Taipei Food Expo Kicks Off – Sample Night Market Snacks for Free

 
 
▲ The Taipei Food Expo kicks off in full swing, offering a taste of Taiwan’s signature snacks. (Photo is illustrative, sourced from the Tourism Bureau website)

Travel Center / Taipei Report

The 2013 Taipei Food Expo opens today (14th) and tomorrow at the Taipei Expo Park’s Yuanshan Flower Expo Dome. Over 150 renowned dining establishments from Taipei have been invited to participate in this exhibition. The event showcases the diverse and innovative flavors of Taipei, featuring seven themed zones: Chinese Cuisine, Night Market Snacks, Authentic Local Dishes, Sweet Delights, Thai Flavors, International Cuisines, and Delicious Sauces. These zones bring together a wide array of Taipei’s culinary offerings. On-site, visitors can enjoy discounts of up to 50% off, plus a triple bonus of early-bird deals, photo check-ins for free food, and a “Spend & Win” lucky draw. More than 3,500 prizes worth over NT$200,000 will be given away.

Huang Chih-ruey, Director of the Taipei City Government’s Department of Economic Development, stated that the Taipei Food Expo highlights the city’s diverse and rich culinary characteristics. Additionally, with the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the expo has invited many well-known pastry and gift vendors to participate. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the last golden weekend before the festival to shop for popular gifts for the celebrations.

Reflecting Taipei’s diverse and innovative food culture, the Taipei Food Expo this year not only features sections for Chinese Cuisine, Authentic Local Dishes, Sweet Delights, Thai Flavors, International Cuisines, and Delicious Sauces, but has also specially organized a Night Market Snacks zone. This zone gathers famous Taipei night markets such as Linjiang Street, Shilin, Guangzhou Street, Nangang Airport, Raohe Street, and Ningxia, allowing visitors to sample popular night market treats like oyster omelets, squid thick soup, takoyaki, and salt-and-pepper chicken wings all in one place. The famed “Thousand-Year Banquet” from Ningxia Night Market is also offering a special limited-table reservation discount at the expo, with the original price of NT$3,000 reduced to NT$2,500 — a 17% discount.

To attract more visitors, this year’s food expo offers a triple bonus. First, the “Early-Bird Deal” gives the first 100 attendees each day on September 14 and 15 a Mid-Autumn gift box or a healthy vegetarian breakfast. Second, the “Photo Check-in for Free Food” allows visitors to snap and share photos at the expo on Facebook for a chance to win 3,000 free food items. Third, the “Spend & Win” promotion lets customers earn one point for every NT$100 spent, and with three points, they can enter to win vouchers for top restaurants and eateries, including the Summit 101 Restaurant with its scenic views. Prizes total over NT$200,000, and more than 3,500 gifts will be distributed during the event.

In addition to various foods, the expo also features special themed exhibition areas. The Thai Trade Office has set up a dedicated “Thailand Pavilion” to promote Thai cuisine, while the well-known soy sauce brand “Bean Oil Grandpa” has created a Soy Sauce Culture Pavilion. Visitors can not only enjoy delicious food but also learn more about food culture.