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XIMENDING Market (popularly known as the Harajuku of Taipei) :)

One of our favorite night markets in Taiwan is the XIMENDING Market in Taipei.

Here is what you can see in Ximending Night Market:

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted
• The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
• CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in the International Bubble Tea Industry
• Taiwan's SHILIN MARKET: #1 Shopping Attraction in Taiwan!
• SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide
• XIMENDING Night Market, Taipei, Taiwan

SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide! (Part 2/2)

One of the inspirations for Mercato is the street food night market scene in Taiwan's Shilin Market. We love the Xiao Tze (which means "small eats") from the different food stalls in Shilin.

Here are the top food picks you should try when you visit Taiwan...

Read Related Post: Philippine STAR | Taiwanathon by RJ Ledesma 

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted
• The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
• CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in the International Bubble Tea Industry
• Taiwan's SHILIN MARKET: #1 Shopping Attraction in Taiwan!
• SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide

CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in the International Bubble Tea Industry!

Read: Chatime Fever in Manila

Did you know that CHATIME is a $20 million business with 580+ stores worldwide and is the #1 Market Leader in the International Bubble Milk Tea Industry?

It is one of the Top 5 Bubble Milk Tea brands in Taiwan, #2 in the Philippines (behind Serenitea, which is the first in the local market), and is still growing fast.

It was great to get the chance to meet Henry Wang of La Kaffa International, the owner of the Chatime brand, and learn how they were able to expand that quickly since 2005. I also wanted to know from him how Chatime was able to capture the hearts of the Filipinos (see Chatime Fever in Manila) and the world's consumers.

If you are an avid fan of Chatime, a competitor in the milk tea business, or an entrepreneur who wants to learn from successful entrepreneurs, you have to check out the Chatime Trivia and the Exclusive Philippine Media Interview with Henry Wang on the story behind the international success of Chatime.

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted
• The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
• CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in the International Bubble Tea Industry

The Making of Green Tea (Nantau Highlands, Taiwan)

 

We went on a learning trip organized by Chatime to the Highlands of Nantau in Taiwan to learn how to make Green Tea -- from harvesting leaves from the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) to processing it properly.

It was an interesting and educational experience, and I would like to share with you the Making of Green Tea...

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted
• The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
• CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in the International Bubble Tea Industry

TIAN WAI TIAN - My BEST Hot Pot Experience

Exploring other foodie cultures is always a good way to educate and remove any mental barriers on what's possible with your foodie experience.

A visit to Tian Wai Tian was an eye opener for me -- I never thought hot pots could be that awesome.

I was surprised with the high quality and wide variety of ingredients available in the eat-as-much-as-you-want hot pot. Plus, they have a really good selection of drinks and desserts.

When in Taiwan, you must eat in Tian Wai Tian! Check it out...

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted

TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World

What does it feel like to be on top of the second-tallest building in the world?

Taipei 101 observatory is a touristy stop and a showcase of Taiwanese excellence.

I usually don't get enticed by the promise of a 360-degree view of the city, because the experience is a bit passive and there's no cultural or entertainment value. But sometimes I surrender to the urge of checking out tourist places to see when I'm in a place for the first time. 

I would like to share with you our experience for you to decide to go or not to go to Taipei 101 observatory...

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted

DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!

DIN TAI FUNG is the Legendary Xiao Long Bao (steamed dumplings) restaurant in Taiwan that a lot of Pinoy foodies visiting Taiwan and Hongkong are raving about.

Established in 1974, it was:

• named among the Top 10 Restaurants of the World by The New York Times in 1993
• awarded One Michelin Star three times for its Hong Kong Branches in 2010, 2011, and 2012

It is one of the popular restaurant chains with a high franchise fee (rumor is $20M - hope that Henry Sy can bring it to Manila). So, we have to settle for the next best thing from Hongkong -- Crystal Jade -- and some Xiao Long Bao shops that got chefs from Din Tai Fung.

To kick off the Flavors of Taiwan series, I would like to share with you our Din Tai Fung experience...

Flavors of Taiwan Series:

• DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
• TAIPEI 101: On Top of the 2nd Tallest Building in the World
• Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot - The BEST Hot Pot I've Ever Tasted