Craving some crepes now

Today was quite a productive day in a sense the I completed many many assignments and goals.  But it was also a very antisocial day where I never left my apartment to see anyone or to do anything.  It's pretty much how I spend my weekends but today I cleaned my nasty nasty apartment.  No, it's not me.  It's my roommate.  She is really the nastiest person I have lived with so far because she doesn't clean and she leaves loads of dirty dishes in the sink, on the table, stove, counter, does not put food in the fridge etc.  It did not occur to me that I would have to be dealing with this when I agreed to room with her.  And what's hard is that I cannot command her as if she were my brother.

Ha but my greatest accomplishment is cleaning the toilet.  That toilet seemed like it wasn't cleaned for ages and I really couldn't take it anymore because it was gross and I cannot allow my friends to go to the bathroom when they visit.  Blech.  Anyways, it's clean now but my roommates really need to know that they are living with other people.

Continuing from my last post where I introduced 西門町, my friend took me to 師大夜市 one of the many night markets in Taiwan.  Night markets dot the island of Taiwan and each one is filled with yummy food stands and alleys of merchants selling clothes.  Here is where you will find many famous Taiwanese 小吃 or snacks like 水煎包 (steamed buns), 豬血糕 (Pig's blood rice cake) or 蚵仔煎 (oyster omelet).  Night markets are the place people go during their free time because it is a good way to meander through streets and talking with friends as you snack on some great food.  I have asked my friends from China about the night markets there and they say, it's not as famous nor organized as those in Taiwan.  So definitely visit one night market if you go to Taiwan.

師大夜市 used to be one of the best night markets in Taipei before residents around the area complained about the noise, forcing many shops to close and restaurants to shut down.  What's left is a couple of rows of clothes and small accessory shops and one row of food carts.  It's quite depressing when you think about a once bustling night market reduced to a couple of streets. The last time I visited, there were plenty of small dine-in restaurants hidden along outer edges of the market.  My aunt had taken me to a Japanese curry restaurant that was delicious.  Simple and filling.  But those restaurants are no longer there and stores change constantly as they lose business. However, it still boasts an impressive amount of shopping with awesome prices that are cheaper than any other place I have seen.

Onwards with our unhealthy eating and shopping craze, my friend and I stopped in a bakery that smelled like fresh baked bread.  Mmmmm.  These bakeries also line every street in Taiwan so if you're craving something sweet and delicious for a breakfast or a hiking trip, just walk in to one, grab a few, pay and done.  The pineapple bun is a staple at any of the bakeries and it's a favorite of mine.  The green onion bread on the other hand is a more savory bread and is my mom's favorite.  In the United States, you might find a couple of these stores in areas with Chinese influence but the prices and variety just can't compare with the ones in Taiwan.  I always wonder how they can make the bread so soft with a perfect golden color.  I want to be able to make some!

We didn't end up buying anything we got our free smells like in those Jimmy John's shops with the "free smells" signs.  What was to come was unexpected because the whole time my friend was saying what sounded like Cola cake and she really couldn't describe it until we came upon a flashy little shop.  The fake food displays got me really excited because it looked like giant ice cream cones packed with fruits and giant balls of ice cream.  It wasn't giant ice cream cones but giant crispy 可麗餅 (crepes).

阿諾可麗餅 is a rare shop selling the crispy crepes filled with whatever you desire and is located the middle of the first row of shopping.  Seating is limited with just counter space lined on the three walls and 4 tables and once the night goes on, long lines form.  The ambiance is quite similar to a local restaurant with dark walls and names scrawled everywhere.  Almost an impossible task, finding a spot to leave my trace was difficult. But right in front of me I spotted a little white submarine soon to be named "Jasmine."  My parents would say "有病", meaning you're weird, for signing my name but for me, it is a necessary to take the opportunity when it shows up.

My friend and I were lucky to arrive to no lines and barely enough seats for the two of us.  We settled for a dessert crepe with banana and honey and a milk tea boba because where ever you go, you have to get one.   It's a weird tradition among us especially the American-Asians.  With a milk tea boba and honey banana, it became a sugar overload but the filling looked wimpy with just the bananas.  The star of the dish was the crepe itself as it was nice and crispy with the right amount of sweetness. To eat the crepe, you break off the pieces with your hand because it would become quite messy if you bite.  You can also make the crepe into a savory crepe by switching up the filling and adding ham, corn, mayo and lettuce.  If you're not looking for a meal, be sure to split it with a friend or it will fill you up, leaving no room for other food.

 Another type of cuisine found frequently at night markets are various foods that are barbecued.  Typically a cart would have different kinds of items such as sausages, chicken wings or legs, pork blood rice cakes or chicken hearts.  These are great to snack on while you're shopping because the are in bite size portions and pretty cheap, about $3 for one bag of stuff depending on your order.  I usually get the blood rice cakes and some sausages and maybe a couple of hearts here and there but sometimes the options are endless I can't pick.  These are the least healthiest things on the planet but they sure are delicious!