My favorite picks from NIU! 2011:
1. Takoyaki - I tried 3 booths. Must say the Osaka one is the best - not floury, unlike the other ones. Would be even better if it had bonito flakes.
2. Coconut Sago Drink w. Lychee - debated if I should try this for the longest time. It’s supposedly made with fresh coconut juice, coconut milk, sago and fresh lychee. The lychee bits tasted like the aloe from bubble tea places. Very refreshing, enough sweetness and not too heavy.
3. Mango Supreme 楊枝甘露 - My favorite dessert/drink of NIU! I had two cups of this :) Fresh, fruity mango with mango bits, some pomelo on top and sago.
4. Skewers (not pictured) - I have never been a skewers fan but I tried 3 stalls and I must say Mongolian Hot Pot 小肥羊 has the best beef and lamb skewers - tender, juicy and flavorful meat. The other stalls I tried were on the dry side.
5. Taiwanese fried chicken and fried squid balls, Mama Bear Smelly Tofu (not pictured) - yum! Better than their smelly tofu
Special mentions:
I believe “Tornado Potato” was new this year and quite a hit with 3 (or more) stalls. The potatoes from this booth was on the soft side (like a potato), while another booth had crispier potatoes (like chips).
Pineapple juice - Apparently there were 7 stalls selling fresh pineapple juice. I tried 2 of them and must say this one is better - fresh pineapple taste, not foamy, and unique with the ‘popping boba’ (tapioca shaped, reminds me of fish egg texture, but sweet). However, it is extremely expensive at $8 each and with very little juice.
Waffle on a stick, ROFL Waffles - "Creme Brulee" flavor - vanilla icecream, creme brulee sauce, supposed to be torched sugar but I think they gave me peanuts instead. The waffle was good but a bit dry. It was the denser type of waffle rather than the eggy, fluffy type. It was a bit difficult to eat while trying to get through the crowd as the icecream fell off the waffle and melted quickly but it was a nice sweet treat.
