How to be vegan in Taiwan

A common assumption is that being vegan or vegetarian in Taiwan is difficult. “Oh no, I couldn’t do it here, it’s too hard,” people say. It’s very easy to become intimidated and confused in the face of incomprehensible Chinese characters coming at you from every direction. Here’s a simple ‘How to’ guide to break it down for you and make it easy.

1. Learn to recognise the characters.

This is the most important thing. Once you can read, you’ll be able to start recognising the characters for vegetarian everywhere. The traditional restaurants all have the same sign outside, “素食”. Pretty soon when you walk along the streets, you’ll start finding this sign and being able to wander in and know that you can eat.

A lot of things are also labelled. If there’s a label, you’ll find it on the front, in one of the corners. It will be clearly in a circle of a different colour, by itself. This confused me for ages, and I’d be turning the packets over and over knowing what characters I was looking for but not knowing how they’d appear. Learn to pick out milk and egg in the ingredients list on the back.

Jesse from Taiwan Vegan’s guide to the characters is definitely the best out there, so it’s simplest to go and study it, rather than me trying to recreate it, to find it go here.

2. Learn how to ask.

Taiwanese understand the concept of vegetarian and vegan (fully vegetarian) to a level that is rare in Asia, so you can usually have peace of mind if you ask and are told it’s safe. The simplest thing to say is “zhe shì quan su ma? Bu yao dan, bu yao niu nai.” Which means “is this vegan? No eggs, no milk.” To hear it said properly and with the tones, go and watch my tutorial here.

3. Use technology.

Happy Cow is the one you might know already, but that will only lead you to the places that the western vegans frequent and you’ll miss out on literally hundreds of vegetarian places. The best way I found to do this is to download a Google pinyin keyboard and type in ‘su shì’ so that these characters pop up:”素食” Or, you can just copy and paste the characters from here. That magically, the map will suddenly be bursting with vegetarian places round every corner. My friend swears by yelp, but I haven’t tried that one myself. Using a mixture of all three will, of course, give you the most options.

4. Set yourself up with a support network.

There are so, so, so many vegans in Taiwan, especially in Taipei. By the time I left I had a large group of core vegan friends and I knew many more vegetarians and vegans. The easiest way to meet people is to join the groups and post a status saying who you are and that you’re vegan, or interested in going vegan. The main group on Facebook that runs events is ‘It’s a Vegan Affair’. I don’t recommend the meetup group, it’s a little creepy but don’t tell them I said that. If you go to some of the main places such as Ooh Cha Cha, Mianto and Fresh, you’ll also meet more vegans once you start talking to people. The community in Taipei is warm and welcoming, don’t be afraid to reach out.

And, of course, contact me if you want to know anything else. Speaking as someone currently in Japan, being vegan in Taiwan is a dream come true. Happy eating!

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My job was illegal – and everyone’s doing it (read before teaching in Taiwan)

Here is the blog post I waited to post until I left, because it’s something that needs to be out there for people coming to teach in Taiwan. It’s something that I looked for more information about before I came here, but I couldn’t find any details beyond the blog post title. What I am about to reveal is the comedy of errors that this country has going. It’s a pantomime of many parts, try to keep up.

Legally, foreigners aren’t allowed to teach Kindergarten level kids, we’re only allowed to teach from grade 1 up. A quick scour of most of the blogs about Taiwan, though, including my own, will quickly reveal that his is most definitely not a law that’s adhered to.

To get your ARC (resident working visa) you have to have a sponsor. Legally, this requires a minimum of 14 hours a week of work at that school. You are not only registered to that school, but you are registered to a particular part of the building. This ensures, in theory, that one school doesn’t hoard foreign teachers for illegal teaching, using them for teaching classes that aren’t supposed to be learning English. When registered to part of that school, you are supposed to stay in that part of the school and not leave, wander into the Kindergarten, and then wander back. If you’re caught in the kindergarten while the government is visiting, questions will be asked.

No books in English may be in the kindergarten. No pencils may be in the kindergarten, because the kids that age shouldn’t be learning to write yet. No whiteboards are allowed in the classrooms, because you’re not supposed to teach children that age. They should just be playing. There are different zones, the play zone, the reading zone, etc.

Getting this? Have you spotted the problem yet?

This is Asia, the continent where the school systems make the rest of the world cringe in fear. I teach children from the age of 2… Actually, I know for a fact at least 5 of them weren’t 2 when I started. And I actually do teach. These kids are learning English, and they have to sit still for 40 minutes to have flashcards put in front of their noses so they can learn basic sentence patterns about fruit, the weather, feelings, etc. Kids from about the age of 4 are expected to be able to use scissors and to write their ABCs, their names, and very basic words. Who sends their children to this type of kindergarten? Rich people. Official people. Doctors, diplomats, business men and, you guessed it, government officials. The same people who made the rules saying that the kindergartens should be a place for playing.

Until I manage to work out how to insert one, please imagine a facepalm gif here.

The crazy thing (as if this wasn’t enough) is that all of this is, to a level, enforced. I’ve been around for several government raids where I’ve been hurried out of the classroom and sent to hide in the bushiban. One person I know at a different school, who hadn’t been teaching long, had to hide in the toilet. Unfortunately they then forgot he was there until four hours after the government had left. In my first few weeks of full time teaching, before I got my visa, I was in the illegal part of the school (yes, an entire part of the school shouldn’t even be there because it’s a fire hazard) when the government officials downstairs heard us stamping around and got through the door. We, myself, my kids, and two other classes with their teachers were all hurried into the tiny end classroom and the kids were told to be silent. A government official burst through the door with one of the head CTs shouting “you can’t do this” or similar in Chinese, and throwing herself in front of him as he took pictures on his iPhone. He didn’t seem to concerned about the fact that he’d just walked in on an Anne Frankesque scene of three white teachers and a lot of confused children huddled into a tiny space.

The reason he wasn’t concerned is becasue he wasn’t looking for foreign teachers that day, he was just looking for illegal parts of the building. Same as the people who come to look for foreign teachers aren’t concerned about illegal parts of the building or whiteboards and books in the kindergarten.

There’s only one time I’ve witnessed a full raid, but luckily we were given about a week’s notice so a ‘field trip’ was organised for me and my kids. And the illegal kindergarten teachers who don’t have early childhood degrees. And another class of kids. Because not only do we have illegal white teachers, illegal Taiwanese teachers, illegal books and whiteboards, we also have an illegal number of children and an illegal number of classrooms. So I watched for two days as Uncle stripped all signs of English from the kindergarten, and all signs of children from my classroom. Then on the day, we were shipped off to a different part of the city, ushered in, and left in a classroom for 3 hours with nothing to do. Then we were taken back to the school, and everything continue as normal.

It’s not all fun and hide-and-seek-games, either. At a different one of our branches, government officials dressed up as parents, came in, and took pictures of a girl teaching. She was deported. If you ask your recruiter before you come (because the illegal thing is mentioned on the internet, and you may have seen something about it) they’ll laugh and brush past it. If you ask your school, they’ll laugh and brush past it. But it is real, and it is scary, and it was very stressful to teach in that environment for a year where suddenly everyone would be shouting at you to run as music went off and people hid. Okay, it may not happen too often that people get deported, but all it needs is that one time and it could be you. The fact that the schools don’t seem to consider you may not be happy with this is, frankly, just disrespectful. A lot of teachers aren’t even aware that their job is illegal. To reiterate, go through this flow chart:

Are you teaching children younger than grade 1?
| |

yes no
| |

illegal legal

Simple as that.

I quite frankly don’t understand it. If it seems confusing and farcical, it’s because it is. But teachers have been deported, the government are getting sneaker, and it is a risk. Even if the manager of all the branches of your school does take all the local police out drinking.

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10 things to love about Taipei, Taiwan

Maybe I haven’t always been the most positive about Taipei. The cockroaches, the working hours, the lack of alternative night-life, the terrible dating prospects for Western women… (more on that later). Now that I’m leaving, though, all the nostalgia is kicking in. I will be genuinely sad to leave Taiwan: it grows on you.

The Mountains

The air in Taipei is not that polluted for an Asian capital, but it’s not clean, either. The city has nice parts, but it’s not an attractive city. What makes the city bearable is that almost wherever you are, you can see the mountains between the buildings or over the rooftops. Ride the MRT from the city centre for 15-30 minutes in any direction, and you’re in nature. Take a train or a bus for an hour, and you’re at the beach. Surrounded by mountains. They’re green, lush, and a beautiful way to escape from the city for a few hours.

On a Sunday morning hike in Neihu.

The People

If you’ve heard about Taiwan at all, and aren’t one of those people who hear me say Taiwan and respond with ‘Thailand! Awesome!’ (seriously, learn the difference) then you’ll have heard that the people are lovely. They don’t disappoint. With very few exceptions they’re friendly, helpful and welcoming. They compliment your Chinese if you can say anything at all, and they’ll go out of their way to give you information, take you places, and see that you’re alright.

The Convenience

When I lived in Germany I was always getting caught out by all the shops closing on Sundays. In Taipei, the schedule is the same all week long. 24/7 convenience stores are on every corner and sell most things you might need in a hurry: umbrellas, rain ponchos, toothbrushes, alcohol, disposable underwear. A lot of shops are open until 10pm and nightmarkets are on till midnight, so you can finish work late and still go clothes shopping with friends. Basically, when you need something, you can get it.

The Transport

Admittedly it’s not cheap, but the HSR (High Speed Rail) will take you all the way down the coast from Taipei to Kaohsiung in a little over two hours. If you want a cheaper option, there are trains and buses. Taipei has an excellent transport network: the MRT (Metro) is constantly having new lines added to it, and there are buses if that fails. The Ubike system is used by everyone, so much so that the bike stands are frequently emptied and you have to stand like vultures waiting for someone to return theirs. Most of inner Taipei is flat, and so it’s perfect for biking: as long as you’re brave enough to bike in the scooter traffic amid the buses and taxis that will try to flatten you.

The Metro: clean, convenient, just don’t bring your birds.

The Safety

The other night I was walking the 20 minutes back to the MRT from an art class I was portrait modelling for. It was about 10.30 at night and I was in a suburb I didn’t know, right in the South of Taipei. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d never even thought about my own safety, because it’s just not an issue in Taiwan. Even when I’m alone by the riverside cycling home in the early hours of the morning, I’ve never once felt in danger.

One warning: bike theft is quite common here. If you have a nice bike, get a decent lock and lock it to something when possible.

The Tea Shops

This is something I haven’t seen anywhere else. Tea shops are everywhere here, and I don’t mean places where you go in, sit down and get a teapot. Here, you order bubble tea, or mango green tea, or one of many other flavours, you say how much sugar and ice you want, and you have a tea to go. And they’re big. They’re perfect for cooling you down on a summer day.

The Fruit

One of my biggest disappointments here is that the fruit is so expensive! It’s almost UK prices unless you go to the big wholesale markets. But it’s so tasty, and it’s everywhere, and it’s all perfectly ripe. When you buy a pineapple they’ll chop it up with a cleaver to save you the hassle (I hate to admit how many times I’ve accidentally let a pineapple go bad because chopping it was too troublesome.) Things also come in and out of season here, so there’s always something to look forwards to. And fruit and veg stalls pop up everywhere.

An extremely well-organised fruit and veg seller.

It’s not the Mainland

We have regular internet service, there’s not intense monitoring systems in place, and people are much more liberal. Taiwan has progressive laws for same sex couples, relatively speaking, and although discrimination is an issue here it’s small enough that you can for the most part get by without being aware of it. Schools still need to be better about hiring teachers on skills, not looks, but other than that Taiwan is good to foreigners. You won’t get overcharged, ripped off, or given dirty looks for being Western. People are polite and well mannered: they don’t shove, they don’t smell, and they don’t use the street as a bathroom. Taiwan is just generally more in touch with the rest of the world than the mainland.

Vegan and Vegetarian Food

I can’t state enough how easy it is to be vegan here. Once you learn to recognise the characters for vegetarian restaurant, you realise that they’re everywhere. Most food is labelled, so you don’t need to check the ingredients and risk missing something you don’t know the character for, and people know what a vegetarian is (there’s still some confusion about vegan, but they’re getting there.) More on being vegan in Taiwan here.

Vegan food at Vege Creek.

The Coffee Shops

You can get good coffee here, but for some reason you can’t get cheap coffee (unless you want it from the 7/11). Hipster culture has permeated Taiwan so deeply that coffee shops are everywhere, filled with quirky interiors and very expensive slow drip coffee from Brazil. A good coffee in most of the places here will set you back around 160nt, which is more than Starbucks, and more than most meals unless you’re in a restaurant. They are incredibly endearing though, and I like seeing the curious cafes that pop up everywhere with their hipster charm. Finding one down a ramshackle alley is one of the things that gives Taipei its charm. Find your vegan latte here.

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Taiwan, and the demise of my self-esteem

“You have a lot of pimples, are you on your period or just tired?” was the first thing my Chinese teacher said to me when I walked into Starbucks one day. I just wasn’t wearing makeup.

Recently, I have been fighting an ongoing battle with pinkeye. It’s now 7 weeks and counting. When it first developed I immediately went to the doctor before it could get worse (clearly that worked). Having had a bad experience with a clinic previously, when a doctor insisted my dislocated rib was a pulled muscle and refused to even feel the large, hard lump sticking out of my chest, I decided to go to the hospital this time round. And to make sure there would be no understandings, I took my friend who studies Chinese philosophy, who speaks Chinese.

Google ‘pink eye’ or ‘conjunctivitis’ and you get a page of stomach turning images of green gunk filled, swollen, red eyes. That is exactly, eye for eye, what my left eye looked like. I could only just open it. It was not, emphasis on not, a hard diagnosis.

So you can imagine my confusion when I was sent to the optometrist and tested for glasses. Almost in tears, I insisted that I couldn’t see out of my eye and stop trying to make me see tiny letters on the distant wall.

“If you can’t see, then you need glasses,” the girl said.

I pointed at my red, oozing, swollen eye in disbelief. “This isn’t something I need glasses for!”

Thankfully, my friend convinced her to be less trigger happy about prescribing me a pair of lenses. After more logic-less healthcare and five hours of my life gone, I left with two bottles of eye drops and a weird longing for the NHS.

The doctor had given me the all clear to go straight back to work, but I took the next morning off anyway because conjunctivitis is extremely contagious when it’s oozing still, and giving it to all my small children would not make me teacher of the year.

“Eyes? Red eyes?” chorused my six year olds when I entered, first class back. Their English is very limited so my co-teacher explained to them that they couldn’t come too close to me. In unison, their hands went over their eyes. “No!” I shouted, “that will make it more likely to infect!”

“Why are your eyes red?” asked one of my twelve year old girls. I proceeded to explain what had happened and we talked about whether it hurt. Two minutes later the boy in the seat behind her asked, “teacher, why are your eyes red?”

“See?” I replied. “This is why you need to listen and not talk Chinese. We just talked about my eye.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Really.”

“So, why are they red?”

“TEACHER, YOUR EYES, THEY’RE SOOOOOOO RED, AND SOOOOOOO SMALL,” shouted one of my eight year old students the second I walked into the room. By far my biggest cram school class, all seventeen of them gathered round to stare, laugh and point.

I wish there was a happy ending to my battle with pinkeye, but thanks to the climate (hot and humid is a breeding ground for bacteria) and my babies (a room full of toddlers is also a germ factory) it keeps coming back, just thankfully not as bad as the first time round. Salt water is helping more than the eye drops, and I’ll keep fighting it.

The eyes are just part of the picture, though. Since I got here my hair has turned into a frizzball of a totally different texture that gets drier instead of greasy the longer I’ve gone without washing, and my skin broke out so badly it was my teenage acne years all over again. A year in my face has cleared but my chest hasn’t, and I’ve cut my hair off to a level where the frizz is more manageable, but I still wouldn’t say I feel like ‘me’.

And the thing is, this is not British or Western culture. Personal comments here are a sign of caring, and it’s relatively normal to comment on weight gain or loss however minimal, on pimples, and on hair and general physical appearance. In the UK if I was having a breakout, sometimes what would get me out of the house would be the thought ‘it’s okay, no one will notice, it’s just me that it’s obvious to.’ What you realise here is that, everywhere else, they’re just being polite.

I know I’m a soft touch, which definitely exacerbated the following events, but a few days ago my 8 year old girls decided to massage my shoulders when I was writing communication books. Before, they liked braiding my hair and saying “Mei mei!!” which means little sister. Apparently I have bad hair, because it’s curly. I interpret this as being my hair is bad, because it’s different. After a moment of pummelling my shoulders, they started flapping my arm fat. I have no more than the average woman, and less than most, but still enough to amuse 8 year olds. Then they called my eyes small, and my nose big. And have I thought of surgery? Everyone gets it here… Then they asked me “teacher, do you think you’re fat?” That’s where I drew the line and told them you don’t ask people that. They said okay and sloped off.

Did I know about plastic surgery when I was 8? Maybe, because I grew up next door to a clinic, but I wouldn’t have known the details or known enough to tell someone to get it. The comments were a strange mixture of childish rudeness and cultural gap. I like the girls who made them a lot: they’re good kids, and I can’t imagine that there was anything malicious or hurtful intended in them. They do what I ask and are usually respectful. It had me wondering, what actually counts as disrespect here?

The only comment on my aesthetics that’s ever provoked a negative reaction from a Taiwanese coworker was when I was teaching colors in kindergarten. “Brown!” I flash-carded them. One of my Korean toddlers shuffled forwards and pointed at my quite-tanned arm. “Brown!” he shouted out.

“Brown!” The face of a toddler confronted with a blonde-haired green-eyed Westerner.

My coworker looked shocked. “He doesn’t mean it!” she said, placating me as though he had just pointed to me for the flashcard ‘ugly cow’.

There are some curious culture divides.

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Eating vegan in Taipei: Taipei’s top 5

If you’re vegan, you’ve been there. Watching with baited breath as your omni dining companion takes their first bite of vegan food at the restaurant you suggested. Will it create a good impression of vegan food, or drive them straight back into the arms of bacon?

Here, in no particular order, are my personal top 5 restaurants in Taipei to veganize your friends with.

Ooh Cha Cha

Left to right: Garlic hummus sandwich, mocha and banana chocolate ‘cheesecakes’ and the green juices – GoGo Goji and Very Berry.

I love this place, and I’ve just started on my third loyalty card (yes, they do loyalty cards! Although only after I’d already spent a fortune there). Run by Spencer and Mai, who are hopefully expanding at some stage (not sure if this is fact or my wishful thinking) it’s quite a small and often noisy and crowded cafe.

They do healthy green smoothie/juice mixes, sandwiches, macrobiotic bowls, and raw vegan cheesecakes that are utterly amazing. They also do some pretty tasty hot drinks that often get forgotten about.

My regular order: Balsamic Mushroom or Garlic Hummus sandwich; GoGo Goji drink; Mocha Fudge Pie.

Directions: walk out of Guting MRT exit 2, take the first right, and you’ll be there 10 seconds later. If you go around lunch (12-2) or dinner (5-7) expect to wait. They get busy! They’ll take your number and call when there’s a seat available.

Facebook; Phone – 02 2367 7133; Website

About Animals

About Animals Wasabi Burger

This one’s a little more out of the way than the others, but it’s close to iVegan so you can pick up some groceries afterwards. It’s also that last to close, as they serve food till 10 most nights. About Animals is my no.1 burger place of Taipei. Actually, their wasabi burger is so good, I’ve never ordered anything else when I’ve been there… it will satisfy vegans and omnis alike, just make sure you order a side with it if you’re a big eater. They serve burgers, hotpots, rice dishes, and various deserts. They also have beer in the fridge, and animal rights/gay rights/everything rights postcards and labels on the walls. They have good music and a good atmosphere to chill out with friends and enjoy a burger.

My regular order: the wasabi burger; fried yams; banana chocolate pie.

Directions: walk out of Wanlong MRT exit 2, and walk past the 7/11 and out onto the street. Turn right, then left, then right at a decorated white stone at about knee height and you’ll be backtracking along a little lane. It’s on your right. They’re open later than most places, so they’re good if you get hungry after 8.

Happy Cow; Phone – +886-983683024

Herban Kitchen and Bar

Vegan brunch – tofu scramble and the only vanilla cashew nut milk latte in Taipei!

This is the only vegetarian place to feature on this list, but it’s also the only place that does a good vegan brunch and nut milk lattes. If and when Naked food does a nut milk option then their latte will take the vegan latte in Taipei prize, until then it’s held by Herban. They will also add syrups, which also not many places have as an option.

They’re a little pricey (around 230-250nt for a main, plus 10% service charge) but the decor is amazing and they have outdoor seating. They’re also working on a vegan dessert – if you go in, ask them about it and spread the word that it would be popular.

My regular order: the tofu scramble and a cashew vanilla latte for brunch, the raw pad thai for dinner. They provide unlimited rosemary and lime water on the tables that’s delicious, so I don’t ever buy a drink apart from the latte.

Directions: walk out of Zhongxiao Dunhua exit 8 and walk straight on till you reach the crossing, then cross to the other side of the street. Walk straight on and take the first right at the family mart, then it’s right again almost straight after. It’s very easy to miss so look for a small sign on the wall and then walk down the tiny alley and you’ll see it on your right at the end.

It’s very popular, so if you’re there for dinner try and book a table a few days in advance or be prepared to wait, especially on the weekend.

Facebook; Phone – +886287737033

Vege Creek

Vege Creek with Vermicelli Noodles

I’ve had a love affair with vege creek since I moved to Taipei. It’s cheaper and more convenient than the other places on this list (although still pricey for what it is). You walk in, take a basket, and select vegetables, mock meats and leafy greens from where they’re around the walls, suspended in bowls. Then you select a noodle card, hand them your basket, and they boil it up for you in about 5 minutes in a medicinal broth. You can add spice and condiments to your own taste.

The best thing about Vege Creek is that it’s so fresh. You see everything that goes in and 5 minutes later you have a hot meal. A filling bowl will cost you between 190 and 230nt, depending on how hungry you are.

Directions: there are 2 branches, one by S.Y.S Memorial Hall, and one in the 24 hour Zhongxiao Dunhua Eslite on B1. To get to the S.Y.S one, leave exit one and walk on, then follow the street as it curves round. Take the fourth right and it’s on your left. To get to Eslite, walk out of Zhongxiao Dunhua exit 5 and walk straight on. Cross the large crossing and you’ll see it on the other side.

Facebook; Phone – +886227781967

Mianto

Left to right: Chana Masala, chocolate cupcake and Miantochino, tomato and mushroom pasta.

Mianto is my favorite lazy Saturday/Sunday place if I want to go somewhere and work for a few hours. They have plenty of space so I don’t feel like I’m taking up valuable customer room, they’re really friendly, and their food is good and filling. They do pasta, curries and cupcakes/cakes. The pasta servings are more generous than the curries, so if you’re hungry go for that. They also have a pizza. Prices are around 250nt.

See my complete review here.

My regular order: the mushroom and tomato pasta, a cupcake and a Miantochino. If I’m feeling cheeky I ask for some of the vegan ham to be added to my pasta. Mmm…

Directions: Walk out of Dongmen MRT, Exit 7. Walk straight and turn left on Xinsheng Rd. Continue till you reach the YuanTa bank. That is lane 146, turn left. Continue 50m and see Mianto on the right

Facebook; Phone – +886223219749

Honorable Mentions:

Miss Green

Miss Green is by Xinyi, and does burgers and raw desserts among other things. The interior design is worth a trip for, but the portions are too small for the price and you’ll leave hungry. Both omnivores I’ve been there with commented that they could do it better and one went away and ate fried chicken afterwards because he was still hungry – not a good recommendation at all! The desserts are okay but lack flavour, same as the burgers.

Taste – 3/5

Value – 3/5

Atmosphere – 5/5

Fresh Bakery and Cafe

Left to right: Black forest gateau and chocolate banana cake; breads fresh from the oven; mousse bomb pie.

I love Fresh, and I go there a lot. You should definitely visit if you’re in Taipei. The only reason they didn’t make the top 5 is that they’re a bakery, not a sit down and eat place, although you can have a seat and they’ll make you feel welcome. I recommend the banana chocolate cake and the bacon and cheese bread. They’re also very reasonably priced.

Taste – 5/5

Value – 5/5

Atmosphere – 3/5 (but 5/5 for friendliness)

Naked Food Taipei

Left to right: ChimChurri pizza, cauliflower, tomato, marinated onion, tree nut cheese; Chocolate and oat berry squares.

Another one that just missed out on the top 5. This is Taipei’s first raw food vegan place, but their prices are high and their portions are small. You’re going for the experience, more than the food. My omni friend asked me the other day if I’d been there, just to complain to me about the size of the portions for the price! Probably not somewhere I’d take a non-vegan if I was looking to introduce them to vegan food. Find my full review here.

Taste – 5/5

Value – 3/5

Atmosphere – 5/5

Loving Hut

The S.Y.S Memorial Hall Loving Hut has been unanimously voted the best in Taipei – it has hotpots, cakes, and bibimbaps amongst other things. The food is good but not exceptional, and the decor is like every other Loving Hut I’ve been to here – slightly clinical, with a strong overtone of Grand Supreme Master. It’s a place to take other vegans, unless you reassure the omnivore you’re taking there that you’re not trying to induct them into a cult.

Taste – 4/5

Value – 4/5

Atmosphere – 2.5/5

Delicious Addiction

Chinese knotgrass noodle soup

Cheap and easy, Delicious Addiction serves traditonal Taiwanese food like noodles and soups. Their daily meal set will cost you 70ntd and leave you full up and satisfied. Their noodle soups are like Veggie Creek, but half the price. Two of my friends here swear it’s their favorite place in Taipei, but it’s not somewhere I personally would take someone for a meal. The decor is basic and it’s a quick meal place, not a fine dining experience. It’s also a little out of the way, as it’s near Dingxi MRT.

Taste – 4.5/5

Value – 5/5

Atmosphere – 3/5 (again, 5/5 for friendliness)

I could keep going, but these are just my personal choices. There’s so much choice in Taipei for vegans! If you live in or have visited Taipei and have your own opinion on which should make the top 5, let me know in the comments below. Happy eating!

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Plant-Powered Nomad

A vegan without roots

Tagged with taiwan

How to be vegan in Taiwan

My job was illegal – and everyone’s doing it (read before teaching in Taiwan)

10 things to love about Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan, and the demise of my self-esteem

Eating vegan in Taipei: Taipei’s top 5