A Short Getaway to Hualien: Dongdamen Night Market

It was an ordinary weekday evening when I decided to plan this short getaway. I and Gaby - the best exchange companion I could ask for - were sitting at our dorm lobby working on our upcoming presentation when the idea came to our heads. As the two of us have been exploring Taipei for almost two months, we thought its time to visit other cities in Taiwan - and for this time, Hualien.

Hualien is a city located in the Eastern coast of Taiwan which is famous for its beauty of nature. The area is divided into Hualien city and Hualien county - the latter is well-known for its mesmerizing Taroko Gorge. 

Since this was our first time going outside Taipei, we were quite confused on how to get there at the beginning. But thanks to the advantage of technology, we could book our train tickets online and paid it through 7 Eleven. 

On the first day of our trip, we arrived in Hualien at around 18.00 PM - a little bit too late for the sunset-viewing. So, we decided to save it for tomorrow and instead headed directly to our next destination. As Taipei has its famous Shilin Night Market, Hualien also has its own, namely the Dongdamen Night Market - famous for its large area and unique food.

Dongdamen Night Market

The Dongdamen Night Market is divided into four big areas: Futing Night Market, Streets of China Cuisines, Streets of Aboriginal Cuisines, and Ziqing Night Market. Though the area of the market is very big, the food here is not similar to the ones in Taipei night markets. Simply said, this night market has its own characteristics as well as the signature dishes of Hualien.

So, have you been wondering on what to eat there? Here goes my recommendations:

1. Signature Pork Dish ($50 NT)
Signature Pork Dish is a fried bread stuffed with stir-fried pork. The dish comes with a free tea or milk tea. It is probably the first shop with a long queue that you notice in the night market, but its totally worth it.

2. Red Bean Bubble Milk ($60 NT)
Unlike common bubble drinks in Taipei, this drink is made from milk instead of milk tea. In addition to the bubble, it is served with a spoonful of red bean. If you are the type of person who are not really into sweet stuff, you will absolutely love it.

3. Caramelized Sweet Potato & Taro ($30 NT)
This snack is definitely a must try. The sweet potato and taro are covered with a caramelized sugar, making it super crispy from the outside and soft-textured on the inside.

4. Century Egg Donut ($30 NT)
I bet most of must have tried a boiled century egg. But how about having it melted? Well, this donut does have it melted. It is the most delicious way of serving century egg I would say. With a little sweet and sour sauce over it, this donut is just wonderful.

5. Fried Scallion Pancake ($40 NT)
Even though you have tasted a Scallion Pancake before, this Fried Scallion Pancake still does deserve the try. It is a deep-fried scallion pancake with a fried egg inside of it. On top of it all, it is served with soy sauce and delicious house-recipe chili.

After Dongdamen, we decided to walk around and enjoy the night in Hualien City. We stopped by a commonly recommended restaurant, Mr. Goose - famous by its clean and strong-flavored Steamed Goose. The two of us ordered a small portion of Steamed Goose which costs $250 NT. Their steamed goose is served with ginger and soy sauce for dipping which can truly bring out the flavor of the meat.

Mr. Goose
1st location:
Address: No. 259, Zhongshan Road, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan 970
Operating Hours: 11AM - 8.30 PM (Closed on Thursday)

2nd location:
Address: No. 224, Linsen Rd, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan 970
Operating Hours: 11 AM - 10 PM


So, my trip to Hualien did not just end here. On the next day, we explored Taroko and its wonderful places. More about Taroko are coming next in the next blog post!