Last Updated on 12-30-2023
In Kaohsiung, the locals embrace the world from their vibrant harbor, and this audacious spirit shines through their cuisine. The dishes are known for their generous portions, robust flavors, and affordability. Among the mouthwatering seafood appetizers, the swordfish ball soup and lemak congee stand out, offering a delightful solo experience or a delectable combination with other seafood delicacies. If you happen to visit, why not experience breakfast like a local in Kaohsiung? Their favorites include battered omelets and pot-roasted spaghetti, dishes that promise to leave you fully satisfied.
Milkfish congee
Flounder, with its flavorful meat, is a tropical fish that can be tricky to prepare due to its abundance of spines. However, in Kaohsiung, people have a special affinity for halibut. One of the perks of these establishments is that they skillfully remove all the fish spines, making it effortless for everyone to savor the freshness of halibut without any concerns about the spines. For a popular breakfast choice in Kaohsiung, locals often opt for congee, a delicious and comforting dish.
It contains tender and flavorful fish without any fishy aftertaste, the scallion-infused soup is refreshingly fresh, and to top it off, the bowl is generously sized. With its captivating rice aroma that is not excessively oily, this congee offers a delightful and satisfying breakfast option that’s beloved by the locals.
Swordfish Ball Soup
Whether paired with rice or noodles, the locals relish a steaming bowl of swordfish meatball soup. Crafting delicious swordfish balls requires using fresh fish paste, meticulously hand-made from the day’s catch and skillfully compressed into balls using the palms. Boiling these fish balls to perfection is essential to unlock their true taste.
Kaohsiung’s fishballs offer a delightful Q-bouncy and robust texture that adds to their appeal. The secret lies in their simple preparation with no additional additives; only seasoning is used. With these flavorful swordfish balls, you can create a bowl of mouthwatering and aromatic fishball soup by adding a zingy broth and some onions.
Duck Rice
In Kaohsiung, duck is a beloved delicacy, and you can discover a plethora of duck dishes in both traditional markets and everyday streets. Among them, duck rice stands out as one of the most popular choices. This delectable meal consists solely of roasted duck and white rice.
Despite its simple appearance, Kaohsiung Duck Rice boasts a rich and satisfying taste that captivates the taste buds.The tender duck meat is perfectly balanced, not overly greasy, and the addition of young ginger pieces provides a delightful texture to the dish. The rice’s pleasant sweetness, coupled with the subtle infusion of duck oil, makes each mouthful a truly delightful and satisfying experience.
Scallion pancake with pork
Beef and scallion cakes are particularly popular in the city. The preparation involves deep-frying bread and adding flavorful scallions and meat to the batter. For an extra boost of flavor and nutrition, some vendors also add an egg to the mix.
Some restaurants even elevate the experience by adding a nine-layer pagoda to the scallion pancake, further enhancing its unique aroma and taste. This addition makes the snack even more enticing and unforgettable.
mini hot pot noodle
Noodles in soup are a favored breakfast choice in Kaohsiung, and you’ll find many small eateries open early in the morning, serving up mini hot pot noodles. The city boasts numerous shops and eateries specializing in this delightful dish, each offering their unique soup, noodle, and ingredient recipes, resulting in a wide array of flavors. However, they all have one thing in common: generous portions and a variety of components.
Some stores prepare the soup using pork bones, pasta, vegetables, and eggs. These ingredients are swiftly cooked over high heat until the egg fluid melts, creating a rich and flavorful appearance to the soup. The enticing aroma and diverse flavors of pot-roasted spaghetti make it a beloved and satisfying breakfast option in Kaohsiung.
Mutton Hot Pot
Only warm-bodied lambs, freshly slaughtered on the same day, are used as the main ingredient for Gangshan’s Lamb Stove, ensuring the meat is both fresh and free from any unwanted odors. As the weather cools down, many Kaohsiung residents eagerly head to Okayama to indulge in mutton stoves. There, they have a wide array of options for lamb stoves, with various soup bases to choose from.
When you visit Okayama to savor the lamb hotpot, you also have the opportunity to try other mouthwatering lamb dishes, such as lamb oil noodle soup and lamb oil rice noodle soup. Both of these dishes are not only delectable but also considered as invigorating tonics for the body.
Fresh tomato slices with ginger soy sauce
People in Kaohsiung eat tomatoes in inventive ways. Sliced fresh tomatoes are placed on a dish and dipped in soy sauce and ginger. This sweet and salty dipping sauce consists of soy sauce paste, ginger juice, and sugar, which enhances the tomatoes’ inherent sweetness when enjoyed together.A popular street snack in southern Taiwan, the tomato cutlet with ginger sauce, is a unique delicacy not commonly found in the north.
Deep-fried egg crisp
In Kaohsiung, fried egg crisp is a beloved afternoon treat. This delightful snack features a dough filled with a delicious combination of curry, red bean, egg, and peanut flavors. The skilled retailer deep-fries the fillings in hot, boiling oil before carefully draining the excess oil and packaging the finished product for eager consumers.
Fried egg crisp has won the hearts of both young and old alike. Its appeal lies in the generous filling, creating a satisfying and flavorful bite. On the outside, the crisp exterior adds a pleasant crunch to the whole experience, accompanied by a rich aroma that enhances the overall enjoyment of this popular street snack in Kaohsiung.
Beh Teung Guai
As a popular afternoon snack in Kaohsiung, sugar kuey teow is incredibly sweet and delicious. This delightful treat is made using glutinous rice, which is deep-fried until it rises and becomes puffy before being coated with powdered sugar. To elevate the flavor, some shops sprinkle black sesame seeds or peanut powder on top of the sugar-coated version.
The white sugar kuey teow stands out with its crispy exterior and delicate interior. The inside of the glutinous rice remains soft despite the crispiness of the outer skin, creating a delightful contrast in texture. Biting into this delectable snack is an incredibly satisfying experience, and it’s no wonder that many people in Kaohsiung enjoy it as a sweet and tasty afternoon indulgence.
