Since we have a few more days left in Taiwan, I thought, let’s go on a trip! For our last hurrah, we traveled south to Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan. Once the capital of Taiwan during the Qing dynasty, Tainan is known for its temples, historic sites and of course, foood! Our first stop after arriving by high-speed rail, luggage and all, was the Lily Fruit Store, serving up freshly cut fruit and shaved ice since 1947. We shared bowls of shaved ice with a simple lemon syrup and fresh fruit on the side and beans with condensed milk syrup.
As refreshing as the shaved ice was, it was still no match for the oppressive Tainan heat. The sting in our eyes from sweat and sunblock was getting old, so we checked into our bed and breakfast, Wu Guesthouse.
We were greeted by the sweet, sweet cool of the air conditioning and two adorable dogs. Although we were hours early for check-in, the owner allowed us to relax in the dining room over iced tea and fresh fruit.
Well-fortified and hydrated, we started our official tour of Tainan. First stop, the Anping Tree House. This tree house used to be the warehouse of the Japan Salt Company. Over decades of abandonment, the roots and branches of the surrounding banyan trees took over and turned the warehouse into a literal tree house. A Taiwanese artist created an installation of flying metal butterflies inside, which felt so magical with random glints of sunlight throughout.
After a relaxing stint at Anping Tree House we popped over to the nearby Fort Zeelandia, a fortress built by the Dutch in the mid-1600s when they occupied the western part of Taiwan. We climbed to the top of the observation tower to get a better view of the beautiful temples in the city, especially the large Tianhou Temple, dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of the sea.
Sightseeing is hard on the tummy, time for some nourishment.
In a country known for its food, Tainan is revered as a food mecca even amongst the Taiwanese. So, off we went searching for its famous beef soup and ‘coffin’ bread. Apparently, the place to go for fresh beef soup in Tainan is 文章牛肉汤 (Win Chang Beef Soup). Sorry, veggie friends, but what makes this place so delicious is the fact that the cow is slaughtered that same morning, so the meat has a sweet taste to it. I couldn’t believe how much depth there was to the clear broth, and I was most definitely grateful to the cow who gave its life that morning for one of the best beef broths I’ve had in my life.
After knowing the origin of the beef soup I think Philip and Jules were a bit nervous about the 棺材板 ‘coffin’ bread we were about to have next. Fortunately, the ‘coffin’ in coffin bread just refers to the shape of the bread which holds the chowder inside. It’s basically like a chicken pot pie or seafood chowder inside a rectangular box of deep fried toast, mmm….
Hayashi Department Store 林百貨
With full bellies, we strolled over to one of Tainan’s most notable landmarks, Hayashi Department Store. Originally built in the 1930s, this was Taiwan’s second department store, and its standout features include its art deco design and the first elevator in Tainan.
All this window shopping worked up our appetites…time to try another Tainan specialty dish, 擔仔麵 dan tzai noodles. Du Xiao Yue 度小月has been serving up these tasty noodles with their special meat and shallot sauce since 1894. 124 years of being in business serving the same dish must mean they’re doing something right. Their signature dish did not disappoint and pairing the dish with sautéed greens and deep fried oysters made us realize what all the fuss is about when the Taiwanese go on about the food in Tainan.
We walked off our hearty meal by exploring a couple of the older streets in Tainan, enjoying the architecture, ambience and street art.
