Sora Ma's Taiwan makan diary
Malaysian actress Sora Ma shares her most memorable dining experiences in Taiwan
Last year, Taiwan was voted by CNN readers as the travel destination with the world's best food.
Channel 8 star Sora Ma would give her nod of approval in a heartbeat.
In July, the 32-year-old Malaysian actress spent five weeks attending a summer language course in Taipei, the island state's bustling capital.
She also visited counties Taichung and Yilan, feasting on diversely delicious delicacies all the way.
Ma, who plays a happy-go-lucky pub singer and Elvin Ng's beau in new Channel 8 cop drama C.L.I.F 4, shares, in her own words and pictures, her most memorable dining experiences in Taiwan.
C.L.I.F 4, also starring Li Nanxing and Rui En, premieres on Sept 6 and airs weekdays at 9pm.
Railway Bento
"A lot of Singaporeans have heard about this famous Railway Bento from TV host Pornsak Prajakwit's 2011 travelogue show Rail Thrill. I purposely took a train to the scenic town of Ruifang just to experience eating on board a train. It was a special experience. My chicken drumstick rice was nice, but a little oily.
I discovered that a lot of Taiwanese are very eco-friendly. They will bring along their own chopsticks for their train rides."
Flame-grilled Beef Cubes
"It was my first time at Shilin Night Market. This caught my eye and I knew it must be one of the most 'happening' foods there, as there were many stalls selling it. It was the most popular dish next to fried chicken cutlet. The beef was extremely juicy and the spices weren't overpowering, which was great. Beef lovers would like it, it's very cheap, only TWD$100 (around S$4)."
Ah Hui Oyster Mee Sua
"At Shilin Night Market, I didn't queue for the hugely popular Ah Chung Oh-Ah Mee Sua (Oyster Mee Sua), but went for Ah Hui's instead. It didn't disappoint. Also, I think it's super cheap - just TWD$25 (around S$1) for a bowl. OMG right! There is no seating area for customers though, so I had to sit at the staircase in front of a temple as I ate."
Jiufen's Deep-fried Mushrooms
"I went to Jiufen Old Street, a mountainous attraction not too far from Taipei City. My friend said that the deep-fried mushrooms there are a must-try, so I bought a box. Each mushroom's outer layer is crispy, kind of like fried chicken, but the insides are extremely juicy. I wonder how they're made. I love mushrooms."
Liu Biju Chaozhou Casserole Porridge
"After many days of tucking into deep-fried stuff, I went to this restaurant at Zhongshan Road, Banqiao District in Taipei. I ordered the signature crab paste porridge and I can tell you, it is the BEST claypot porridge I've ever tried. A piece of advice though - please call the restaurant to make a reservation before you reach, as it takes 40 minutes for the cooks to prepare.
The ingredients are plentiful. There's scallop, ginger, prawn and shrimp balls. Highly recommended."
Ah Gan Auntie's Yam Rice Ball
"The best part about eating at (this place) in Jiufen is that you get the awesome view of Jiufen Old Street. When you see the gorgeous scenery, it's all worth it. That said, I'm a rice ball lover and Ah Gan Auntie's yam rice balls were pretty good."
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