The night market food is good, the haute cuisine blows. It reminded me of the first apartment I rented before I met my wife and moved into her lovely Mucha apartment. It was in Tamshui and proletarian Yanks loved it because it had a third rate swimming pool and harbour views. But it stank and felt 40 years old even though it was 10 or so. The folks that rave about Taiwan’s food–have they been to Basque restaurants? A good Lyon restaurant? Georgian (the country?).
1 Like
That wasn’t my experience in K-town. Mostly just deep fried, absolutely nothing special.
You lived in Taiwan, what, 30 years ago?
2002 to 2008 in central Taipei-Mucha but return every so often (e.g., stepdaughter had Vancouver and Taipei weddings recently).
I was spoiled as I lived in Tainan, which I’ve heard is ranked the best food city in Taiwan. The food at the night markets was really good, and there was one in a different part of the city every night. However, it was a struggle to find decent food in the day. The restaurants, with a few exceptions, were mediocre at best. The biandang joints were greasy slop but did the job and I didn’t bother with the doujiangs as Chinese breakfast fare is bland to the point of being inedible. Soy milk with fried breadsticks, bleh.
You clearly haven’t found any of the right hole-in-the-wall breakfast sandwich places! (Ask the locals where to go, though it may take a few tries, haha.) 
Breakfast sandwiches?
- Chinese can’t do bread. Period.
- Taiwanese soak everything in grease. Eggs & ham are dripping with oil.
And congee is just watery oatmeal with less flavor.
- is an acquired taste, true, but I’ve acquired it so no problem there
- depends on the breakfast shop, and the quality and flavor of the grease!
Congee is like rice, it isn’t meant to be eaten plain! 
Egads man, no wonder you’re suffering here! 
1 Like
Doesn’t help that most of the restaurants are closed afternoons and Mondays
2 Likes
Yes! If I have a complaint about Taiwanese cuisine it’s exactly that! 
I’d rather live adjacent to a war zone than eat in Taiwan anymore. What made me leave Taiwan? Food is in the top 3 things…
1 Like
You’ve left? Or are you answering for future you?
I’m gonzo
The food is sooooooooooo much better here
Where are you now?
IMHO, this may also be a Kaohsiung issue (for food). Other cities have much better food options.
Isn’t this why YOU moved to Taiwan? I assumed this was (or became) your sacred mission!
Guy
1 Like
Airasia Airbus 320/1
1 Like
It is a Kaohsiung issue. Noodles are shit here and they usually localise stuff , making it less spicy and more sweet. Inflation also seems to have done a number on Taiwanese dishes having less and less veggies etc.
I’ve had much better food in other places , but to like Taiwanese food you have to also go beyond your western palete e.g. I like LuWei and Suan la tang and oyster and clam soup stuff like that, but many people don’t.
Kaohsiung has too many buffet and take away places but not enough regular restaurants. If you like Chinese buffets it might actually be pretty good though.
2 Likes
Came for a job offer to good to pass up.
Taiwan was not my preferred choice. Still not. Easy and very safe to live in Taipei. But to busy, business-like and people to cold compared to other potential places to live in Asia and the rest of the world.
2 Likes
I try to answer this with a more thoughtful question of what makes me stay which is really the important thing. What makes somebody corme here ..an airplane.
