What does Keelung look like through the eyes of people from Hong Kong? Makes Keelung locals proud!

▲ The Hong Kong friend (left) of Ms. Ruan’s daughter (right) came especially for Keelung’s food. (Photo/Courtesy of Ruan Yuemin,)

Lifestyle Center / Comprehensive Report

Ms. Ruan, who lives in Keelung, hosted her daughter’s friends from Hong Kong when they visited Taiwan. The Hong Kong friends, who specifically came to try Keelung cuisine, said, “Keelung puts their heart into it—when you eat street food, they even tell you the stories behind it.” This made Ms. Ruan reflect on Keelung again, and she also shared an article titled“Do you know why Keelung is such a friendly night market?”, which sparked online discussion, and in the comments she wrote, “As a person from Keelung, I’m super proud!”

Ms. Ruan said her daughter brought her Hong Kong friend to stay in Taiwan for one night, and the Hong Kong friend had come especially for Keelung’s food. They spent two days sampling temple street food in Keelung, which surprised her a bit becausein the past, her daughter’s foreign friends usually went to Jiufen, Houtong, or Pingxi, but this was the first time someone had come solely for Keelung’s cuisine.

▲ Keelung Miaokou Night Market. (Photo/By reporter Hsu Wen-bin)

Wanting to understand more, Ms. Ruan asked her daughter’s Hong Kong friend about her impressions. One question was, “How did you feel about the city of Keelung?” The Hong Kong friend compared it to her hometown, saying, “Hong Kong isn’t as thoughtful. The service there has no warmth—it’s just about making money. Forty years ago, Hong Kong was different. Time-consuming snacks are no longer made. No one puts care into it anymore—they just want speed and convenience. Instant noodles would be best. When I asked a Hong Kong shop owner, he said that even if he wanted to provide better service, the rent pressure is high. They have to calculate how many sandwiches can be made in a minute based on cost.”

Ms. Ruan asked what food left the deepest impression on her, and she replied,““Agar jelly, squid thick soup, bubble tea ice, pepper bun, candied hawthorn, pan-fried buns, tempura, pork sausage from Xiaosan Road, and shaved ice.”The Hong Kong friend also praised, “Keelung really puts their heart into it—it’s completely different. There’s genuine interaction; you get street food and stories with it. Keelung is a place full of stories. People in Hong Kong don’t have time to tell you stories. Everyone eats and leaves, no connection. Hong Kong people don’t really live life.”

▲ Bubble tea ice is one of the foods that left the deepest impression on the Hong Kong friend. (Photo/ETtoday News)

From her daughter’s Hong Kong friend’s perspective, Ms. Ruan said, “We’ve lived in this city for so long, but we fail to see its beauty. We always go to crowded metropolises or big international cities abroad, not realizing that compared to highly globalized cities like Hong Kong, we have more space here. Every street corner has local delicacies, taxi drivers chat with you, and people in the community smile back kindly. The pace of life is neither too fast nor too slow, people are friendly, houses are big and affordable—it’s a great place to live.”

Ms. Ruan also pointed out,“Preserving the best flavors of Keelung’s famous Miaokou night market is most important. The vendors who have stood at their stalls day and night for decades, sticking to their own secret recipes and using only the best ingredients, are why thousands of tourists come to Keelung’s night market today.”

Other netizens also commented below, saying things like, “This is the most moving piece that stirs up pride and a sense of belonging I’ve ever seen,” “Great article, sharing!” and “As a person from Keelung, I’m super proud!”