By Harry
My first time to Taiwan was when I was 7 or 8. I remember liking it more then China, but I don’t really remember now. It’s been 6 years since my last visit. I knew things were different. But uncle fat fat was still there. As a child he was always the happiest one to eat. Which is why instead of his real name Yeh, we called him pang pang (fat fat).

Our reunion wasn’t lost. Yeh took Bruce and I in and made sure we were comfy at my dad’s Taiwan apartment. If that wasn’t enough he insisted on taking us out to eat dinner. For those of you who don’t know. Taiwan has the best Chinese food in Asia. All around Asia people always remember Taiwan for their food.

As a country Taiwan has some of the most diverse agriculture. It is very rare to import foods from outside Taiwan. They have pride in their food and their craft. This is something I really appreciated about Taiwan, and something I only recently realized.

What about organic? They have much stricter laws on spraying but food isn’t all 100% organic. But the consciousness is growing. The local and sustainability of Taiwan’s agriculture as a whole is hard to beat. Keeping their land fertile is a priority, especially since the island is only so big. Naturally I was stoked to see such a good system, and I was sure they are receptive to some improvements.

Sitting with Uncle fat fat at his favorite shabu shabu restaurant we made food plans for the rest of the week.

Tip for traveling foodies: When traveling in Taipei local night-markets and dive restaurants often have the best food. But there are many. Find a local and ask him/her to point you in the right direction. If you eat at 6pm you won’t need a reservation.