DESPITE having a predominantly non-Muslim population, Taiwan has made significant strides in becoming a Muslim-friendly destination.
This transformation is evident in its increasing number of halal-certified establishments, and a growing awareness of Muslim needs among locals.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Taiwan’s efforts is its diverse halal culinary scene, which includes not only local specialty cuisines but also a variety of halal dishes from around the world.
Taiwan’s Journey to Becoming Muslim-Friendly
Taiwan’s journey towards becoming a Muslim-friendly destination began in earnest in 2011.
Recognising the growing number of Muslim tourists globally, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau and various local organisations started taking proactive steps to cater to this demographic.
These efforts included the certification of halal restaurants, the establishment of prayer facilities in public spaces like airports and shopping malls, and the promotion of Muslim-friendly tourism.
One of the most significant milestones was the introduction of the Halal Taiwan initiative, which aimed to increase the number of halal-certified businesses across the island.
This initiative, combined with the efforts of the Chinese Muslim Association (CMA), has led to a significant increase in halal-certified restaurants, hotels, and even food processing plants.
To experience what Taiwan has to offer to cater to the Muslim community, Taiwan Tourism Administration has invited media from various media outlets in Malaysia to explore the nation’s hidden gem as a Muslim-friendly destination.
Halal Local Specialty Cuisines
With the growing demand for halal options, many local specialties have been adapted to meet halal requirements without compromising on taste or authenticity.
During our trip to Taiwan, we were eager to taste the halal version of one of the most famous Taiwanese dishes – beef noodle soup.
We were brought to halal certified Lao Chang Muslim Beef Noodles Restaurant, popular with locals and tourists.
According to its owner Mose Chang, the Hui-style restaurant was opened by his father 74 years ago after he (his father) moved to Taiwan in 1939.
He stated that the reason behind his father opening the restaurant at that time is due to there being no restaurants catering to Muslims community.
“When he came to Taiwan, there weren’t many options for him to eat. So he cooked beef noodle soup for himself and eventually decided to open his own restaurant.
“Although there weren’t many Muslims in the community back then, the receptions were not bad among the locals.
“Now, alhamdulillah, not only we are quite well-known among the locals but we are also known by tourists coming to Taiwan,” he said when met by New Sarawak Tribune.
With its mouth watering beef noodle soup remains as the restaurant’s specialty, he said that his side dishes, and chilli oils too are his customers’ favourites.
“Not only that, for my restaurant here, we also provide free noodles and soup add ons to our customers.
“And for those who want to bring home our homemade chilli oil, we do sell it in a small jar (priced at NTD$200). The shelf life of our chilli oil is up to four months as it is made with fresh ingredients and does not have any preservatives in it,” he added.
Nevertheless, for those who might not have the chance to visit his restaurant during their stay in the city, they can still make up for it by visiting his other branch in Taoyuan International Airport.
It is located next to the prayer room at Gate C3 in the transit area – a perfect spot for travellers to have a meal before their flight.
Halal Cuisines from Around the World
In addition to local specialties, Taiwan’s culinary scene has embraced halal cuisines from various countries.
This has created a melting pot of flavours, allowing Muslim travellers to enjoy a diverse range of dishes that cater to their dietary needs.
Tucked behind an alleyway just a few kilometres away from the Taipei Arena, we were also brought to the Kunming Islamic Restaurant, a place serving Pan-Asian cuisine.
Upon entering, what made this particular restaurant interesting is that it has an interesting interior that features many types of Islamic decor with many currency notes from various countries left by visitors as a memento.
For its food, we must say that the restaurant is definitely worth a visit! The dishes here definitely made us feel like home after being a few days away from Malaysia.
For fish lovers, its sweet and sour siakap fish is indeed a must try! With its savoury flavour, it is recommended to eat it with its fluffy white rice.
Aside from here, during our trip, we were also brought to try other halal certified food such as the Middle Eastern cuisines namely Safranbolu Turkish Restaurant; Mauna Restaurant; and Tajin Moroccan Cuisine.
Though these restaurants are located in Taiwan, the cuisines that they serve did not fall short in terms of taste and presentations as they are cooked and prepared by Middle Easterns themselves.
Moreover, these restaurants also go the extra mile to create an authentic dining experience, with traditional decor and music enhancing the ambiance.
Other than that, Indian cuisine is another major player in Taiwan’s halal food scene.
With its rich spices and diverse flavours, Indian food has long been a favourite among food lovers worldwide.
In Taiwan, halal Indian restaurants offer a variety of dishes, from biryani and curry to naan and tandoori.
The use of halal-certified meat and the careful preparation of vegetarian dishes make these restaurants a go-to for Muslim diners here.
In our experience, we highly recommend giving Moiz Ali Restaurant, and Ali Baba’s Indian Kitchen a try!
Halal Kitchen
As the restaurants in Taiwan mostly closed at 7.30pm to 8pm, and travellers may lose track of time due to all the shopping and sightseeing, fret not as dine in the halal certified hotels is always an available option.
Did you know that in Taiwan, there are over 100 halal certified hotels?
As Taiwan continues to become a popular travel destination for people around the world, it is important to note that the country is not only welcoming to tourists from different cultures but also accommodating to their religious beliefs.
For Muslim travellers, there are several Muslim-friendly hotels available that cater to their needs.
Aside from equipping its rooms with the direction of the Qibla, prayer mats as well as prayer times, the hotel also has a Halal certified kitchen.
Therefore, while travellers can put their mind at ease about the food being halal, the restaurants in the hotels are mostly closed at 10pm.
This gives travellers ample time to catch their dinner after all the shoppings and outings!
Bubble tea
Typically a combination of milky tea and a variation of toppings, bubble tea or also known as boba is a beloved Taiwan classic.
As it is loved by both locals and tourists, we can see that shops selling boba grew like mushrooms in Taiwan.
Aside from knowing that tea and milk served in the boba is Muslim friendly, it always raises concerns among the Muslim community whether the ‘bubbles’ served in it are actually safe to consume.
According to Nur Fathini Yusuf, a Malaysian student studying in Soochow University, at its most basic, boba — the pearls themselves — are made with a collection of starches, brown sugar and water.
She said that the ingredients are rolled together into small balls, which are boiled in water until they turn gummy, chewy and glossy.
“Whereas for the other toppings which have the jelly-like appearance or texture, most of them are actually made out of flour.
“Here in Taiwan, I can assure you that most bubble tea products don’t contain gelatin, the cattle and pork-derived product that is forbidden (haram) in Islam,” she said.
Convenience Store
Being in Taiwan, one can see that in every nook and cranny of the city, there will always be convenience stores sitting around, especially the 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
While some say that visiting the convenience store is a must, for the stores in Taiwan, it definitely is a must visit!
Aside from the themed 7-Elevens, one can find interesting beverages, food, and snacks sold in the stores.
Drinks aside, it is still of concern for the Muslim community to consume any food or snacks from these convenience stores.
Bearing this in mind, CMA took an initiative to collaborate with FamilyMart to introduce Halal-certified merchandise for Muslim visitors spanning from cookies, sweets, beverages, instant noodles, as well as FamiCollection merchandise.
This initiative aligns with the nation’s commitment to enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors.
To date, there are over 150 participating FamilyMart which are Muslim-friendly.
Therefore, for the Muslim community who are visiting or are in Taiwan, do lookout for their certified Muslim-friendly sign by the entrance of FamilyMart for a peace of mind.
