Buzz
As one of the most famous night markets in Taipei, Tây Môn Đinh night market isn't just a shopping paradise but also a place where tourists can indulge in delicious Taiwanese specialties.
Exploring Taiwan: Queuing for 'standing noodles' and sipping bitter melon juice at the night market
One of the must-try dishes at Tây Môn Đinh is the 'standing noodles'.
This noodle shop, actually named Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodle in English, has been around since 1975, but many affectionately call it 'standing noodles' because to enjoy this dish, one must... stand.
To purchase this noodle dish, tourists visiting Taiwan must queue and wait for their turn, as the place is often crowded, especially in the evenings.
Customers purchasing noodles must stand to eat or take away as there are no seating available. Noodles are packed in paper bowls for convenient takeaway.
The noodle shop opens from 9 am to 10:30 pm from Monday to Thursday, and extends its hours until 11 pm on weekends. A serving of noodles costs from 50 New Taiwan Dollars (equivalent to over 37,000 Vietnamese Dong).
An unusual aspect is that although the main components of this dish are noodles and broth, additional ingredients such as spring onions, chili, minced garlic, vinegar... enhance its flavor significantly, as reviewed by many tourists visiting Taiwan.
75% of over 1,000 people who have tried it rated this dish as 'very good' and 'excellent' on TripAdvisor.
Even the American guy Mark Wiens, famous owner of the food travel blog Migrationology, dubbed this dish a 'legend' of Taiwanese street food at Tây Môn Đinh.
“After the first bite, I immediately understood why so many people are obsessed with this dish. The noodles are incredibly soft, the broth is rich and flavorful, the taste is extremely impressive,” Mark wrote on his blog after indulging in this dish.
Tây Môn Đinh market isn't just famous for Ay-Chung noodles, but it's also where visitors can easily find famous Taiwanese dishes like bubble milk tea, cheese sponge cake, pineapple cakes, stinky tofu, and another must-try beverage, white bitter melon juice.
According to locals in Taipei, white bitter melon juice is sold in many places, but Tây Môn Đinh market is one of the most renowned.
Unlike the bitter melon commonly seen in Vietnam, the variety used for this beverage in Taiwan is white in color, with very large size, the taste is refreshing, slightly bitter and sweet afterward.
A glass of white bitter melon juice costs around 65 New Taiwan Dollars (equivalent to 50,000 Vietnamese Dong). Bitter melon juice stands also sell seeds and dried bitter melon tea.
By Ngọc Đông/Tuổi Trẻ
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourOctober 18, 2017
