Saturday, October 10, 2015

Night Markets of Taipei (4): Raohe Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市)

Raohe Night Market (饒河夜市) is a very lively night market located towards the northeastern part of Taipei.  It used to be the easiest to get to via taxi u.  Now, it's super convenient to go to Raohe Night Market by metro: just get off at Songshan Station (Xindian/Songshan line).




The most popular item at Raohe is probably the Pepper Buns from 福州世祖胡椒餅.  The queue is always long.  They are not bad but I actually prefer to buy them from one of their many branches near Taipei Station, which is very close to my hotel and office.  My mom actually prefers the pepper buns made by another shop 福州元祖胡椒餅 near Longshan Temple Station.   To which I say, taste is a very personal matter and the only number 1 is the one you like best.



Raohe's setup is pretty much the same as all the other night markets in Taipei.  It's a narrow pedestrian street filled with stores on each side.  The stores are very similar to the other night markets as well.  That is why, I only go to the ones closest to where I stay... 


FYI: I preferred the fish skin from 秀蘭姨 @ 華西街夜市 so much better
I ended up trashing this after a few bites...

However, I did take my co-worker here this past trip and he enjoyed it a lot.  Raohe just has the aesthetics that would charm a foreign tourist.  In fact, he loved the squid so much he had three of them!



Plus, I was always curious about the face threading shop here and wanted to check it out.  I actually get my face threaded once a month but I am just curious of how it is done here.  Verdict:  the owner is very, very fast.  But don't expect uninterrupted and attentive service... she is the boss after all so she takes care of all facets of the business but she is good.




People may tell you "but it's one of the oldest night markets in Taipei!"  Well, it depends if you are just going there to eat or if you are going there as a point of interest (sight-seeing).  To me, you see one, you sort of see them all.  There maybe more stores at the bigger night markets and each night market will have 1 or 2 must-haves that are unique to that market but other than that, they are very similar.  So if you have never been / live close-by, it's surely one of the better night markets in Taipei so I would recommend it but I wouldn't travel an hour just to come here. 

Nevertheless, I do have to mention Raohe is the closest night market to the Rainbow Bridge (which is really where locals come to work-out or have a stroll with their date and there is not much to see).


should have went earlier...
the lights were already out.

Raohe Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市)
Section 4, Bade Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Go after 6pm for the full night market experience.

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