The culinary culture of the Chinese people goes back a very long time; and while Chinese food can be enjoyed in every large city in the world today, true gourmets know that only in Taiwan is it possible to enjoy fine authentic cuisine from all the different regions of China.

In Taiwan, where it seems the people live to eat, it is said that there is a snack shop every three steps and a restaurant every five. These establishments serve all kinds of Chinese food, from the roast duck, smoked chicken, lamb hotpot, fish in wine sauce, beef with green peppers, and scallop and turnip balls of the north to the camphor-tea duck, salty fried chicken with spices, honey ham, stir-fried shrimp, dry-fried eggplant, and spicy bean curd of the south. As the island's economy has developed rapidly in recent years, its culinary culture has expanded beyond the traditional Chinese foods to Chinese-style fast-food chains, thus bringing greater complexity than ever before to the art of Chinese dining. Foreign foods from all over the world have also made their appearance in Taiwan, and the island is now filled with eateries serving American hamburgers, Italian pizza, Japanese sashimi, German pig's knuckles, Swiss fondue, and just about everything else. All of this makes Taiwan a veritable paradise for gourmands. Taiwan's own native cuisine has also become known around the world, and if you try it just once you will remember it forever.