Chef Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston are globetrotting once again, and this time they’re exploring the markets and restaurants of Taipei in Taiwan. The former MasterChef Australia judges are well known for their worldwide food adventures and have a knack for exploring the smaller, lesser-known areas of their destinations to find the most amazing local food.
Taiwanese food is a complicated web, as tied to its politics as it is to its people. The dishes that have become commonplace throughout Taiwan are a direct result of years of trade and colonialism but within that tumultuous past, a unique cuisine has been brought to the forefront. From the Chinese influences of the Hakka people which brought herb forward dishes and the sweet pork dishes from the Fujian community to the Japanese touch from the late 1800s which emphasised seasonality and umami pickles that have permeated every area of Taiwanese cuisine.
True to form Gary And Matt spent most of their time in Taipei exploring the street markets and smaller local joints and despite weathering the violent Typhoon Kong-rey which hit the city, they still managed to pack in a lot of amazing meals along the way. With the country in lockdown and all flights cancelled, they headed off to a night market to eat pork buns, stinky tofu in soup, local sausages and white bitter melon juice.
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Stinky Tofu is a speciality of Taiwan and is made by fermenting tofu in brine with Chinese herbs and additional ingredients like dried fish or shrimp, bamboo, mustard and greens. The fermentation results in a moist, tender tofu which is then fried and served dry or with a soup. While the pungent smell is offputting to some, the Taiwanese believe that the smellier it is, the better the flavour and while intense, the flavours are more umami and rich than the smell would suggest.
Even though they’re accustomed to gourmet meals, Matt and Gary made sure to stop off at the convenience stores – of which Taiwan has the most per capita than any country in the world – and they found a world of possibilities from oyster omelette-flavoured chips to local crazy juice and crème caramels.
When trying out the local fare they enjoyed small local oysters cooked multiple ways. In a soup, crumb fried and in an omelette. They also tried Taiwan’s most expensive pork cut, pork belly, crispy fried to golden perfection as wellas a soup made with offal and leftovers to ensure nothing goes to waste.
Meat aside, there was also a wide variety of local vegetables to enjoy including some unique additions like sweet potato leaves, guava dusted with salty plum powder and fresh loofah plant (yes, the one that’s processed into bath sponges), which in their fresh form are poached or steamed with clams and ginger.
Even the humble combination of flour and water turns into a masterpiece in Taiwan as they try a Beijing-style saucy beef with spring onions, served in delicate tissue bread that perfectly complements the tender meat. Taiwan’s beloved beef noodle soup appears in two equally delightful forms: a light, aromatic broth, and a richer, thicker version with extra-soft beef tendon—a favourite of Gary’s. Local bread innovations amaze, from warqa-style flatbread wraps to the popular fried "chicken" roll (often chicken-free), revealing a playful twist on ingredients. The crisp, flaky spring onion pancakes come in endless variations, plain or with corn and egg. And, of course, no culinary tour would be complete without sampling the city’s famous soup dumplings, a bite-sized marvel of flavour and texture.
Also Read: MasterChef Australia Judges, Matt, George And Gary Try Out Rava Dosa And Chana Samosa In Chandigarh
They couldn’t leave Taiwan without sampling the famous tea culture which comes in a range of options including a rich matcha sundae and naturally set jelly that offers a pure, refreshing taste. Tofu appears in a form as silky and luxurious as the finest panna cotta, often served with traditional toppings like grass jelly or chewy boba pearls. The refreshing fruit ice cups are a treat, especially the pineapple variant, bursting with natural sweetness. Tea is also celebrated in Taiwan, with the three classic forms taking centre stage: bubble tea with its playful tapioca pearls, fragrant herbal blends, and the renowned mountain oolong. This special oolong is dried over coals in handwoven baskets, imparting a distinctive, smoky depth to the tea.
With only a few days in the city, Matt and Gary have packed in some of Taiwan’s finest food adventures and they’ve given everyone a peek inside the world of special flavours the city of Taipei has to offer.