Ximending

Known as the Shibuya of Taipei, you can expect to find more Japanese culture injected into their winding rows of shops. Of course, we fixated our eyes on food! With some of my favourite snacks lined up in a single street, I guess you could say I found myself in food heaven. 

Some of the compulsory munches would be:

1. Hot Star Large Fried Chicken 

Easily recognised by their striking blue signboard and long queues, sink your teeth into their succulent and crispy fillet! I'd conveniently add in some taro balls and fries whenever I make my order too!

2. 糖葫芦 (Sweetened fruits on a stick)

I ordered a stick everyday because it was soooo good! Fruits in Taiwan are really sweet because most of it are home grown and they are only picked from trees when it becomes 70% ripe, as opposed to 50% when fruits are meant for export. 

3. Milk tea/bubble tea

Some of the more established brands have already found their way to Singapore, so I went around trying those that weren't available here. It's hard to wrong too! I like how their milk tea tastes more authentic - with a tint of milkier taste. You get to choose how much ice you want (with no extra cost even if you select NO ICE!) and of course the sweetness level. 

4. Ah Zong Mian Xian

Highly raved and was easily identified with people standing right outside the shop to eat. For me, I felt it was pretty much overrated. I didn't really fancy the taste but KH's parents loved it and had it repeatedly. But I guess it's a must try!

5. Goose Noodles at 鴨肉扁

We had this for a dinner and everyone of us loved it! They don't even have a menu, you'll only have an option of ordering noodles and a plate of goose. We were initially annoyed with the nasty customer service when they hurried us to order and pay when we trying to figure out what to eat as we were expecting a menu & a wide selection. Anyway, the food made up for that! The broth was flavourful and blended perfectly well with bean sprouts and garlic. We thought the goose was well seasoned and tender too. 

Stay a night or two in this area to fully experience the bustling life of Ximending! With a full stomach, walk into their myraids of alleys and you may end up with a couple of shopping bags. Pay a visit to Uniqlo Level 4 - a specially curated Ximen level filled with Disney and Line apparels. I found myself buying 2 tee shirts for my little cousins at the 'Design your own tshirt' corner, where you can fully customize your tee shirt with a large variety of characters to choose from. Printing took less than 10 minutes for me and costs 390 TWD (16 SGD) each.

Whether you're looking to watch a movie at 9am in the morning or 1am in the night, there are movie theatres open! They have way wider screens, comfier seats and a wider variety of snacks, which made our cinema experience a better one. We watched an 11pm movie and walked back to our hotel thereafter.