Both Miaoli and Changhua are famous for their local delicacies – and now visitors and locals can try them in one meal as both cities offer a selection of favorites at their own specialty banquets.

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Shredded ginger, chili peppers, and carrots sauteed until fragrant – it’s not only a recipe for mouth-watering, but also the base for Miaoli’s innovative Hakka-style stir-fried noodles. 

This new specialty is served alongside braised pork and bamboo shoots, just two of the dishes in Miaoli’s new dinner special. Diners report the dishes as perfectly paired and flavorful.

This is the sight of Miaoli’s “Hakka four braised dish, four stir fry” (四炆四炒) dinner, for which the county will be selling 140 tables online for NT$4,500 (US$148) each, or about $450 (nearly US$15) per person. The 10-dish set includes many Miaoli signature dishes like poached chicken, glutinous rice, Hakka stir-fries, sesame oil shrimp, and pineapple and woodear mushrooms. 

Mayor Yu Wen-chung (余文忠) says the dishes were designed through discussion with six head chefs, transforming classic dishes with the addition of bright new elements.

Miaoli isn’t alone in offering a local delicacy dinner to attract tourists. In Changhua, the Luxi Banquet, offering well-loved classics like spring rolls, oyster omelets, and vermicelli soup, has been a hot-selling experience since its launch. Many of the dishes featured often garner long wait times at food stalls, so half of the draw is being able to taste them all without waiting.

Both local banquets are priced equally, NT$4,500 per table, and offer a similar experience, the biggest difference being what specialties you want, and how much you’d like: 10 dishes in Miaoli, or 19 in Changhua.

For about NT$450 a head, either meal deal is sure to be a feast for gastrotourists and foodies of all localities. 

Amanda Stephens, for RTI News