Upon entering the Liohe night market in Kaohsiung city I was instantly hit with the many different smells and noises that originate from the outdoor food stands that line either side of the streets. In Taiwan eating out is a social event that if done correctly can be cheap and rewarding. However, my main purpose for being in the night market was not to wander from stall to stall sampling various chicken parts or snake parts. I was there to review a traditional Taiwanese dish called coffin toast.
Coffin toast originated in Tainan; the old capital of Taiwan. Simply put it is almost identical to chicken pot pie. The only thing that separates it from chicken pot pie is that it is nestled into a perfectly cooked, golden brown piece of toast. The name coffin toast describes how the toast is cut and filled and made to look like a coffin. Many different varieties of coffin toast seem to exist, some are a little more risky than others. However, the most popular form comes with your basic chicken, carrot, corn, and white goo filling and your oil fried toast exterior.
My first impression of this sandwich/pot pie is that the toast and filling compliment each other very well. Although both are savory, there is a slight sweetness that comes from the carrots. The chicken has been cooked well and the shop owner is not shy about giving you a good portion. The 50 nt (roughly $2 Canadian) price is also reasonable. For another few dollars you can get some fish ball soup to help wash it down, although I would avoid this.
Overall, my experience with coffin toast has been a good one and it is a sandwich that I would seriously recommend to anyone. If you like toast and chicken pot pie and have always fantasized about the two coming together in your mouth... I would definitely say that this is the sandwich for you.
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