If there’s one thing about Taiwan that sticks out, it’s the number of Night Markets everywhere. From huge well known Night Markets to small, unnamed alleyways, Taiwan’s Night Markets come in all shapes and sizes. Tourists who visit Taiwan usually visit Taipei or other big cities, so they’ll know about Shilin 士林 or Liuhe 六合. But, not too many people go to Chiayi, and so the Wenhua Road Night Market 文化路夜市 doesn’t get as much love (especially from tourists). So in this post, I’ll be talking about some of the more popular dishes to have at Wenhua Road. Read all the way through for the video.
1. Zhenzhen Oyster Omelet | 珍珍蚵仔煎
What is a good Night Market without a good Oyster Omelet? The one at Zhenzhen is as good as almost any you’ll find at any Night Market. Flour, oyster, egg all mixed and fried together and topped with a sweet and savory sauce. One thing I noticed about this particular place is that the egg flavor is a lot heavier than other ones I’ve tried. You can decide for yourself if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. It still can’t top the one I had at Raohe.
2. Guojia Chicken Rice | 郭家好吃店
If you noticed, Chiayi’s claim to fame is their turkey rice. And probably no other store is as well known as Guojia. You can usually find a long line of people waiting for their own bowl of chicken rice. Now, the store sign only mentions chicken 雞肉 and not turkey 火雞飯, but the signs on the walk there did. I’m guessing it’s just the sign difference? Regardless, the Chicken and Stewed Meat rice 雞滷飯 I got was pretty good. The reviews aren’t that great, 3.5 stars over 4000 reviews, but I still recommend you try it.
2.a Ahong Turkey Rice | 阿宏師火雞肉飯
When we came back from Alishan on the second day in Chiayi, our driver recommended we go to Ahong. Apparently, their turkey rice was way better. It’s a slightly different experience than in Guojia, however, I think it did taste a little better than Guojia; it was a little juicier without having to add any sauce. I recommend you try both and decide for yourself.
3. Yuxiangwu | 御香屋
When people discuss the best drink spots in ALL of Taiwan, Yuxiangwu is usually in the Top 3. This spot has over 5000 reviews and 4.4 stars. When we got there, there was a huge line of people waiting to get drinks. However, drinks were pumped out super quickly. I got the Wintermelon Lemon Tea or 冬瓜檸檬茶 and it was probably the best I’ve ever had. Usually, these places don’t live up to the hype, but this one definitely did. You definitely have to stop by if you’re in Chiayi.
Bonus. Three Cup Squid and Bean Curd | 炒三杯 & 冷凍豆花
While these two places weren’t the stars of the show, they were still good eats. Usually, you find fried squid at Night Markets, but the fried squid at Three Cup Squid was a refreshing change. Great flavor (and great macros too!) If you haven’t had Douhua or Bean Curd, don’t be scared and give it a try. This stand wasn’t very expensive and the flavor was also pretty good!
