Breakfast in Taipei

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
February 24, 2009

Breakfast in Asia in always such a treat. I never miss this most important meal of the day when I go home to Taipei. I am a savory girl, and in Taipei, there are so many options to satisfy my cravings. Here are a couple of my usual haunts.

Yong He Dou Jiang
No 152 ~ 158 Fuxing South Road Section 2
Taipei, Taiwan
+886-2- 2736 7560

These little soy milk joints used to be everywhere, but since globalization, now Starbucks is everywhere. Open 24/7, they are most popular for breakfast or a midnight snack. Standard fare is Chinese flatbread stuffed with fried dough; egg pancake; sweet or savory glutinous rice rolls, and sweet or savory soy milk. It’s inexpensive and extremely satisfying.

Kao Chi
No 5 Yong Kang Street
Taipei, Taiwan
+886-2-2341-9984

As a Shanghainese family, on weekend mornings, we’d visit either Kao Chi or Ding Tai Fung for breakfast. Kao Chi has excellent Shanghai fried stuffed buns, which we dip in black vinegar. Another top craving is their mung bean noodles with bean curd puffs. The name doesn’t sound appealing, but in chicken broth with tofu skin-wrapped pork dumplings that add to the texture and flavor, it’s delicious. Kao Chi is also famous for their crispy pastries; my favorite is filled with scallion and lard. Yum!

Din Tai Fung
No 194 Xinyi Road Section 2
Taipei, Taiwan
Tel:(02)23218928

Ding Tai Fun now has franchises worldwide, but my family still goes to the same one we’ve always frequented, the original, on Shin Yi Road. There is no doubt that the food is excellent with its perfect flavors and textures, but another key to their success is consistency and superior service. The myriad servers are so well trained; always pleasant, they never miss a thing. Ding Tai Fung serves some of the best steamed pork dumplings, beef noodles and fried rice in Asia. Above is an image of the kitchen staff diligently making the steamed pork dumplings from scratch.

Mei & Mei
Unknown number of franchises throughout greater Taipei

These little breakfast vendors are literally on every corner. In the tiniest sliver of a space, they make sandwiches, burgers, egg pancakes, and bacon to order. The hamburger with fried egg, my favorite, is a thin grilled pork and beef patty topped with an egg on a sesame seed bun. Add salt, pepper, ketchup, mayo and cucumber and I’m happy as a clam!