New Taipei-Shenkeng Old Street (walking and eating delicious food)
As a stinky tofu lover, Shenkeng Old Street is a must-visit attraction.
In fact, the old street is not very long. It can be walked through in about 15 minutes when there are few people. The old street is mainly food, and a small number of shops have traditional flavors, so it is recommended not to stay too long.
There is a public parking lot here, which is much cheaper than private parking, so give priority to finding a public parking lot when visiting. It is also the mechanical parking lot closest to the entrance of the old street. Because the sign is not obvious enough, you usually have to check first before you can find it.
The streets are clean, and there are trash cans in the middle of the road. Since most of the food is snacks, remember to throw them into the trash can after eating!
Recommended food list:
1. Shenkeng stinky tofu: I ate at two restaurants and the taste was similar. The stinky tofu here is smelly, but it doesn't make your mouth feel bad when you eat it. I think it is a good experience for stinky tofu beginners. If you are afraid of the smell and dare not try it, Shenkeng stinky tofu is recommended. They are grilled, brushed with a special sauce on the outside, and cut in half with kimchi or sauerkraut in the middle. They are a portable delicacy that can be eaten on the go.
2 Zongzi: It is amazing that on this old street, besides stinky tofu, zongzi is the second most popular item, and the items are very detailed, there are both southern zongzi and northern zongzi. I bought some of each to eat. As a southerner, I can say responsibly that their northern zongzi is delicious and magical. I have not eaten this kind of flavor in the south and personally cannot accept it, so I recommend the northern zongzi.
3 Sweet purple rice cake: There are a lot of cold cakes sold along the whole street. You have to look carefully for sweet rice cakes. Usually, cold cake shops sell them, but be sure to ask the price first.
Personally, I don't recommend cold cakes because I think the skin has no taste, and the filling is semi-finished red bean paste, which is very sweet but not delicious. So to say it's sweet is not the same as to say it's not sweet, but it's also weird. I can only say that it doesn't suit my taste. I regretted buying two boxes and gave them away. However, the sweet purple rice cake I bought by the way was unexpectedly delicious, so I recommend this little supporting role.
4. Chicken butt (Seven-Li Xiang): The Seven-Li Xiang at the entrance of the temple always has a long queue and is a favorite of locals. I don’t dare to eat the butt, so my friend who was traveling with me gave it a good review after eating it, saying it was "juicy, super big, and fragrant." He said that he had never eaten such a big chicken butt, so friends who like Seven-Li Xiang can give it a try.
The above are the delicacies I recommend. As for which ones, except for the chicken butt shop at the temple entrance, the others are almost the same. No matter which one you buy, be sure to ask the price first. There are also many restaurants here. You can come and try the traditional flavor dishes when you have time.
Address: Shenkeng Street, Shenkeng District, New Taipei City
Business hours: 9:00-21:00