Top searched Taiwanese delicacies in Tainan: oyster omelet remains champion

Tainan is the origin of Taiwan’s history, preserving nearly four hundred years of local and foreign cultural culinary characteristics, which have contributed to the uniqueness of Tainan’s street food. According to Yahoo! Kimo Search, the top 10 most searched delicacies that visitors must try in Tainan in the first three quarters of this year saw oyster omelet once again take the crown. The traditional Tainan breakfast dish “savory congee” jumped from 8th place last year to 2nd place, while Anping tofu pudding ranked 3rd. Oyster vermicelli noodles and shrimp rolls also made a huge leap from outside the top 10 last year to 4th and 5th place this year, respectively. Ranks 6 to 10 were Yujing mango ice/Yujing dried mango, Guanmiao noodles, Tainan beef soup, Madou pomelo, and bowl offerings.

 

To promote Tainan’s street food, the Tainan City Tourism Bureau will launch the “2013 Tainan Food Festival” series of events from November 16 to December 15, a one-month event divided into eight major food zones by region. A total of 319 food vendors across Greater Tainan have been invited to participate. This year, 28 items across three categories of traditional Tainan delicacies and local gifts have been selected as part of the “My Food Passport,” abbreviated as the “i” passport, making it easier for the public to navigate and enjoy various cuisines. One of the event activities, the Happy Food “Red” and “Green” Stamp Rally, divides the eight food zones into “Red Zones” and “Green Zones.” Participants who spend over NT$100 with the “i” passport or the fold-out stamp card will receive one stamp. Collecting two stamps in the Red Zone and four stamps in the Green Zone gives you a chance to win prizes including a carbon fiber bicycle worth around NT$80,000 and other attractive rewards. To make it convenient for the public to submit their stamp cards, lottery boxes are set up at 170 FamilyMart stores across Tainan City, where you can also get free scratch cards from the staff — 20,000 in total. Scratch card winners will receive a cup of FamilyMart coffee, with 1,000 cups available.

The series of events include the “Food Stamp Marathon,” where participants use a marathon fold-out map to follow the sequence of food vendor numbers, collect stamps by visiting them, and the first to complete all stamps wins a NT$10,000 prize. The top 10 participants will also receive a special gift — “Come Try a Bowl of Fucheng Cuisine” — from the Tourism Bureau. The “Happy Food Moment: Tainan Food Lecture” invites Tainan food ambassador Ms. Huang Wanling to discuss “Traditional Tainan Flavors,” along with local Tainan culinary master Mr. Liang Youxiang, who will talk about “Happy Tainan: Great Cooking Ideas,” offering insights into a unique food culture. The “Taste of Tainan: Tainan Food Essay Competition” calls on all food lovers and slow travelers to share their experiences through writing. The first prize is NT$8,000, and the top 10 participants will also receive the special gift “Come Try a Bowl of Fucheng Cuisine.” Now it’s your turn to be the guide and let more people enjoy the sweet city’s happy “food” moments through photos and words.

 

The “2013 Tainan Food Festival” “i” passport is available at 170 FamilyMart stores in Tainan City and the 319 participating vendors. The fold-out stamp card can be picked up for free at Kaohsiung Ximencinemas, Tainan Ambassador Theatre, and the 319 participating vendors on November 15, or downloaded and printed from the Tainan Tourism website.

 

 

●   Further reading:

2013 Hot Spring Season: Nationwide Warm Spring Information

http://goo.gl/G5TG4z