Netflix’s “Street Food Asia” is a documentary series that explores the vibrant street food culture across different countries in Asia, including Taiwan. The episode, Chiayi, Taiwan, highlights the bustling street food scenes in cities like Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and another smaller city, Chiayi(嘉義) and explores the stories of local food vendors who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their cooking skills. Audience can experience the diversity of Taiwanese cuisine, learn about the history and cultural significance of these foods, and get a glimpse into the lives of the passionate individuals who create these food.
Taiwanese cuisines are known for their diverse flavors, vibrant colors, and unique culinary techniques. It reflects a blend of Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian influences, resulting in a rich and distinctive food culture. Taiwanese street food, in particular, has gained international popularity for its delicious and affordable offerings.
This episode includes the food shown below
1. 土窯羊肉 Tǔyáo yángròu 3-Day-3-Night Stewed mutton
Restaurant Name:松山土窯羊肉 Sōngshān tǔyáo yángròu Songshan Kiln Mutton
Address:No. 48-27, Minhsiung Township, Chiayi, Taiwan 嘉義縣民雄鄉松山村松仔腳48-27號
Phone: 05 272 1597
Email:unclegoats@gmail.com
Website https://www.unclesheep.com.tw/
The cooking process of 3-Day-3-Night Stewed Mutton is the same as the alchemy principle of ancient Taoists in the past. Firstly, bury the whole urn of mutton in the ground and then heat it with burnt rice. Such a cycle of high and low temperature for three days and three nights can not only produce positive and negative pressure but also absorb the earth’s air.
In the simmering kiln, the high temperature is up to 800-1000 degrees, which has already exceeded the acceptable level of the human body, so you have to wear a gas mask to resist the dizziness caused by the high temperature. After these complicated procedures, the rich aroma of mutton when it comes out of the kiln is created. Songshan Kiln Mutton is located beside the pineapple field. It is a Fujian-style tower building with red bricks and white walls. You can see the items and utensils used in the agricultural era, exuding a retro flavor, which makes people feel like returning to grandparents’ house for dinner. This is also the way of hospitality in rural Taiwan.
2. 沙鍋魚頭 Shāguō yú tóu Fish Head Stew
Restaurant Name:林聰明沙鍋魚頭Líncōngmíng shāguō yú tóu Smartfish Head Stew
Address:No. 361, Zhongzheng Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City, Taiwan嘉義市東區中正路361號(近文化路口)
Telephone:05-2270661
Website:http://www.smartfish.com.tw/
FB:https://reurl.cc/QkEv0
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/smartfish168/
Lin Congming, the founder of Smartfish Head Stew, has insisted on cooking with his hard work for 6 decades since he opened the store. His daughter, Grace Lin, and he have beening optmizing the cooking of the traditional southern characteristic big pot soup and the selecting ingredients carefully. This has not only make themselves become a popular restaurant with dishes full of hometown flavors in Chiayi, but also attracted Taiwan’s local as well as international media such as NHK(Japan), 【旅人カップル】世界幸せ探検隊, Travel Youtuber:Luke Martin, and so on. Under the word-of-mouth of gourmets at Chiayi and abroad, Smartfish Head Stew created a miracle of Chiayi cuisines, and its taste is famous throughout Taiwan!
Pork bone broth is boiled for over 10 hours every day from morning to afternoon. From the white soup base to the exclusive best broth with thick soy-milk color, the fish heads are freshly delivered from the top of the reservoir. For live silver carp, the thick fish head and flesh is taken from the gills, and the fish tail is cut into pieces. Then, they are deep-fried until their colour turns golden brown and the appearance becomes crispy.
Since May, 2023, Grace Lin launced another business line, Tshong Bing Bar(聰明吧), a beer bistro restaurant. With the positioning of “local flavor and local taste”, accompanied by table wine as the carrier, Chiayi’s unique cuisine culture can be extended. This enables explorers and local residents who arrive in Chiayi to meet friends here with wine and exchange cultural flavors of various places with stories.
3.豆花 douˋ hua Tofu Pudding(Curd)
Restaurant Name: 阿娥豆花 Ā é dòuhuā
Address:Wenhua Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City, Taiwan 嘉義市東區延平街文化路路口
Tel:05-2243016
阿娥豆花 is using soy milk instead of sugar water makes the bean curd taste more natural and delicious! Foodie can ordere peanut bean curd and red & pearl bean curd. If you have difficulty choosing, you can just order mixed bean curd !
4. 嘉義火雞肉飯 Jiāyì huǒ jīròu fàn Chiayi turkey rice
Restaurant Name: 劉里長雞肉飯 Liú lǐ cháng jīròu fàn
Address:No. 197, Gongming Rd., East Dist., Chiayi City, Taiwan 嘉義市東區公明路197號
Tel:05-2227669
FB:https://www.facebook.com/LiuLiZhangJiRouFan/
Simply order turkey sliced rice, turkey shredded rice, and pickled cabbage for tastes. Their chicken fat is made from chickens boiled for a long time, and therefore the aroma is self-evident!
The rice with clear grains is topped with almost chunky turkey leg meat, topped with homemade lard, chicken broth, crispy shallots and the pickled tuber, which makes the food shiny and moving!
Remember to stir it evenly while it’s hot before enjoying it. The meat slices taste soft and tender, not dry. It’s paired with crispy shallots and sauce to enhance the fragrance, adding a lot of aroma. It’s a big appetizer! The pickled tuber on the side timely relieves greasiness and adds a lot of refreshing taste!
Other iconic Taiwanese dishes include:
Beef Noodle Soup(牛肉麵Niúròu miàn, 우육면):
A hearty soup with tender braised beef, noodles, and flavorful broth.
Bubble Tea(珍珠奶茶Zhēnzhū nǎichá, 진주 우유 차, タピオカ):
A refreshing drink with tapioca pearls, tea, and various flavors like milk tea or fruit tea.
Gua Bao(刈包, Guaˋ Bao):
Also known as “Taiwanese hamburger,” it consists of a fluffy steamed bun filled with braised pork belly, pickled vegetables, and other condiments.
Oyster Omelette(蚵仔煎é zaiˇ jiān, 굴 오믈렛, オイスターオムレツ):
A popular street food dish made with a crispy egg batter, oysters, and a tangy sauce.
Stinky Tofu(臭豆腐Chòu dòufu, 취두부):
A pungent fermented tofu dish that is deep-fried and served with spicy sauce or pickled vegetables.
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