Authentic Delicacies Beyond Taipei: Tainan

Tainan is widely recognized as Taiwan's culinary capital.

Sweet and Savory Eel Noodles

Wet eel noodles with sauce.

Tainan's culinary offerings are as numerous as the stars, and with such a diverse range, you could visit many times and still discover new dishes. While the classics like fresh beef soup, danzai noodles, and fish belly porridge are well-known, let's delve into some lesser-known gems that aren't typically highlighted in travel guides.

One such dish is the humble Eel Noodles . The name might mislead Hong Kongers into thinking it's Italian pasta, but it's actually an authentic Chinese dish featuring fried noodles akin to "Yi Mein." There are various ways to enjoy eel noodles, and the eel version is just one of them.

Fresh eel fillets are marinated, stir-fried, and served with noodles. Dry stir-fried eel noodles.

A Jiang Eel Restaurant is a specialist in this dish. Despite being labeled a specialty restaurant, it’s quite the opposite in reality—more like a run-down shop with folding tables and chairs set up on the sidewalk, making it a bit uncomfortable to eat. However, for true food lovers, these inconveniences are minor. Once the dish arrives, all focus shifts to the bowl. The eel noodles come in two styles—dry and wet. Both feature fresh eel fillets that are marinated, stir-fried, and served with noodles. Whether you opt for the dry stir-fried noodles or the wet noodles with a sauce, the surprising sweet and sour flavors will delight you. The sweetness is a hallmark of Tainan cuisine; historically, sugar was a luxury, and enjoying sweet flavors became a symbol of wealth, shaping Tainan's taste preferences.

A Jiang Eel Noodles

Address: No. 89, Section 3, Minzu Road, West Central District, Tainan City

Phone: 0937671052

Opening Hours: 5pm-12am (Closed on Mondays)

Price: from NT$100-NT$130

A Fruit Feast on the Streets

When in Tainan, you can't miss the fruit. The city boasts numerous juice and fruit stands. A Tian Fruit Shop is famous for being the creator of papaya milk. Besides this drink, they also offer a unique item— fruit tomatoes . While it's typically an academic classification to consider tomatoes as fruit, in Tainan, consuming tomatoes as fruit is quite common. At A Tian, tomatoes are served with a dipping sauce made from ginger, dried plum powder, and sweet soy sauce, creating a flavor explosion that is unforgettable. Seasonal Taiwanese fruits are usually delicious, but the standout is undoubtedly the wax apple （ 蓮霧） . Eating wax apples in other places, even in Taipei, often leaves a waxy aftertaste. Only in Tainan can you enjoy the true sweet flavor of wax apples, so when you have the chance to visit Tainan, make sure to indulge in them.

Fruit tomatoes with a dipping sauce. A Tian Fruit Shop is the creator of papaya milk in Tainan.

A Tian Fruit Shop

Address: No. 168, Section 1, Minsheng Road, West Central District, Tainan City

Phone: +886-(0)6-2285-487

Opening Hours: 12:30pm - 10:30pm （ Closed on Tuesdays ）