Hi everyone!
I’m on the hunt for authentic Latin American or Caribbean food in Taipei — think bold flavors, home-style cooking, and dishes that aren’t overly “fusionized.”
Already have Eddy’s Cantina on my list for Mexican food, but I’d love more recs for real-deal Mexican (especially places that do more than tacos/burritos!), Colombian food — I’ve been seriously craving a rich, comforting bowl of Menudo (beef tripe soup) or Jamaican oxtail stew or anything else Caribbean-style
Basically, I’m looking for places that serve up soulful flavors — whether hole-in-the-wall joints, small family-run shops, or hidden gems.
Thanks in advance for your recommendations — bring on the spice!
It’s difficult since no cuisine in a foreign nation is ever exactly the same, and sometimes the same dish has a different flavour. For example, local veggies and other ingredients may have different flavours.
Not exactly a long list of such restaurants here. An OK assortment of Mexican - I’m not sure I’ve ever head of a Colombian or Jamaican place. (A similar question from 14 years ago, for Taichung, got zero responses.)
This thread goes into Mexican places, although many in the thread have since closed:
There are occasional Carnavals which have plenty of stalls - I’ve never figured out how many of these stalls also have restaurants.
I’d avoid that ABV like the plague. Their menu is so huge that many dishes stay frozen waaay too long and end up tasting of freezer burn. Good beer selection though
Top of my list there are 3 in Taipei which are great. They are all in the other thread.
Zea(expensive)
Teotihuacan
Fonda
Other decent ones, but those ones do not disappoint so far as I have seen.
Pang is usually good
Eddie’s is good, but more American style
El sabroso is also kind of American, but good
Gone nomad was good. Not sure if still open
One hard thing with proper authentic here isn’t just ingredients it’s processing standards. Taiwan fda has some strict rules. Even the way day chili’s are dried in Mexico won’t fly here due to fungal testing norms if dried here. They must be dried in machine, which is fast and fresh but without the funky fermentation they get from outdoor drying in the sun. Meaning, flavors are different due to requirements on hygiene. It’s a hard one. Home made lasagna ways tastes better the second day type of thing, which is hard commercially.
Have you tried Dirk’s? I enjoyed it at the TAS Spring Fair earlier this year
[!quote] FROM Black-Owned Restaurants To Visit In Taiwan - Travel Noire June 2024
Dirk’s Jamaican BBQ is a real treat in Taiwan. There aren’t many places in the country to get authentic Caribbean cuisine and people travel from all around to get a taste. Believe it or not, Dirk’s is a pop-up-style restaurant. You never know where they might be but the best way to find them is to stay tuned to their Instagram account. The restaurant can be seen at festivals, food truck parking lots, and events throughout the year. Dirk’s is probably the only spot in Taiwan to get authentic jerk oxtails, chicken, and a hefty dose of rice and peas served up just the way you like it.
Lots of veggies and herbs and fruit are dried in the sun in Taiwan aren’t they ? You could do it yourself and serve them in your own restaurant or get somebody to do it for you
I’m talking about FDA testing and regulation, not what grandma does on the side of the street and then sells to some restaraunts.
Basically, no. That rotten level unsanitary food often does not pass actual ppm levels of various things. As they are rotting. Basic climate realities.
Example. European paprika. Mexican or Indian chilies. Almost all of those are dried outdoors for weeks. If one did this manufacturing within Taiwan (due to climate) things would go more funky than those countries. More about heat/humidity/FAE than anything. Go buy a bag of imported dried chili’s. First, they are nearly never dry. Secondly they have that semi fermented raisin type funk. It’s spiled but is the SOP and considered OK in those countries. All I’m saying here is if we wanted to do this dame level of spoilage in Taiwan, FDA would have issues once tested. Because it’s really dirty. Thus, to manufacture (properly) in Taiwan, once can’t pull that type of cha bu duo shit here. Many do, I agree. Many people get food toxins as well. The governemnt doesn’t go after say night market type shops so kuch. But they do go after the factories making the bags of food stuffs everyone in the nightmares are buying. Once tested, they get in trouble. Taiwan is actually quite strict in this sense. Way moreso than say Mexico, India, USA, uungary, Canada etc etc. The difference is they don’t actively go after the small guys. And still, some corruption I guess.
Amid spore filled humid country with zero winter cannot process dried products in the same way a hot dessert can. And the regulations for mycotoxins, bacteria, contaminants etc etc are stricter here than many places. Enforcement is the issue I guess. We all know some dirty as fuck food processors I would imagine
Edit. One thing you see lots dried dirty here (outside the totally impossible to pass SGS testing and ppm standards traditional medicone, locla mustard foliage etc) is salted meats. Namely seafood. One word: salt. That’s a different thread about the preserved foods here and hath issues. But we sure do see fish eggs, meat etc just sitting out in the sun with flies. Those won’t pass actual testing either, 9 times out of 10. Same with zhongzi and some ither speciifc examlels. Enforcement…aka, let the culture be free and “buyer beware”. Which is have a level of respect for.
