by Peter WangGrowing up in Taiwan, it is not surprising to encounter foreign restaurants on the streets. However, based on a survey I made, Taiwanese people’s impression of foreign foods is actually quite limited. When asked them what was the first foreign food that came into their minds, the top three answers were always Japanese, Korean, and American.
So today, let me take you on a ride to explore the most exotic restaurants around campus. Hold on tight! Sababa Sababa, a special Middle-Eastern restaurant, rests quietly on the corner of Wenzhou street and with its distinctive ambiance draws in passers-by. Sababa is most famous for its pita bread, a dish barely seen or known by Taiwanese people. Pita is a round, flat bread made of whole wheat flour that contains a pocket, a room puffed up by air while baking. Fresh out of the oven, the pocket will be stuffed with meat and all kinds of fillings. Falafel balls and hummus can be placed on top, nicely covered by mint yogurt or other sauces, depending on which flavor you choose. You may wonder what hummus and falafels are. Hummus is like mashed potatoes, thick and creamy, only it is made from chickpeas, a type of bean high in protein that originates in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Chickpeas can also be served in other forms, the most common one being falafel. Falafel is a type of deep-fried ball containing ground chickpeas, various spices, and flour (to bind it all together). A well made falafel will have a warm, soft texture on the inside with a thin, grainy crust on the outside, adding another layer of taste to the pita bread. 3 idiots toast & curry Another restaurant I find interesting is “3 idiots toast & curry,” a vegan Indian restaurant located by Wenzhou Park. What makes it extra special is that its curry doesn’t use onion and garlic, which are almost essential in traditional Indian curry. But some vegetarians avoid eating onion and garlic for religious or cultural reasons. That’s also the reason why 3 idiots curry doesn’t give off a pungent smell and a strong taste. What’s more, they also use chickpeas in one of their curries, named Chole Masala. I am surprised by how common chickpeas are in different food cultures! The chickpeas in this curry are unground and they still retain their shape. However, they are so soft that you can smoothly mush them with your tongue. The rice served on the side, with its long and thin grain, is also different from what we usually have in Taiwan and has a rougher texture. However, for me it simply didn’t shine. Then I caught a glimpse of the girl sitting across from me having a green, tasty-looking curry and I thought to myself I would definitely try that one sometime. I later found that it was spinach curry with cheese! Here’s another honorable mention: their grilled cheese sandwich with salsa jalapeño. Although it isn’t really Indian food, I still highly recommend you to give it a shot. Salsa is a sauce, usually made as a dip, made primarily from diced tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, and lemon juice. Here, the jalapeño peppers replace the red hot peppers in the dish to “spice it up.” Jalapeño (“holl-a-PAY-nyo”) is a type of chili pepper, medium in size, that is picked and usually used while green. It is not smoky, fruity, or extremely hot as other chilies are, but somewhere in the middle, making it a perfect match for cheese. Exploding on my taste buds as soon as I took the first bite, the cheese-jalapeño combination is simply unbelievable. So next time if you feel like having something different, bring your friends and visit Sababa or 3 idiots toast & curry, where you can transport yourself to a world of the most exotic tastes. a
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May 2024
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