Oyster Omelette

Small oysters are fried with egg and a sweet-potato starch batter that turns gooey and translucent, then topped with greens and a sweet-savoury sauce. It is a beloved Taiwanese night-market dish.

The oyster omelette, known as ô-á-tsian in Taiwanese Hokkien, is a staple of Taiwan’s night markets, though its exact origins are debated between Taiwan and the Fujian coast of China. Many food historians point to early Chinese immigrants from Fujian bringing a similar oyster-and-starch dish to Taiwan, where it evolved with local ingredients.

Across Taiwan, regional variations abound: some stalls favor a thicker, more gelatinous sweet-potato starch base, while others use a crisper batter or add leafy greens like Chinese lettuce. The dish is deeply tied to night-market culture, symbolizing casual, communal eating, and it has become a point of national pride - often listed among the “must-try” Taiwanese snacks for locals and tourists alike.