"When I fill my stomach happily without having to worry about solo queue, I feel a brief freedom. When I only concentrate on the food, without caring about anybody else, not being interrupted by anybody; this lonely action is the best healing moment given equally to all summoners out there."
-CuVee-

Anyways, I’m hungry.

I’m here in Taiwan for the Rift Rivals, but the prize money is too little. I continued winning until the finals, but lost at the finals. Disgraceful. Furthermore, I’m kind of lost here.

So unfortunate, where did I stray from the path?

Is this a night market? I won’t panic. I’m just hungry.

Any place is good. I’ll just head anywhere there’s food.

A noodle shop near the entrance of the market.

Noodles are perfect for the first meal, since they’re not that heavy on the stomach.

Pork boiled with the proper sauces. It has been boiling since morning, so it definitely will have a strong taste.

Hmm… Two types of pork…

Two types of pork mean double the happiness.

Still hot, need to gulp this down carefully. I don’t want to ruin the meals that come after this.

It’s good. The amount of food was too little, but it was a good choice.

All of a sudden, I found the satisfaction I was looking for. A seafood shop caught my eye after leaving the noodle shop. Taiwan is close to the sea, so I can have quality seafood at a cheap price.

Good. This place is perfection.

Let’s gobble this up too.

Most of the people at other tables are eating lobster with beer.

Is this what all the others ordered? The lobster was roasted whole. With peppered garlic on top, and some diced green onion for an enhanced scent and some color.

Taiwan beer and lobster. Good.

It was a small portion, but an excellent choice.

I was sensitive because my stomach wasn’t even half full, and I smelled something weird.

Is this fried chou dou fu?
My feet carried me towards the smell; I didn’t even notice I was moving.
This is a good snack to have while looking for another place to eat at.

A rather small store compared to the strong scent, this might be one of the hidden treasures of this market. “I’ll have one portion.”

She cut the chou dou fu to make it easier for me to eat. The smell isn’t as bad because it’s fried.

The red pepper and marinated cabbage makes my mouth water.

The chou dou fu was too strong. I’ll have something more normal.
I’ll just run to the pan-fried beef shop on the other side of the road.

The redness of the beef shows how fresh the beef is.
Along with the white sections of fat in between.
This beef doesn’t have that much fat, so it should have a clean taste.

Slightly spicy beef with onions.

Again, small portion, but it was enough to forget the strong scent of chou dou fu.

I can’t leave Taiwan after having only one seafood dish.

When I ordered, the person I thought was a customer started to prepare the order.
Sudden anxiety rises.
But it’s all right. I ordered food that’s always good, whenever and how-ever I eat it.

Parboiled octopus.
The chewiness of the surface can be felt from just looking at it. The sauces are soy bean sauce with wasabi and soy bean sauce with white radish.

The taste is a bit fishy when I don’t dip it in sauce.
But when I dip it in sauce, it is balanced like Riot’s patch confronting Worlds.

BUT. Not enough.

A snake? I think I’ll be having something special.
Snake meat is said to have essential amino acids and glutamic acid that strengthens brain cells. And has nutrients that relieves the fatigue from the body.

Can this be a gift for my body, which has become tired from the hard season and Rift Rivals?

Is this snake meat?
It’s something I’ve never seen before. With dried chili and coriander leaves.
Around $30 (US). Very expensive.

This wasn’t a good choice. The balance of the taste is a mess. There are too many bones in the meat and I think my body is rejecting the scent of the coriander leaves.
Even if it’s good for me, I won’t be able to finish it. Even if the portion is so tiny.

I need something to drink to forget this taste.

There are many things to drink in this tropical place.
Many know that the milk tea we enjoy drinking comes from Taiwan.
I’ll have a tropical drink to erase the scent of coriander leaves and to rehydrate myself.

Milk with papaya.
It’s a complex, light, and sweet taste.
I’m starting to understand why people are drinking this while waiting in line.
But it’s too little.

Is this the place?

The noodle shop that my friend recommended to me.
The visuals weren’t that great.
Beef noodles with white apricot. I can predict the taste already.

My hands are somewhat slower than before.

Yeah, I’m full now.