Eel noodles, oyster pancake, pigsblood soup, XLB (soup dumplings)

Just like the shopping frenzy right before Christmas, the shopping before Chinese New Year can be just as crazy. One of the popular markets where shoppers purchase new year goods was filled to the brim with people - basically a normal night market crowd times ten. Happy Chinese New Year!

Guava, passion fruit, wax apples. So good.

Pig's stomach. Check. Pig's intestine. Check. Other pig parts that people don't usually eat... Check. I love how it's just some guy, the pig parts, and a big pair of scissors.

Next to one of the markets that sells stuff for New Years is a pretty good Schezuan restaurant. We had some spicy green bean gelatinous thing, seaweed, spicy noodles, and rice covered steamed pork.

Ice Monster was the place to go if you wanted mango shaved ice. I was heartbroken when I found out the place closed down because the owners recently got divorced.

The front door to this restaurant resembles that of an imperial palace with its big metal studs, but it doesn't have any handle bars and cannot be pulled or pushed open. To get in, you have to stick your hand inside the opening of a stone statue and then the door magically slides open. Tacky, I know. The ambiance was nice but the food was nothing special.

1. Arrive in Taiwan.
2. Take the airport shuttle.
3. Drop off the suitcase at the apartment.
4. Immediately go eat the best cold noodles ever (with tofu skin and miso soup)
5. Repeat step 4 for the past 3 days.

A bunch of friends are doing the 2nd Annual February Challenge so to make the challenge a little more difficult, I'm going to be posting the scrumptious food I'm eating in Taiwan. Good luck guys!