French Nougat from Sugar & Spice
A lot of Taiwanese nougats have passed through my tastebuds over the years, but none of them have made as much of an impact as these ones from Sugar & Spice. They’re just the right amount of sticky with the right amount of almond bits inside, and they are more creamy and milky than the usual hard nougats. The flavor and the chewy consistency are just right with these!
Green Onion Nougat Crackers from Chia Te
On the topic of nougats, Taiwan makes these savory onion biscuits that hold a layer of sweet nougat in between. Oddly enough they are the perfect combination! My Dad loves these nougat crackers so we constantly have them in different brands here at home, but ever since we tried Chia Te’s version, we have never bought any other. Ever since I tried Chia Te’s version, these have also become my faves!
For one thing, the quality and flavor of Chia Te’s Green Onion Nougat Crackers are simply superior compared to most other brands I’ve tried. Chia Te’s has the best balance and crunch. The crackers have a good onion flavor and a nice crispness to them that biting into the chewy, milky nougat center almost comes as a surprise. It’s a great mixture of textures. As for the taste, I love how the savory green onion flavor melds into the sweet nougat. It just works!
Sheng Tan Salted Egg Yolk Malt Sugar Biscuit
This one took me completely by surprise. I wasn’t sure at first what to expect, but these little cookies are addictive buggers. You can’t have just one. You just can’t! It’s basically biscuits with a caramel-like filling flavored with salted eggs and malt. All the flavors hit your tastebuds at once, leaving you wondering which it was you tasted first… The salted egg? The milky malt? The caramel-y undertones?
There are actually a lot of these kinds of biscuits being sold where tourists venture in Taiwan, but this brand is just so good! The crackers aren’t as crisp as the ones above with the nougat, and these are a bit harder to the bite but still manageable. Imagine a caramel toffee sandwiched in mini, slightly-salty crackers.
Pineapple & Egg Yolk Pastry from Chia Te
You’re going to see a lot of Chia Te products on this list. In fact, I adore them so much I wouldn’t mind lining up for them. (And indeed there is always a queue at their bakery.) You know how Taiwan has a slew of pineapple pastries? Well Chia Te‘s stand out. They are the best I’ve eaten by far, with a really nice pastry to filling ratio. (I’ve encountered those really dry pineapple cakes where the pastry is so crumbly I choke on them!) The pineapple filling isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, and instead it complements a delightfully buttery shell.
Lao Ma Dry Noodles
Taiwan makes some really great instant noodles, but the noodle-lover in me totally fell for these Lao Ma Dry Noodles. They are high-quality and authentic-flavored dry noodles that could almost be mistaken for restaurant grade if you decide to add toppings as suggested on the picture on the pack. I was super in love with the peppery black vinegar variant! The only downside is these are a bit difficult to find.