We may not be the most seasoned travellers, but we’ve had our fair share of globe-trotting, and a snobbish love for food. As such, one dilemma that continues to plague us as we plan trips is the age-old question of whether the best places to go for delicious food can really be found on Google, or if they are stumbled across on your adventures. You know the sort, restaurants with huge light-up signs and English menus, exonerated by the likes of Mikey Chen or Mark Wiens, the POTUS, current or otherwise, and great well-travelled chefs such as the late Anthony Bourdain.

There are also the handful of locals or travel bloggers who insist their spot is far better than the online recommendations. It’s at this stage that we have to question, who’s to believe? So we gave up, and started with a clean slate.

This was easy to execute; with our Airbnb located on Kaiyuan Road away from the main city, it’s a bother to travel all over the city for the supposed best. Instead, we searched our area on Google Maps for restaurants with good ratings. Our criteria is simple: Taiwanese food, with a Google score of 4.0 or higher, and whose reviews are predominantly in Chinese – which means local feedback. Not quite to our surprise, there is a surplus of such eateries within a reasonable distance from where we stayed. So we tried as many as we could, with very pleasing results.

Soup Dumplings at 十三小館 (13 Xiao Guan)

Soup dumplings, known in Chinese by a handful of names such as tang bao (湯包) or xiao long bao (小籠包), are steamed pleated dumplings whose meat filling includes seasoned gelatine. This gelatine melts upon cooking to produce the “soup” of its namesake. Though this dish originated in Shanghai, China, Taiwan is supposed to have used a thinner, dumpling-like skin which resulted in the form that many of us recognise it as today.

At 十三小館, their soup dumplings are called Shanghai tang bao (上海湯包; 10/NTD50; US$1.60). They’re not as soupy as others might make it, but it is savoury and excellent with a bit of ginger and soy sauce. Their panfried dumpings (脆皮鍋貼; 8/NTD50; US$1.60) were similar in flavour but satisfyingly crispy. Perhaps not the highest standard of food, but incredibly cheap and deeply satisfying regardless. Perhaps next time we should try their unique dish – stinky tofu soup dumplings (臭豆腐湯包; 10/NTD60; US$1.95) which seems to draw polarising reviews from their patrons. There’s always a next time.

Tofu jelly at 琦玉豆腐店 (開元店)

Tofu jelly (dou hua; 豆花) is probably as old as tofu itself. Soy milk is congealed into soft, pudding-like curds and sweetened with a sugar syrup. More modern renditions may also come with toppings such as red bean and tapioca pearls. This dessert can be found throughout virtually every country throughout East and Southeast Asia, though its origins are likely from China.

There was a shop on the way home from our dumpling dinner, so we figured it was a good dessert to end the day. One portion was NTD30 (US$1), the size of a tub of ice cream, with a healthy portion of whole red beans. Though it has a pronounced beany flavour it isn’t grassy, and its slight bitterness is offset by the sugar syrup and red beans. As a cheap, and marginally healthier alternative to ice cream, it was good enough to follow up our dumpling dinner.

Noodles at Wanhong Knifecut Noodles 萬紅刀切麵 – 開元店

Once more, Taiwan fulfils its love for that chewy “QQ” texture by incorporating it into every meal that they can – in this case, knifecut noodles, whose wheat flour base relies on gluten for that perfect al dente texture. This restaurant style is pretty standard for Taiwan; they have a selection of noodles and other flour-based foods such as savoury pancakes and dumplings, and a selection of side dishes you can choose from their cabinet. With the number of dishes available on their menu, we may have gone a little overboard with the ordering. But hey, when on holiday, right?

The knifecut sesame noodles (刀切麻醬麵; NTD60; US$1.95) is one of the most popular items mentioned in Google reviews. It comes in a sauce made from ground sesame seeds similar to tahini. It’s creamy, nutty, and savoury, and its richness makes it moreish. Add a little bit of the fragrant chilli oil, and you can easily down the bowl in one.

We weren’t about to get another portion of noodles, but you can order dumplings served in their beef soup (牛肉湯餃; NTD100; US$3.25). The beef soup was beefy and comforting, perhaps not a star soup but reliable and delicious anyway. The pork dumplings were fat, juicy, and more flavourful than we’d expected. With the number of dumplings and a generous portion of beef, it’s worth it as a meal, and one of Noms’ favourite dishes in Tainan.

Beef rolls (牛肉捲餅; NTD60; US$1.95) are also a common dish, consisting of a grilled, flaky pancake and wrapped like a burrito with beef and vegetables. Though cold by the time we ate it, the pancakes had a good texture, not doughy or tough, and the flavour was good enough.

Lastly is the handtorn sweet pancakes (手抓餅 [甜]; NTD35; US$1.15), which consists of the same flaky wheat pancakes used for the beef roll, though ripped into ribbons, and sweet. It’s dusted with sugar and crushed peanuts. It’s chewy, sweet, and nutty, and the toasty flavour from cooking the pancakes rounds it off to tick all the right boxes.

It’s a miracle we ate as much as we did, downing most of the food with only a few stray noodles left to spare. Being on the main road, this restaurant is already pretty popular, even amongst tourists, as a cheap and filling lunch, for good reason. Also, don’t pass up the free flow drinks – we recommend the soy milk over the tea.

Milkfish at Kaiyuan Road Nameless Milkfish 開元路無名虱目魚 ‧ 肉燥飯

As one of its main sources of seafood, milkfish is a common farmed fish in Taiwan and a specialty especially in Tainan. If you’re a fan of fish, you’ve got to make a stop at one of the many restaurants throughout the city selling milkfish soup, or fried milkfish, another Tainanese specialty.

This nameless restaurant operates out of a fairly large storefront on the main Kaiyuan road, with many tables situated outside on the main footpath. It opens early and on weekends can allegedly sell out of its most popular products before noon, making it a popular place for breakfast or a very early lunch.

Their menu is fairly simple, mostly consisting of bowls of soup with any combination of the fish belly (肚), skin (皮), and fish balls (魚丸), with the prices varying for each. We went with the fish belly and skin soup (魚肚加皮; NTD130; US$4.20) and a bowl of the braised pork mince on rice rou zao fan (肉燥飯; NTD25; US$0.80).

The soup is light but full-bodied, with a fragrance of fresh fish and the spice of ginger. The fish is tender, and the layer of fat that sits just beneath the skin contributes to a richness that makes this simple dish a lot more luxurious. The fish skin is tender and breaks apart in the mouth, rather than having the chewy quality that many others may have. It’s a mild flavour, so even those who don’t like fatty fish like sardines can enjoy this without problems. We recommend dipping it in a little bit of soy sauce and eating it with a strip of ginger for balance.

The rice, on the other hand, is by far the best braised pork mince rice we had in Taiwan. The rice is fluffy and fragrant, and the braised pork on top contains a dangerous amount of pork fat that melts in the mouth for little gems of savouriness. The rice is one of Jos’ top picks for eating in Tainan.

Yi Mian at Moji Canteen 摩吉食堂碗粿專賣店

Moji Canteen is a little eatery located a short walk from our Airbnb that came up on our radar via our typical Google Map search, a popular visit for students looking for a cheap, hearty place to eat. We were greeted warmly, and then deferred to a young lady, a relative of the owner who spoke a little bit of English, and she gave us a few recommendations, which we ordered.

First to arrive was a fish skin soup (正魚皮湯) and a rice cake called wah guey (碗粿), which came in a combo deal for NTD75 (US$2.40). The soup had clams, and a light, clean flavour that was less fish than the previous milkfish restaurant, but a little stronger with the ginger.

The owner of this restaurant grows his own rice and vegetables which is what his used on the menu, or can be purchased instore. The wah guey is also made from this rice. A specialty of southern Taiwan, the rice is ground and mixed into a paste, and steamed in a bowl with fillings such as egg, mushrooms, and meat. It is often served with a sauce and minced raw garlic. The texture is smooth like a pudding, and while it is mostly bland, the sauce is sweet and savoury, and the garlic also adds a sweet, spicy pungency.

The other dish we ordered is a noodle soup called guo shao yi mian (鍋燒意麵; NTD60; US$1.95). You can order the soup with other carbohydrates such as rice, rice noodles, or udon noodles, but the yi mian is the most popular option. Thick noodles are deep-fried before boiling into the soup, which results in a very distinct texture and flavour. The soup is pretty simple, a light broth probably made of seafood and pork, but the whole dish is comforting, as well as cheap.

Finally, any of these dishes could definitely benefit from a fried egg with sesame oil (純麻油荷包蛋; NTD15; US$0.50). We opted for half-cooked (半熟) so we could break into that gorgeous, oozy yolk. The edges were crispy and the nutty, roasty flavours of the sesame oil made it moreish and decadent.

Dry noodles in a mysterious, unnamed alley 無名麵攤 中樓

One of the most interesting eateries that we wanted to visit was a restaurant selling noodles and braised foods. It was another Google Map result that piqued our curiosity the most as an eatery that only operated in the evenings, and despite passing its location a couple of times in our week in Tainan we couldn’t figure out where the restaurant was – until we arrived.

Literally nothing more than a roofed alleyway, its setup consists of two rows of tables and dozens of plastic chairs, and a surprisingly comprehensive kitchen, all of which can be moved out of sight during non-business hours. The menu has a selection of dry or soup noodles, or just the soup itself, as well as a selection of ingredients that you can choose at the entrance of the alleyway which they will braise in a brine of soy sauce and aromatics in a style called “lu wei” (滷味). An order is placed at the counter and you take a seat; all the dishes are brought to you and charged post-consumption. According to the reviews, the lady who runs the kitchen has an exceptional memory, which later proved to be correct when we finished our meal.

The most recommended dishes on Google reviews are the dry noodles, specifically the pork with pickled mustard greens (榨菜肉絲乾麵; NTD55; US$1.80) and the dry sesame noodles (麻醬麵; NTD45; US$1.45), which both come with a side bowl of soup. The lu wei braised food depends on what you choose, which tastes of soy sauce. It’s tasty enough, to say the least – we enjoyed the seaweed.

We quickly understood why the dry noodles are favoured – the soup is very plain, tasting predominantly of MSG. While we aren’t averse to the additive, it makes for a one-dimensional flavour if not cooked with other ingredients. On the other hand, the noodles were beyond our expectations. The pork and mustard noodles are greasy in the most delicious way, the fat from the pork clinging to the noodles to create the most attractive sheen, while the salty, sour pickled mustard cuts through the richness.

On the other hand, the sesame noodles are creamy and nutty, with copious amount of pork fat and mince adding even more succulence. The chives are fragrant and crispy, and in addition to the crunch of the noodles is the smooth, soft noodles which is best eaten in large mouthfuls.

There are three kinds of chilli available: the chilli jam is sweet and lightly spicy; the chilli oil is roasty with a little more kick; the pickled chilli adds the most straightforward spice. Each contributes a different flavour and style, but all are absolutely delicious in any dish. This eatery is a must-try, and one of Jos’ picks.

Oil ba wan and mochi at a restaurant in a lane 巷仔內肉圓

Ba wan is a common Taiwanese dumpling comprising of a chewy potato-starch skin and a filling of pork and bamboo shoots, which contributes to a funky, distinct smell and flavour. It is commonly steamed and served immediately, but another method of serving is by keeping it in a warm bath of oil, which prevents it from drying out until consumption.

Despite our searches, it’s more difficult finding a restaurant to order such a specific item, but we found one close to our Airbnb. We ordered blanched spinach (燙青菜; NTD20; US$0.65) which was tasty, rou zao fan (肉燥飯; NTD20; US$0.65) whose fat was melty though perhaps a little bland overall.

The ba wan (肉圓; NTD60 for 2; US$1.95) has a chewier skin than its steamed counterpart, and when paired with the meaty filling and the sweet, savoury sauce and minced garlic makes for a much more delicious dish than we’d expected.

The mochi (麻糬; NTD5/piece; US$0.20; minimum order 4 pieces) is delightfully soft, with a selection of 4 fillings: peanut (花生), red bean (紅豆), sesame (芝麻), and milk custard (奶酥) which are all very fragrant and generous. Jos’ pick went to the milk custard. It’s better described as a paste, whose texture dissolves like powdered sugar on the tongue though with a milky flavour. It’s a great way to finish off the meal.

It doesn’t need to be said that your average neighbourhood in Taiwan has everything that you need to fill up on the most delicious food. All you need is a little bit of time and patience to comb through the options, and you’re in for a good time.