Ningxia Night Market is a place to go if you’re seeking an authentic taste of Taiwan’s delicious night market food. It is here that one can discover the undisputed champion of savoury sensations, the renowned Ningxia Oyster Omelet. The best Oyster Omelet in Taipei comes with quite a long wait, but it is absolutely worth it.
Located in the Datong District of Taipei, Ningxia Night Market is perfect for those in search of mouthwatering street food. At first glance, the market’s vibrant lights and enthusiastic vendors are enough to draw any visitor in. Yet, the true essence of Ningxia’s culinary prowess resides in the exceptional oyster omelettes that pull both tourists and locals in each and every day.
You might wonder what makes the Ningxia Oyster Omelet so special. Well, it’s not just the oysters that make it exceptional; it’s the skilled craftsmanship of the vendors that have been honed over time, who transform simple ingredients into a gastronomic masterpiece. A mixture of fresh oysters, egg, leafy greens, a pancake-like batter, and a secret savoury sauce is deftly combined on a sizzling hot griddle to create a harmonious union of flavours and textures. Each bite promises to deliver fresh oyster flavour with a delicious chewy omelette.
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We arrived at 圓環邊蚵仔煎 around 6 pm to find a long queue fully formed outside. It was hammering it down with rain, and we waited a good 45 mins. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but having had this oyster omelette before, I knew what I was getting into and I was more than happy to wait.
Since my last visit here they have had a renovation, which means that everything is really bright and new looking. However, that massive teppanyaki-style omelette pan is still there and looks like it could tell some tales.
If you aren’t sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at 圓環邊蚵仔煎, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu
As you wait in line for your food, a menu will be thrust under your face and you can put in your order then and there. To my amazement, the lady who took our order on the day also took well over 20 other orders, and managed to remember them all without having to write anything down!
Anyway, your food is ordered, and you're good to go. There's no need for Chinese here, as the menu is also in English, so you can simply point to it.
One thing to note is that they have received acclaim from Michelin in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. That's quite the record right there! If you want to take out, then you can go straight up and place your order. If you want to eat in, then join the back of the long line and patiently wait. You could even walk around Ningxia Night Market first to grab something to eat before chowing down on this. This is the Taiwanese way!
NingXia Oyster Omelet Being Made
The amount of oysters in each omelette is quite amazing. This is not a regular sight for many oyster omelette restaurants throughout Taipei. Most are quite stingy on the number of oysters you'll get, or at least they will be quite small and chewy. But not here at 圓環邊蚵仔煎. These ones are fat and plentiful.
On top of each mound of oysters comes the chewy pancake-like batter, which is then topped with an egg. The chef is incredibly diligent and methodical in his work here, with the next step being a handful of vegetable greens on top of each pancake. It is then allowed to cook for a few minutes and ceremoniously flipped to create the portion which will soon be ready for your plate.
Taiwanese Pork Sticky Rice
This isn't braised pork over rice. No. This is quite different. The rice here is the longer grain sticky rice that is often packed into small pots and then steamed with some pieces of pork, then upturned onto your plate and lashed with sauce. See below for an example of this.
Taipei Street Food – tube-shaped sticky rice 曉迪筒仔米糕, 1 of the best things in town!
This is still called Taiwanese Sticky Pork Rice, but it really looks nothing like that link from above ^. This is a more laid-back style with some rice carefully spooned into a bowl, a few bits of meat put on top, and natural flavours allowed and left to emanate from the bowl. It works. It's delicious, contrary to its plain looks. There's a rich flavour of scallions in the oil that the rice has been dressed with, and the meat is delicate, too.
Sparerib Radish Soup
Plenty of daikon radish is in the soup here, with a few good chunks of pork. My nemesis - celery - was dotted around the bowl, and the soup base itself was light and fresh. But, it's not worth the money, in my opinion. You have to chew around bones, and daikon radish doesn't have a particularly discernable flavour to be going out of your way for.
Oyster Omelet
The real winner here is the oyster omelette. Ningxia Night Market is popular for many things, but Ningxia Oyster Omelet has to be right at the top of the list. There are a few vendors selling them here, but 圓環邊蚵仔煎 is by far and away the best.
The chewy pancake-like batter has a good flavour and encapsulates those fat juicy oysters really nicely.
The egg is enough to keep everything together and give it a nice richness, and the 'chilli' sauce ties everything in wonderfully. The pop of green every now and then is welcomed, as you don't often get much veg at a Night Market.
The freshness of the oysters here is something to behold, as is the portion size for the money that you pay. I would strongly encourage you to get 1 oyster omelette per person. Don't go sharing this, you'll only regret not ordering your own.
The bottom line
Is it worth it? Definitely.
What is the best dish? The Oyster Omelet is by far the best dish. But that sticky rice is also pretty good - especially when dashed with some of the chilli sauce on the table, too.
Are there other places like this? There are a few other places at Ningxia Night Market like this, but none are as good in terms of freshness and overall value for money. This is hard to beat!