Bakers knead and pull; noodle sellers roll and cut and butchers chop and mince; tiger prawns wriggle and jump, crabs spur with eels, clams squirt. Everywhere there is hustle and bustle and spectacles of a culinary nature to gaze upon. Peas are podded, corn husked, garlic peeled and nuts cracked. ShiDong is my Taipei pick-me-up as it's impossible to leave here without feeling inspired and uplifted; so much of the food is prepared on site by skilled artisans who by hand, produce a stunning array of fresh delights. My first visit to this market was on my third day in Taipei when I joined a Center tour, that was nearly two years ago and it was love at first sight.
Taipei's wet markets provide invaluable insight into the city's eating habits as well as its culture and lifestyle, and each market is a microcosm of the distinctive local community, expressing its characteristics that emphatically assail all the senses: smell, sight, touch, sound and taste.
Range and diversity
ShiDong, unlike many of the markets here was purpose built to be a showcase for Taiwanese food in an up-market location. When it opened in 1992 stalls were allocated to traders whose products reflect the range and diversity of local food. It was also planned as a one-stop shopping destination, like a department store, as it has fresh and dried goods on the first floor and clothes upstairs. There is also a food court on the second level which, if you can get over the slightly grungy environment, you can enjoy some excellent food for just a few dollars.
The advantage of shopping in ShiDong are that is has a basement car park with a lift to all the floors, air-conditioning and, in comparison to many of Taipei¡¦s markets because it was purpose built, it is very clean. Many of the stalls also offer a home delivery service if you spend over NT$500. If you don¡¦t speak Mandarin, simply select your produce, give your name card with your address in Chinese and you¡¦ll find that someone will help with arranging a time to deliver. Dotted around the market are traders who speak a little English, so help is always at hand. Upstairs, some outlets in the food court also operate a home delivery service and some even have menus in English (details follow)
Many people say to me they don¡¦t know what to buy so here are some delicious delights I have found in the market that are definitely worth a try. It is impossible to mention all the stalls, but here are some that I use on a regular basis that deserve attention:
Stall 1 - a pork butcher, this is great quality and their spare ribs are perfect for the barbecue. Loins, fillets and casserole meat are also good quality. If you don¡¦t speak any Mandarin, point to what you want and then gesticulate to indicate if you¡¦d like the meat further chopped, for example cutting the ribs for you with their razor sharp cleavers. This is just one of many fine butchers in the market.
Stall 5 - a wonderful florist selling all sorts of fresh flowers and plants. Look on the floor and sometimes you¡¦ll find fresh rosemary and mint plants, which are great for planting in the garden or window boxes.
Stall 6 ¡V vendors of chicken (black and free range) the woman who runs the stall used to be a Chinese opera singer (check out the make-up). She has good chicken and this is one of the many butchers stalls in the market where I buy chicken livers. At around NT$20 for 1 Jin (600g) chicken livers aregreat bargains.
Stall 7 ¡V this is the stall to visit for all your fish paste balls. Used for shabu shabu style dishes, the varieties are endless. I buy ready cooked quails eggs here to go with pre-dinner drinks and serve them with bowl of sea salt or garam masala for dipping.
Stall 10 - my favorite vegetable stall in the market. It has a superb selection of vegetables, imported and local. Don¡¦t buy basil, coriander or chilis from here because they come free with your shopping. If you order more than NT$500 worth of veggies, they¡¦ll deliver in Tienmu and around.
Stall 21 - this has many of the nuts, dried fruits and vegetables and tea snacks you would find in DiHua street like wasabi and green tea peanuts and toasted pumpkin seeds. They also have a pick ¡¥n¡¦ mix sweet counter.
Stall 23 - a traditional artisan baker, visit his stall after 9am and you¡¦ll find delicate freshly baked custard tarts, bread rolls with sausages, flaky pastries filled with a curried pork mixture (yellowish in color) which remind me of Spanish empanades, great to serve with drinks or for picnics. My favorites on this stall are the freshly baked mini choux buns that are filled with a thick custard. Sold in boxes, they are perfect for creating that famous French desert profiteroles by simply pouring over a warm dark chocolate sauce.
Stall 24 - trays of steamed breads dominate this outlet; choose from filled (taro or red bean or pork), plain or with seven seeds for a healthier option. Simply steam or microwave at home for a truly Taiwanese taste experience.
Stall 25 sells delicious dumplings and wontons with a variety of fillings. Prepare these the traditional way or think ¡¥ravioli¡¦ and serve with a tomato and basil sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Stall 26 is a must for ready-made dumpling wrappers. Buy carrot and spinach discs of the smoothest wrappers from here. Children love making their own fillings and squeezing the dough into dumplings.
Stall 36, at first glance, looks quite traditional, but check out the round foil trays of Italian lasagna prepared by the owner. I have not sampled this but at NT$140 for a small tray it¡¦s worth a try.
Stall 42 sells rice, nuts and seeds all by the jin from buckets displayed outside the shop. American, Australian, Thai, Japanese and Taiwanese rice is sold here either loose or in 5 kilo packs. Look for the flags, which identify country of origin. Good buys here also include pine-nut kernels, walnuts, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, raw cashews and dried chickpeas, as well as rock salt.
Stall 48 is the only teashop in the market, selling some of Formosa¡¦s finest and this is reflected in the price! Great for a unique Taiwanese gift to send home.
Stall 49 is a leather shoe and handbag repair shop; the owner speaks some English and has a comprehensive selection of shoe polish, waxes and laces.
Stall 54 ¡V the noodle and wonton wrapper maker. You¡¦ll find noodles of all different shapes and sizes here and it¡¦s fun to watch the staff at work cutting by hand stacks of wonton and dumpling wrappers from layers of the thinnest dough. They also have freshly made whole-wheat and rice noodles.
Stall 63 is a beef butcher with mainly Taiwanese cuts of meat. He does have a poster of western cuts so point at what you want and he¡¦ll try to accommodate!
Stalls 88-103 are dedicated to fish and seafood ¡V of special note, stall 95 always has a great selection of live clams and prawns. Beware: fish is not a bargain here although the quality is good. A whole coral grouper (about 1 kilo) could cost at least NT$1,000. Clams and live prawns are my favorites along with fresh squid. Local fish like tilapia, milk-fish and parrot-fish are more reasonable. Further down this aisle you¡¦ll find prepared salmon fillets and steaks and a sashimi vendor. The sashimi fish I have bought here includes the freshest melt-in-the-mouth tuna and salmon loins. Cube a loin of either and toss into a pan of freshly cooked drained linguine, season with lime juice, wasabi, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ¡V eat immediately without further cooking.
Stall 114 - here try the red braised pork, breaded pork cutlets, soy-cooked eggs and ready roasted chickens.
Stall 115 - Taiwanese and imported fruit, some produce is expensive so check the price before you agree to buy. The owner¡¦s son is there in the afternoons and speaks English, which is useful as they do home deliveries for orders over NT$500.
Stall 116 sells one of the market¡¦s specialties, smoked goose. Sold whole or by the jin at NT$250 it¡¦s delicious. Cut into thin slices and sold with gravy, this can be served the traditional way with rice and the heated gravy. I like it as an appetizer with fresh green salad leaves and a dressing of olive oil, whole-grain mustard and balsamic vinegar.
Stall 125 is an organic shop selling vegetables, fruit and other products such as olive oils and some supplements.
Eat on the spot
If you want to eat in the market there are some excellent places to try on the second floor. Eating from the buffet style restaurants is relatively easy as you serve yourself. Your food is charged for by weight so no language issues there. The vegetarian buffet (249) has a fantastic selection of vegetable and tofu dishes. At stall 142 order a fresh fruit drink from seasonal fruit such as papaya, passion fruit, kiwi from just NT$40 a glass.
Stall 235 has an English-speaking Vietnamese owner, Wilson, and a menu in English so you can also use his home delivery service (2831 4510). Provided you order at least four dishes they¡¦ll be freshly cooked and whizzed by scooter to your home (menus available from him and in the Center)
Smiling people
Apart from the food, the biggest pull of this market has to be the lovely people who work here who give samples without being prompted, who smile relentlessly, even though they work long and hard and are so keen to serve. When it comes to buying food in Taipei I know where my loyalties are.
Practical Information
ShiDong Market, 100 ShiDong Road. You can reach ShiDong Road from Chung Shan North Road Section 6 or Chung Cheng Road where Section 1 and 2 meet (map reference 6E in Taipei Living). The market building is a short walkfrom either either end. By car there is parking on ShiDong road, but the earlier you arrive the better, or try the basement car park which is behind the market but easy to locate. There is also parking in the multi-storey park at Dayeh Takashimaya department store. Closest MRT is Chishan on the Hsintien/Tamsui line.
ShiDong market is open from 7.30am ¡V 6pm-7pm, but be warned, some stalls shut earlier than others. The food courts on the second level normally stay open until 7pm, but it is a hit and miss affair. Although the market is open from 7.30am, the best time to shop is from 9am when all the stalls will be open and set up. This is not typical of Taipei markets, many of which are in full swing at 5.30am and packed up and gone by 8am.Most markets close on Monday, but this varies with the festivals, so again no hard and fast rules here!
To explore first hand, join Ivy Chen and me for a tour of ShiDong market on Saturday, March 8. If you want recipe ideas using local produce, sign for a repeat of Stylish Suppers 1 (March7 at 10am) and Stylish Suppers 2 (May 21th at 7.30pm) for those of you who missed the classes first time around.
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