Banana Cola is a refreshing beverage combining banana and cola, popular in Cishan Old Street in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan. The Cishan area is known for banana production, and this drink is offered as a local specialty for tourists. Characterized by the use of ripe Taiwanese bananas, it was created as part of an initiative to utilize local agricultural products and is sold at traditional old street stalls. This unique drink allows people to enjoy the sweetness of banana and the refreshing sensation of cola’s carbonation at the same time, making it a representative item of the region’s distinctive food culture.
The banana is a fruit belonging to the Musaceae family, originally from Southeast Asia, and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Qishan District in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan, is known as one of the leading banana-producing areas in Taiwan. Bananas produced in Qishan, known as ""Qishan Bananas,"" are particularly highly regarded for their quality and flavor. For many years, Qishan bananas have played an important role not only as a domestic product but also as an export commodity. Even today, Qishan bananas, supported by their rich sweetness, texture, and traditional cultivation techniques, continue to be a specialty product symbolizing the region's agriculture and tourism.
Zhen You Wei (Chinese: 真魷味) is one of Taiwan's representative squid-based snack foods. It is characterized by the use of dried or semi-dried squid seasoned with a distinctive marinade. Widely distributed across Taiwan in convenience stores, supermarkets, and night markets, Zhen You Wei is easily recognized by its packaging, which often features illustrations of squid and the term ""Hong Shao Kou Wei"" (braised flavor in soy sauce) in Chinese, indicating its signature sweet and savory soy sauce-based taste. This traditional snack is well-loved by locals and tourists alike.
Century egg and lean pork congee is a type of rice porridge widely consumed in southern China and various regions of East Asia. It is characterized by the addition of century eggs (pidan), which are fermented duck eggs, and lean pork to the rice congee. Known for its rich flavor and high nutritional value, it is a familiar everyday home-cooked dish. Century egg and lean pork congee is especially prominent in Cantonese and Taiwanese cuisine, commonly served as breakfast or a late-night meal at street stalls and eateries. In places such as the Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, it is recognized as a staple dish popular among locals and tourists alike.
Dan Zai noodles (also spelled ""Tanzai noodles"") are a traditional noodle dish originating from Taiwan, particularly popular in the southern city of Tainan. Characterized by a light broth made with chicken bones and ground pork, the noodles are typically served in small bowls. The dish is often garnished with cilantro, shrimp, and garlic, adding both color and flavor. Since the late 19th century, it has been known as a street food popular among ordinary people, and today it can be found at night markets and eateries throughout Taiwan, as well as in the form of instant noodles.
Taiguojuan is a type of traditional snack that is popular mainly in Taiwan. Made primarily from rice or wheat flour and shaped into sticks, it is characterized by its light texture and mild sweetness. Widely sold at supermarkets, snack shops, and retro game bars throughout Taiwan, it is enjoyed by people of all ages, from children to adults. In places like Jiuyou Shanghang in Kaohsiung, it is sometimes served as a snack to enjoy alongside gaming experiences.
Shacha Qiyu Du is a distinctive seafood dish mainly served in the Qijin area of Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan, featuring the stomach of swordfish as its primary ingredient. Typically, fresh swordfish stomach is stir-fried with shacha sauce—a condiment known for its rich flavor and savoriness—along with aromatic vegetables. The dish is characterized by its firm, chewy texture and strong, savory taste. In the fishing towns along the coastal areas such as Qijin, the swordfish stomach, being a rare part, is highly valued as a local specialty and is regarded as a symbol of the region's culinary culture.
Kao You Yi (grilled squid) is a popular grilled squid dish widely eaten in East Asia, particularly in Taiwan and China. It is mainly served at night market stalls, where fresh squid is skewered on metal or bamboo sticks and grilled directly over an open flame to achieve a fragrant, smoky flavor. In places like the Liuhe Tourist Night Market in Kaohsiung, it has become a well-known local delicacy, enjoyed for its distinctive seasoning with a variety of spices and sauces such as soy sauce, cumin, and five-spice powder. As a convenient snack, it is loved by both locals and tourists, and is considered one of the iconic dishes representing Taiwan’s night market culture.
Eight Treasures Soup (Bābǎotāng) and Glutinous Rice Dumpling Soup (Yuánzǐtāng) are traditional sweet soups that are particularly popular in Taiwan. Commonly sold at night markets and dessert shops, these dishes are known for their gentle sweetness and diverse textures, using a variety of beans, grains, and glutinous rice dumplings. Eight Treasures Soup is named for its use of several ingredients, symbolizing ""eight treasures,"" while Glutinous Rice Dumpling Soup centers on glutinous rice balls as its main feature. Both are widely enjoyed as iconic dishes representing Taiwanese food culture, with numerous regional and seasonal variations.
Mullet roe, also known as Karasumi in Japan and Wuyuzi in Chinese, is a traditional food made by salting and drying the ovaries of mullet, primarily. It has long been regarded as a delicacy in various parts of the world, including Japan, Taiwan, and Mediterranean coastal regions such as Italy. Notably, Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan and Nagasaki in Japan are well-known production areas, each developing unique methods of preparation and culinary culture. Mullet roe is characterized by its rich umami flavor and distinctive, sticky texture, and is consumed in various ways, including as a preserved food, a luxury gift, and a snack to accompany alcoholic beverages.
