Introduction
Sticky rice is one of those versatile things you find in sweet desserts, savoury dishes, and everything in between. Right here, though, Nanjichang night market is one of my favourite spots in Taipei to get this delicious tube-shaped sticky rice from. Why? Well, if you want the long story, then check out my article about it all here. Or, if you want the short story – it’s delicious.
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What about the place, though?
If you want to take out, then you should grab a menu and give it to any member of staff. The menu is lit up above the serving station, but I would highly recommend you to get a paper menu and step back from the moderate madness so you can contain your thoughts. But, ultimately, one thought should be on your mind - sticky rice.
The Menu
If you need help with ordering, then check out my previous article entitled 3 fast tips for ordering. But, let's go ahead and unpack this menu a little bit. There are 4 main areas:
- 飯類 fàn lèi - Everything rice
- 筒仔米糕 tǒng zǐ mǐ gāo - tube-shaped sticky rice
- 湯類 tāng lèi - Everything soup
- 芋頭排骨酥湯 yù tou pái gǔ sū tāng - Taro and pork rib soup
- 清燉排骨湯 qīng dùn pái gǔ tāng - Pork rib soup
- 小菜類 xiǎo cài lèi - Everything side dishes
- 滷蛋 lǔ dàn - Braised egg
- 筍絲 sǔn sī- Bamboo shoots
- 滷豆腐 lǔ dòu fǔ - Braised tofu
- 滷控肉 lǔ kòng ròu - Braised belly pork
- 滷白菜 lǔ bái cài - Boiled napa cabbage
- 便當類 biàn dāng lèi - Lunchboxes
- 米糕便當 mǐ gāo biàn dāng - tube-shaped sticky rice lunchbox
- 滷控肉便當 lǔ kòng ròu biàn dāng - Braised pork belly lunchbox
- 滷豬腳便當 lǔ zhū jiǎo biàn dāng - Pork knuckle lunchbox
Sticky rice table spread
A more enticing spread may never have been put infront of me. I was all smiles as my rice arrived with a nice dollop of sauce on top, that's for sure!
So this rice is cooked on a tubular mold, hence the name tube-shaped sticky rice. They then release it from the mold and slather it with this sweetened chilli and bean sauce. Inside you're going to find egg, some mushrooms, meat, and sticky rice. It is so delicious that I could easily have eaten two bowls.
Napa cabbage $30
I always order this when I see it on a menu, as the way it is cooked allows the cabbage to take on this amazing sweetness that you don't often get from cooked cabbage. This type was way less oily then I have had before, which was definitely a plus in its favour. The cabbage is braised for so long that it is delicately juicy, yet still retains somewhat of a bite to it.
Braised egg $15 & Braised tofu $10
Tofu for $10 is a steal in my book. This tofu was silky smooth inside, yet somewhat chewy on the outside. It held a nice flavour without it being boring or overly seasoned. The egg was right on the money, hard boiled with a chewy texture.
So tender that you could die
Delicious.
The bottom line
If you are looking for the meal at nanjichang night market, this is the place you should go. If you order like us for 2 people, you should be able to save some room in your stomach and try some other little bits after. If you are looking for the dessert after, you should give this sweet soup dumplings a try. I am sure you would have a wonderful evening!
Taipei Street Food- sweet soup dumplings at 八棟湯仔圓, comfort food to eat in winter
Taipei Restaurant – 大橋頭老牌筒仔米糕 Yummy Steamed Rice Cakes in Daqiaotou