst, this is the right place for you. English menu is available just for extra information. 

HU HU HU Sekian perjalanan hari ini, makan sudah, jalan-jalan sudah, oleh-oleh pun sudah. Mari kita pulang, istirahat dan bersiap untuk penerbangan besok pagi kembali ke tanah air. Sampai ketemu di Travel Guide berikutnya.

Next -  Taiwan Travel Guide 113

Stay Hungry,

Brigitta Veggy Aprilia Tanu - @brigittaveggy