While visiting Taipei, my mom and I visited my uncle, who lives in Taichung, about an hour train ride (on the bullet) from Taipei. My uncle grew up in Taichung and he continues to live there with his family. He picked us up from the train station and took us to all of the best places in his hometown for A LOT of eating and exploring.
First things first. Lunch at Taichung Bawan, in business and filling bellies for 80+ years. Deep fried “Ba wan” aka the Taiwanese meatball, a delicacy native to Taiwan. It’s a thick gummy dough stuffed with meat that is steamed to perfection and doused with a generous helping of red sweet chili sauce. I have had this snack so many times in both the U.S. and in Taipei city, and I absolutely love it. But I have never had it FRIED! And oh boy, is it better fried! Also, this ba wan is not only filled with pork, but with scallops and veggies which made the meal even more decadent. All I can say is it was INCREDIBLE and I haven’t been able to find a friend ba wan at home since!
With a happy and full belly, we ventured over to one of Taiwan’s oldest towns, Lukang, a once populous city with a port bustling with immigrants and trading junks. Many of the buildings on the old streets date back to the Qing dynasty. What was once people’s homes, are now toy shops and souvenir stores, all leading to the gorgeous Longshan Temple.
After visiting the temple, we nibbled our way back down the old town streets before heading back on the train to Taipei. We enjoyed soft tofu peanut dessert (mom’s favorite), steamed baos, fried snacks and fruit tea. We basically rolled our way back to the train station.
It was so fun to see our family members and enjoy a day outside of Taipei city!
