Pineapple Cakes, a sweet cake with a chewy pineapple-y interior, are a common Taiwanese souvenir. However, if you’re nervous about accidentally getting something that has gelatin, you can get a bowl at Evergreen Vegetarian in Taipei. The jellies (aiyu, grass jelly, boba, etc) are all generally vegetarian – there’s no need for gelatin because they’re naturally gelatinous substances. However, it’s definitely possible to get all-vegan baobing – you just have to look carefully at the ingredients. Sometimes it contains condensed milk or egg pudding, which definitely aren’t vegan. It’s essentially a pile of shaved ice topped with sweet beans (red & green), aiyu (jelly from figs), grass jelly, boba, taro, and any number of other sweet delights. One dessert you’ll see all over is Baobing, or Taiwanese Shaved Ice. There’s also tons of places where you can buy fresh fruit juice, either from stalls at Night Markets or at drink places that specialize in fruit juice. I visited during summer, and the fruit stalls carried pineapple, watermelon, dragon fruit (both white and pink varieties), mangos, guavas and wax apples. Taiwan is packed to the gills with cheap delicious fruit, so stalls selling exclusively fruit aren’t an uncommon sight at Taipei’s Night Markets. For vegan stinky tofu, I recommend visiting Mele’s Veggie Hut or Loving Hut (some of the locations carry stinky tofu, but you should call to ask). One of Taipei’s most reknown stinky tofu house, Dai’s House of Unique Stink, serves a menu of all-vegetarian and almost entirely-stinky-tofu-based dishes. You can find vegetarian Stinky Tofu at some vegetarian buffets, such as Minder Vegetarian and Sunlike Vegetarian. So, if you’d like to try Stinky Tofu, make sure to try it a vegetarian or vegan restaurant (depending on your diet). While fermenting, the tofu is often soaked in shrimp brine or milk. Unfortunately, in spite of it’s appearance, Stinky Tofu isn’t always vegan or even vegetarian. However, it’s one of those things that I think you should try – in spite of its malodorous tendencies, it is a classic Taiwanese dish, and at worst it’s at least a good story! The smell has been described as resembling rotten sewage, and many find the smell so repulsive that they find it difficult to get down. However, in spite of it’s popularity, it’s definitely a dish that will send most visitor’s running. It’s incredibly popular in Taiwan, and you can find it throughout Taipei’s many Night Markets, served in bubbling volcanic-looking vats. If you’re nervous about identifying items with eggs or milk, try out Evergreen Restaurant, a more expensive vegetarian buffet that marks items containing milk and eggs (but not honey – you’ll need to ask about that).Ĭhou Dofu, literally “Stinky Tofu”, is one of Taiwan’s most famous dishes. Even with those restrictions there’s usually still TONS of stuff available though! There’s lots of incredibly inexpensive vegetarian buffets in Taipei, including Minder Vegetarian (a chain) and Sunlike Vegetarian. So, it’s best to steer clear of things that likely have egg/dairy products – noodles, battered items, etc (I made the mistake of eating some of these while there, and now I’m not so sure they were vegan). Keep in mind that these buffets are not vegan – they may have egg or milk ingredients, and often times there are far too many people for the staff to answer your questions (even if you do speak Mandarin). One of the most exciting options for vegetarians visiting Taiwan is the existence of Taiwan’s vegetarian buffets. But there are certainly enough famous vegan foods to keep you busy! Taiwan is a vegetarian haven, and luckily, that means that many of regional foods are vegetarian too! Of course, there are some things you can’t try, such as pig intestines and beef rolls. Because of this challenge, each time I travel I will not only write restaurant reviews, but also create a list of vegan or vegan-able “Local Specialties” that you can enjoy while traveling. However, ethical dietary restrictions can present a unique challenge to travelers: you want to experience as much as you can without violating your beliefs. Traveling to a foreign country as a wonderful opportunity to engage with another culture, and participating in local food culture is a crucial (and delicious!) way to immerse yourself in a new place.
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