Like a Japanese-style shop tucked away in Yilan's Dongshan Market: White Jade Tofu Pudding

Text and photos by /Gui Xiaosun

Where do you even find these interesting places?! I often feel like so many people are just amazing—knowing more hidden gems, knowing more delicious food, and getting there faster than we do. When you see my shares and discover these fresh spots, actually, I’m also tracking new things on Instagram, adding them to my favorites one by one. This place,“Flying Fish Food & Dye”was something I added to my afternoon dessert plan for the second day of our trip. But actually going there in person made me realize just how incredibly special it was. Because at first, following the navigation, we couldn’t find it—the location wasn’t wrong, though. It’s just that we didn’t see what looked like the entrance to “Flying Fish Food & Dye,” which left us puzzled.

This is when I really have to say how great it is to have a smartphone you can look things up on. I checked the shop’s official social media page, confirmed they were open that day, and then called the owner... Only then did I find out that “Flying Fish Food & Dye” is actually inside the “Dongshan Market”!! You literally have to walk into the market to find it—no doubt about it!! XDXD

Once you go in and take a turn, you’ll see “Flying Fish Food & Dye.” The other shops around the market were already closed, and this little spot reminded me of Tainan—that “Pure Job’s Tears” place inside the Guohua Street Market. So it turns out there’s something similar like this in Dongshan, Yilan too.

“Flying Fish Food & Dye” doesn’t sell flying fish, and you wouldn’t be able to guess what they sell from the name either. But I was drawn to those four characters the moment I saw them. After doing a bit of online research, I found out that “flying fish” is a homophone for the owner’s wife’s name, “food” is because they serve food, and “dye” is their other business. Here you can have a cup of soy milk, a bowl of tofu pudding, an ice popsicle, or a bottle of Taiwanese green tea. In short, sitting down for something cool and refreshing is really pleasant.

Only when I got back did I notice that this menu photo came out blurry, but you can probably still get a rough idea of the price range at “Flying Fish Food & Dye.” That day, the three of us ordered two servings of tofu pudding and three bottles of sugar-free Taiwanese green tea to cool off. And we were super lucky to get seats at the counter. When the food arrived, it gave off the illusion of being in a small Japanese shop (I must really be desperate to go to Japan right now XD).

#Kyoto-style White Tofu Pudding 60 TWD #Cool Summer Grass Jelly Ice 50 TWD #Sugar-Free Taiwanese Green Tea 35 TWD (3 bottles for 100 TWD)

#Cool Summer Grass Jelly Ice 50 TWD

The three of us ordered two dishes to share, which was the perfect amount. No worries about eating too much delicious food, getting too full, and gaining weight XD. On the wooden tray was a quaint little bowl with silky-smooth grass jelly and tasty red bean paste...

Crushed ice cooled the whole bowl of grass jelly ice, and the set even thoughtfully included a cup of tea for people sitting down—a gentle touch of comfort.

#Kyoto-style White Tofu Pudding 60 TWD

One of my friends immediately fell for the “Kyoto-style White Tofu Pudding” on the menu. This cool tofu pudding is made using the traditional brine method. Topped with some red beans, green beans, a touch of grass jelly, and served alongside white tofu pearls...

In your mouth, you get the silky grass jelly, the rich bean flavor of the tofu pudding, and the Q-textured white tofu pearls—all bursting with flavor. It’s such a simple bowl of brine tofu pudding, but we were so happy we came this time XD.

If it weren’t hidden inside a market, I think “Flying Fish Food & Dye” would lose a bit of its charm. That kind of offbeat, totally unexpected charm XD. But actually, that’s also a form of innovation. Can’t something fresh and fun emerge from the traditional market atmosphere? Let’s make our Taiwanese markets fresher, more appealing, maybe even turning them into tourist spots like Japanese markets. I think some people have already started writing that story, and I’m moved by it. Looking forward to my next trip, hoping to find more such heart-fluttering discoveries.

Flying Fish Food & Dye
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Address: 1F, No. 186, Dongshan Rd., Dongshan Township, Yilan City (inside the market)
Phone: 03 959 5020
Business Hours: 11:00–20:00 (Closed Mondays)

〔Enjoy life without boredom. Gui Xiaosun〕,FB