We arrived in Taipei today for spring break. Before arriving we heard about the fabulous street food, so after checking in to our hotel we stepped out for a bite. 

We didn’t make it very far. 

The fried chicken with lots of toppings caught Mark and Cy’s attention, so we stopped for our first course. Yes, that’s chicken with chili sauce, cilantro, and slices of raw garlic. Totally, completely raw. And delicious!

Meanwhile, more carts started rolling in. It took no Taiwanese language skills whatsoever to understand the proprietor’s shouts to get the…heck out of the way as she rolled by. Tessa found the chicken on the spicy side, so Mark let her pick the next stop. We ended up in a Japanese place where Tessa had some gyodon  (beef over rice) and Cy had sashimi.  I know. But she was happy, and it gave Mark and I the the chance to try our first local beers. Called Taiwan Beer, because apparently the person tasked with naming said beer called in sick that day. After the Japanese restaurant we headed directly across the street for soup dumplings. Our last stop? A bakery for desserts to eat in our hotel room. So here we sit, eating pastries and watching Comedy Central, a total luxury for us.