A Guide to Kinmen, Republic of China Part 3: Best Places To Eat
Hello friends! Apologies for the incredibly long hiatus. A lot has happened in the past few months which has taken me to a new job, a new country, and a new chapter in my life. I’m so sorry for dropping off of the face of the earth! Let me finish up this Kinmen series and we’ll see what topics are in store next :)
Day 4: Trying all of Kinmen’s specialty foods - Jincheng’s Mao Zedong Milk Tea, Mayfly Coffee, Guningtou Battle Museum, Kinmen Peanut Candy, Yuchuan Kitchen (Gaoliang Braised Pork Rice! 高粱滷肉飯）
How in the world did the two of us eat this much food in one day?! We sampled the culture of Kinmen through its incredible cuisine, starting off with a really unique cup of Mao Zedong Milk Tea adorned with his face and spiked with Gaoliang liquor. WOW. What a strange combination. It was quite fun to consume a really popular beverage in such a unique environment on the island of Kinmen, perfectly positioned between Mainland China and Taiwan. Check out the sign that was shown on the outside of the gift shop, where the beverage was sold: it says something along the lines of “When you come here, put aside unity and independence, different political parties, relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of cross-strait co-governance”.
We indulged in the Mao Ze Dong milk tea with Gaoliang liquor (L) and the Mao Ze Dong milk tea with agar agar jelly (R).
We then headed over to a sweet coffee shop called Mayfly Coffee 蜉蝣咖啡 and fueled up on caffeine, cheesecake and flan!
Next stop was Guningtou Battle Museum 古寧頭戰史館, which documented the Battle of Guningtou in 1949 - it’s also known as the Battle of Kinmen and was fought during the Chinese Civil War. Admission was free and it was an informative museum full of tanks, weapons, and maps that illustrated the direction the attacks came from. We also were able to see Chiang Kai Shek’s jeep that he rode in during the war.
Next up, we drove to a tiny little place for traditional shaved ice dessert made with roasted wheat flour on top, but unfortunately it was closed - hope they will be open if you are visiting! Lao Mian Tea 老麵茶
As it was our last full day in Kinmen, we headed over to purchase some traditional Kinmen peanut candy from a 100 year old peanut candy confectionary store. It was really cool to see them making it in the back and to try different samples. We bought a few for our small group, friends and family and I shipped a pack over to my boyfriend’s family in Las Vegas for fun as well :)
A few other souvenirs that we noticed were Kinmen artillery shells and knives that were made from artillery shells, which illustrates Kinmen’s history as an important battleground.
Two of my favorite (must-go) recommendations coming right up:
For lunch or dinner: Yuchuan Kitchen 雨川食堂 with traditional, local flavors in a modern dining space. Highly recommend trying the Kinmen Gaoliang Liquor-essenced 滷肉飯 pork minced rice which was super unique! Affordable, small dishes which was perfect for us. It’s a small space, so I might recommend giving a little more time to wait or to go during off-peak hours.
For snacking: Hequan Shopping Center 合泉購物中心 - their hours are kind of weird, so make sure to either call them to confirm or check their Facebook page. Highly recommend trying the local Kinmen fried pancake roll with a hot dog and egg inside for 65 NTD or about $2 USD - it’s called 蛋狗 (dan gou or egg dog). We also tried the stir-fried ramen noodles mixed with egg, hot dog pieces and veggies but it wasn’t the most memorable dish. They only have four items on the menu but I think the number one was definitely the fried pancake roll. I mean, I don’t discriminate against fried things but these were delish! Glad we got to try this little snack stall before leaving for the airport.
Thank you for joining me on this journey through Kinmen, Republic of China! Check out this adorable mural at the Kinmen Airport that features some of Kinmen’s delicious delicacies - including Gaoliang, beef jerky, peanuts, peanut rolls among others. If you have a chance to visit Kinmen, I would highly recommend renting a scooter and checking out the sights, sounds and the flavors of this beautiful island. Driving around Kinmen through its stunning streets was definitely one of my favorite experiences.
Please let me know if you choose to visit and if you have any recommendations that I forgot to mention! Until next time… (next up in the island series: Xiao Liu Qiu and Matsu Islands!)
