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Pig Ear Salad to Provide 'Authentic' Taste of Taiwan at Night Market

By Serena Dai | May 27, 2015 4:02pm
 Pig ear salad will be offered at the Taiwanese Night Market in Williamsburg on May 29, 2015.
Pig ear salad will be offered at the Taiwanese Night Market in Williamsburg on May 29, 2015.
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TAP-NY

WILLIAMSBURG — Pig ear salad is the newest offering at this year's Williamsburg Taiwanese Night Market in a bid to be more authentic.

The fourth annual cultural market is trying to be more true to the food of the Asian markets that inspired it, said Alex Shih, president of Taiwanese American Professionals New York, which hosts the event.

Taiwanese night markets have "unique flavors" and dishes that aren't easy to find in New York on a regular basis, he said. This year's market on Friday will feature more exotic dishes than ever before.

"We took the time to find some vendors to really showcase the unique flavors of Taiwan and the Asian American community here in New York City," Shih said.

Besides the salad made of pig ears, vendors will be offering dishes like Taiwanese sausage, which has a unique size and flavor, and Taiwanese-style dan dan noodles, a noodle made with a meat sauce.

"An ordinary New Yorker might not try it," Shih said of some of the dishes offered. "This is an opportunity to put it in front of everyone."

Tickets for the event cost $40 and include food from more than 10 food and drink vendors. Additional food and beer will be available for purchase.

Night markets are about authentic, comforting food, but they're also about hanging out with friends and enjoying the "hustle and bustle" of a market, Shih said.

The event will feature a photobooth and games traditionally found at Asian markets, such as "goldfishing," where players try to pick a goldfish up with a paper net.

It's an opportunity to bring Taiwan to New York — and to support the community of Asian American vendors who offer authentic dishes, Shih said.

"There are a lot of vendors that are delicious but don’t necessarily have that much exposure," Shih said. "We do this as a community event to make sure that people, New Yorkers, really get a chance to sample dishes."

TAP-NY's Taiwanese Night Market will take place on Friday, May 29 between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at The Villain, at 50 North Third Street. Tickets can be purchased online.