Taipei is the capital of Taiwan. However, the capital of Taiwanese heritage and food is Tainan, one of the oldest cities with a history dating back to 1600s. In this post we will hunt for some Taiwanese seafood cuisine in the streets of Tainan’s historic harbor area, Anping Old Street (安平老街).
The Anping Old Street is one of the earliest Han people settlement in Taiwan. It is famous for the old Dutch fort Zeelandia and various seafood.
Fresh Crab Congee
Crab is delicious. Live and fresh crab is even better. Using a whole live crab and making it into congee, that’s supreme! This is what you can get at seafood stand called “A-Mei’s Deep Sea Fresh Fish Soup” (阿美深海鮮魚湯). They use live crabs to make whole crab congee upon order. The crab’s juice and meat make the congee burst with flavor. The flavor is further balanced with diced celery and shallots. This flavorful soup is a great choice during winter time.
Store sign.
Live crabs waiting to be eaten.
Fried Shrimp Roll (蝦捲)
Fried shrimp roll (more like a “stick” than a “roll”) is another one of Anping’s famous street delicacies. Chopped shrimp is mixed with pork and vegetables, formed into a stick shape, and fried. One of the most popular fried shrimp roll stores is Zhou’s Fried Shrimp Roll (周氏蝦捲). Their roll is super crispy on the outside with an extremely soft inside. Paired with a light sweet sauce and wasabi: Delicious!
Busy store front.
Crispy, juicy shrimp roll. Paired with sweet sauce, wasabi, and a bowl of home-made Taiwanese golden kimchi.
Fried Oyster Roll (蚵捲)
If shrimp can be made into a roll, so can oysters! That is what Chen’s Fried Oyster store (陳家蚵捲) offers. While just as crispy on the outside, this roll is a bit firmer on the inside than the fried shrimp roll; complemented by the soft and succulent oysters. Tastes great!
Fresh oysters prepared just few feet away from the restaurant.