Seafood Market Adventure — Aquatic Addiction Taipei

 If you’re ever in Taipei and love seafood just a little too much, let me introduce you to your next happy place: Aquatic Addiction Development (上引水產).

This wasn’t just a trip — it was a milestone. It was my 1-year-old daughter’s first visit to a seafood market, and let me tell you… she was hooked from the moment we brought her in. Wide-eyed, giggling, and completely fascinated by the glistening fish, crabs, and clams — a true seafood lover in the making. I did feel a little sorry that her first time seeing sea creatures so up close and personal is at a fish market rather than an aquarium ): 

The selection is absolutely incredible — tanks of live seafood, beautifully displayed cuts of sashimi, rows of fresh oysters and prawns. You can pick what you like, and they’ll cook it for you right there. Talk about ocean-to-table!

We tried a bit of everything — grilled scallops, lobster, sushi.  The quality was top-notch, and honestly, it felt like a treat without breaking the bank (especially coming from Singapore).

Prices might be considered a little steep for locals, but as tourists from Singapore, it was still very reasonable — especially for the freshness and experience. Just remember — it’s cash only, so come prepared!

If you are not keen to sit in, there's always the option of takeaway. The ready cut takeaway sashimi and sushi were cheaper than dining in. 

You might expect a place like this to be a bit… pungent. But nope! The whole area was super clean, modern, and didn’t smell fishy at all. The seating area feels more like a casual Japanese izakaya than a wet market. Baby was happy, and so were our noses. And what made my asian mom super excited was there's even a section selling vegetables and also some canned seafood. 

Aquatic Addiction is a must-visit in Taipei for families, seafood lovers, and curious toddlers alike. Watching my daughter take in her first seafood market — fascinated by shellfish and sashimi — was one of those unexpectedly sweet travel moments.

We came, we saw, we seafood-ed.

Taipei: Sin Chao Rice Shoppe — A Hit with My Parents!

 When you travel with parents, finding a place that checks all the boxes — comfort, good food, good value — can be tricky. But on our  trip to Taipei we struck gold with Sin Chao Rice Shoppe.

Tucked away like a cozy secret, this charming little spot serves up hearty Taiwanese meals that hit the spot. The moment we walked in, my parents nodded approvingly — ambience was calm, clean, and welcoming, with just the right balance of modern touches and homely warmth.

My dad, who usually raises an eyebrow at trendy places, actually said: “Wah, this one not bad ah.” That’s basically five stars from him.

It's located in Breeze Xinyi, which is awesome because you can always do some shopping before your meal, and more shopping after ! 

We started off with their Kung Fu Chicken Soup, and as someone with a Cantonese background, I grew up having soup everynight with my dinner and I love my soups. This one really hit the spot — rich, nourishing, and full of goodness. I actually felt stronger after drinking it (not kidding — like a gentle energy boost in a bowl). My parents, who are usually quite particular, were impressed from the very first sip.

For appetisers we had tomato crystal jelly and amaebi which was so refreshing! Eggplants and chilli chopped with century egg sauce was also a hit with my family. Not so much for me as I was never a century egg fan. 

We had sauteed bamboo shoots with matsusaka pork. 

And i absolutely adored this soft shell crab dish. It was so good, we ordered 2 sets just so that we could all have more than 1 piece! 

Another hit with all of us is also the pesto seafood shrimp cake. 

One of their signature dish is the cold smoked squid that came with a smoke show of its own !

 

We ordered white water snowflake vegetable because it's a new vegetable to us. And boy were were impressed ! It was light, crisp, and subtly grassy, it was refreshing and cooked just right. A small but memorable detail that made the meal feel a little extra special. My mother was so impressed by this vegetable that she went to the shops and bought a packet back to Singapore to cook. 

For mains we ordered 2 rice - mullet roe fried rice with seared scallops that had thumbs up approval from everybody !!

As well as USDA Prime ribeye fried rice, which was also good! But I guess didn't really wow us away because back in Singapore there's a restaurant called New Ubin that also does a really good beef fried rice ( heart attack fried rice ) 

Overall, the portions were generous, the flavors nostalgic and yummy and most importantly the prices very wallet-friendly — always a bonus when traveling as a group. 

I've already recommmended this restaurant to a couple of group of friends who have all nothing but praises for this restaurant. 

A definite must try !!

TAIPEI: Dihua Street - Lin He Fa oil rice chicken, Du hsiao Yueh, Lao A Bei

 After a successful first day of night market feasting and settling into the rhythm of Taipei, we decided to take a slow day at Dihua street. 

This historic street in Dadaocheng feels like walking through a living postcard — rows of beautifully preserved shophouses, herbal medicine stalls, traditional fabrics, and a growing number of cute cafés and design boutiques. 

Our first stop was Yong Le Market 永樂市場

It is Taiwan's largest fabric hub tho we didn't check out any of that but I am told the market's second and third floors are a paradise for textile enthusiasts, offering a vast array of fabrics, from traditional Taiwanese prints to luxurious Japanese silks. Tailors on-site can transform your chosen materials into custom garments, making it a must-visit for fashion aficionados. 

We stayed on the ground floor which is a bustling traditional market where locals shop for fresh produce, herbs and household items. 

I am a very typical Singaporean. There was this shop Lin He Fa Oil Rice Chicken (林合發油飯雞腿) at the entrance of the market and so many locals were queueing for it. So I joined the queue too. i later learng that this shop, Lin he fa has been serving its signature oil rice since 1894. This fragrant dish features glutinous rice stir-fried with dried shrimp, mushrooms, and pork, topped with a succulent fried chicken leg and a soy-braised egg. 

We had some almond dessert followed by best gui ling gao as well. 

No pictures of the guilinggao because I had no idea where my dad procured it. He took a walk around the market and came back with 6 bowls. 

Continuing our culinary journey, we visited Du Hsiao Yueh, a renowned establishment originating from Tainan. Their signature Dan Zai noodles are a comforting bowl of thin noodles in a savory broth, topped with minced pork and a single shrimp. 

We then trekked forward and our final food stop was lao a bei, a humble eatery known for its squid thick soup. This hearty dish features tender squid pieces in a flavorful, starchy broth, perfect for a satisfying end to our food adventure. 

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✈️ Baby’s First Flight — and Our First Bite of Taipei: Rao He Night Market, Bar Mood! 🇹🇼👶🍜

Nicholas and I decided when baby G was 1 year old that it is time for our first holiday as a family. We were debating on where to go, should we go back to Japan ( our favouritest country. ) or should we try somewhere new. It really helped that Nick had gone to Taipei a few months back for work and he was like :I think we should go to Taipei, I know the place, it is baby friendly, the things are cheap and our parents will definitely enjoy the food and buys! And Nicholas has been dreaming about the buffet at Regent Hotel. 

So that was that - our first trip as a family was to... TAIPEI! 

We flew economy on Singapore airlines on the 8.20am flight ( reached taipei 1.10pm)  and I'm going to tell you exactly why I feel flying economy is enough. 

Its a 5 hours flight. You are not going to be reclining in peace with a toddler. Half the time you are entertaining your kid, doing aisle laps. You paid extra for a lie flat seat but your toddler decides the floor is way comfier.

I am naturally a very considerate person haha. In economy I am surrounding by other families, seasoned parents and travellers in economy know that they are going to be disturbed by a toddler cries. The stress of my toddler crying and thinking about how the other business passagers are cursing me internally is too much for me to bear !

And lastly the money saved from purchasing a business ticket, that equates to more bubble tea and snacks in Taipei!

We stayed at ​The Regent Taipei, where Nick stayed for work previously. And I super recommend it ! 

Its situated in the heart of Taipei's Zhongshan District, the hotel is just a 5-minute walk from Zhongshan MRT Station, providing easy access to the city's attractions. Not that it mattered to us because we took grab everywhere haha. 

I just wanted to make a shoutout to the hotel's rooms. They provide ample space for families with young children. Our rooms arrangement were such, my parents took a room. Nick was to share a room with his parents. I was going to share the room with my helper and baby G. But the bed was actually big enough to accomodate Nicholas and myself so Nick ended up sleeping over our room everynight. 

Here's baby G in the crib that the hotel staff so kindly set up for us. 

And this is also her admiring the view from our high floor room with her jellycat bag haha. 

For dinner, we took a grab straight into the legendary Raohe Night Market — and let’s just say, it did not disappoint.

🍖 Fuzhou Pepper Buns (福州胡椒饼)
Crispy on the outside, piping hot and juicy inside — these oven-baked buns are packed with peppery pork and spring onions. Cooked in traditional tandoor-like ovens, the queue is long, but worth every bite!

🦪 Dong Fat Hao Oyster Mee Sua (东发号蚵仔面线)
A local fave — this bowl of silky mee sua is loaded with plump oysters and tender braised intestines, all drenched in a rich umami broth. Bonus points for their super smooth chili garlic sauce.

🥙 Duo Duo Rou Jia Mo (多多肉夹馍)
Think of it as a Chinese pulled pork sandwich — flaky flatbread stuffed with fragrant, slow-cooked meat. Crispy edges, juicy center, perfect for one-handed eating while juggling a wriggly toddler.

Other things we ate at the night market was this amazing chicken sausage and of course PAPAYA MILK which my dad has fond memories during his last trip to Taiwan which was... when he was doing National service. thats like almost 50 years ago! haha

Some other shops I identified but didn't manage to try are 

🍲 Chen Dong Pork Ribs Medicinal Herbs Soup (陳董藥燉排骨)
A Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded stall, We didnt try it because I'm just not a fan of herbal soup. 

🧄 Xiagang Mingpeng Stinky Tofu (下港名彭臭豆腐)

🍗 Little Chef Big Chicken Steak (小廚師大雞排)
This spot offers a generously sized, crispy fried chicken steak that's both juicy and flavorful. It's a popular choice among locals and visitors alike, perfect for sharing or indulging solo.​

🥚 Lee Chi Oyster Omelette (李記蚵仔煎)

🥛 Kenting Pasture Fried Milk (墾丁牧場炸鮮奶)

We spent about 2 hours in Raohe market ( 6pm - 8pm) which I think is more than enough when you're travelling with a baby in tow. Baby G was really starting to get slightly fidgity at the 1.5 hour mark. We may be traveling slower and accomplishing less places these days, but every bite and moment felt richer ❤️ 

As the night was still young, Nicholas and I decided to have a date night at Bar Mood

Located in the stylish Da’an District, Bar Mood isn’t your typical cocktail bar. Founded by award-winning bartender Nick Wu, this sleek and modern spot has earned its place on Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

From the moment you walk in, Bar Mood feels different. The space is elegant yet personal — with custom-made furniture by Wu’s parents and fresh floral arrangements from a local artist. The centerpiece is a bar top garden filled with fresh herbs and botanicals that find their way into your glass.

The cocktail menu is a love letter to Taiwan. Each cocktail is beautifully presented and often comes with a little story — from the inspiration behind it to the local roots of the ingredients.

If you’re new to Taiwanese spirits or just want to explore unique flavour profiles, let the bartenders guide you. They’re warm, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about their craft.

Bar Mood also serves up elevated bar bites with a Taiwanese twist. We just had the fries because we were so stuffed from the night market but Nicholas had tried some of their bites during his last trip and he describes the food to be jhust as thoughtfully crafted as the drinks. 

While our toddler was happily snoozing back at the hotel with my helper, this was our moment to indulge. Bar Mood is perfect for couples, cocktail lovers, or anyone looking to experience a different side of Taipei — where local meets luxe.

📍 Raohe Street Night Market

Address: Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei City 105, Taiwan
Nearest MRT Station: Songshan Station (Green Line), Exit 5
Opening Hours: Daily from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM

📍 Bar Mood Taipei

Address: No. 53, Lane 160, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City 106, Taiwan
Phone: +886 905 773 621

Opening Hours: Monday–Thursday: 6:00 PM – 1:00 AM; Friday–Saturday: 6:00 PM – 2:00 AM; Sunday: 6:00 PM – 1:00 AM