Wandering Fel

Taiwan Instagrammable Food: Cool colorful shaved ice from Simple Table

Green tea shaved ice from Simple Table, Taipei

Passionfruit, strawberry and green tea shaved ice from Simple Table

Chilled drink from Simple Table at Songshan Taipei

I have been reading news and it seems that the summer heat is really at its peak at many countries. Japan has reached 41 degrees while Taiwan follows suit at 39.9 degrees today. I am thankful that the everyday-summer in Singapore is still mild at 32 degrees especially if you compare to the region of Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong. However, the heat does not kill these countries from serving something that can help the heat. Today we’re going to look at one of the classic dish to fight the heat, shaved ice.

In Japan that would be called kakigori but in Taiwan, I think it’s simply called fruit/flavor + bing (means ice). Simple Table is located near Songshan MRT station. So if you want to go to Raohe Night Market but you reach Songshan too early, you can hang out at Simple Table while finding shelter from the hot summer sun. 39.9 degrees is inhumane for me who easily melts in Singapore. But then again, what does Simple Table sell?

Simple Table sells something simple just as its name referring to, shaved ice in many flavour and color. From insta, it seems that the most favourite items from Simple Table is its shaved ice, in particular the green tea cream shaved ice. Wah it really looks beautifully cooling, I will definitely take a lot of picture of it before I have to quickly enjoy it, since it’s ice and it’s so gonna melt if you take too long taking its pictures. Oh right, do you know how much does it cost? 50NTD my goodness. I don’t think I can get any shaved ice with that kind of price in Singapore.

Other flavours are as pretty as the green tea shaved ice. For instance, it seems that there’s passion fruit and strawberry shaved ice too. Some insta users also uploaded picture of soft-served ice cream. Yumz. Simple Table also sells chilled drink which I guess can be milk tea, coffee, or soya milk. Now I am imagining myself eating shaved ice in my room while cooling myself off with fan (electric is expensive in Singapore, sadz). You can check out Simple Table’s facebook page (although they are in traditional Chinese). It seems that they also provide cream cake wow. One slice of the cake costs around NTD 880 but it looks so pretty. Mango cake, I think. Aww I love Taiwanese mangoes so much.

Simple Table opens everyday from 11AM to 7PM and from the Google Map, it seems that you just to go right along Civic Boulevard section 6 from Songshan Station. Hope they are as nice as they look. Cheers~

Credits: @yoho_matcha, @joshinyang, @eden_0522, @nalinsaw, @redbean.h

"I'm looking for someone who speaks my language."

In Taiwan, one will never not have something to do at night. Especially if you have already fallen in love with the night market culture. There are so many night markets in Taipei alone, you can just choose which particular market you feel like going during the night. Last time, Raohe Night Market was not really part of my preferred options of night market to visit because it's kinda a pain to reach the night market because I don't particularly like taking a bus. But now, you can take train to Songshan MRT Station and walk for another 15 minutes to reach Raohe Night Market. Sweet!

10D9N Taiwan Trip: Raohe Night Market, Taipei

When we came back in early March, there were so many lanterns put up for decoration right across the night market. Roosters to bring prosperity to the whole businesses in the neighbourhood, perhaps?

Pretty lanterns decoration at Raohe Night Market in Taipei

The grand temple beside the night market is still around until today. Ciyou Temple was in renovation when the last time I visited Raohe back in 2013. The temple is grand and beautiful, you may want to take a look for a while before entering the night market on its left side.

Ciyou Temple beside Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

Just right beside the temple, you will see the red gate of Raohe St Night Market. So many visitors come to the ordest night market in Taipei. The first stall that you will see upon entering the gate always have a long queue and if you have never gone to Raohe Night Market before, you may want to join the long queue of the black pepper meat bun stall. While queueing, you can also see the production line of the black pepper meat bun. Personally, I find it quite fun to join the queue and see the production line before getting the food. As long as I am not starving to death while queuing, it is. LOL.

Entrance to Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

After scrambling my way through the most crowded section of the night market, we finally can take a breath at the non-food stall sections of the night market. I did not find anything that I feel like buying though since I have spent most of my cash buying accessories at Feng Jia Night Market.

Food stalls at Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

While looking around, we saw an interesting stall which only sells two kind of food, seaweed fried prawn and mayonaisse fried prawn.

Fried prawns stall at Raohe Night Market in Taipei

The sight of the fried prawn looks so good so we succumbed to the temptation and joined the queue. Thankfully the queue was not that particularly long because we were getting hungry at this point of the adventure.

Fried shrimps stall at Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

My travel buddy did not want to eat another sauce-related food so we decided to go for the seaweed fried shrimps. She knows I love taking food pictures so much up to the point she automatically offers to hold the food while I busy taking picture. Hahaha. Love you so much my travel buddy! By the way, the fried shrimp taste yummy!

Seaweed friend shrimps from Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

The funny thing is, we really could not find anything else that we want to eat up to the end to the other gate of the night market. Omo! How could this happen? Probably it's because this was the 5th or 6th night market that we have visited across our journey and we kinda got a bit "bored" of the night market food which is not particularly unique. Hard to please these folks, I know. Hahaha.

Okonomiyaki stall at Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

But at the end of the gate, there is one particular food stall which have long snaking queue. It sells something the spring onion pancake but their pancake kinda looks different so we decided to join the queue and try it out.

Cong you bing stall at Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

The pancake kinda looks like a Japanese okonomiyaki kind. But, after getting a bite of it, I know that my true love of Cong You Bing (spring onion pancake) lies at that pancake store at Yongkang Street. Up to the point, we decided to just make our way back there after our visit to Raohe Night Market to have another go at their Cong You Bing. Yes, we were so eager to make our way anywhere where there's good food at stake.

Okonomiyaki at Raohe Night Market in Taipei Taiwan

How to get to Raohe Night Market:

Make your way to Songshan MRT Station and exit from exit no. 5. Walk straight for a bit and you will see Ciyou Temple. The night market is just located beside the temple.

Opening hours:

Daily 6PM onwards

Wandering Fel

Taiwan Instagrammable Food: Cool colorful shaved ice from Simple Table, Taipei

10D9N Taiwan Trip: Raohe Night Market, Taipei