TLC host Ian Wright fascinated by street food in Taiwan, Hong Kong

Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) The great variety of street eats and the laid-back atmosphere are Ian Wright's top pleasures when eating out in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Travel & Living Channel (TLC) presenter said Friday ahead of a TLC picnic party in Taipei on Saturday.

"I don't feel comfortable going somewhere that's really posh," said Wright, adding that the vibe on the streets always impresses him in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where he just completed the filming of a mini-series "A Taste of Hong Kong." Reviewing his favorite street food in Hong Kong and Taiwan, such as clams with spicy sauce and sweet sausage, respectively, Wright said the two places both have their "heavenly cuisine," which makes it difficult to judge which one is better.

For instance, Taiwan has the best small steamed dumplings and spicy hot pots, while Hong Kong's chashao, ribs and crab broth are superior, he said.

It would be wonderful to produce a similar series about authentic food in Taiwan, said Wright, who will also share his food adventures in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the picnic hosted by TLC.

Now in its fourth year, TLC Picnic Day is expected to draw over 70,000 attendants this time, according to the channel.

The event, which will take place between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Neihu Meiti riverside park, also features such TLC presenters as Janet Hsieh (謝怡芬) from "Fun Taiwan," Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn from "Surfing the Menu: Next Generation," and Joel Chen and Soac Liu from "Kitchen Cook-Off." With summer coming to an end, Taiwan's Tourism Bureau said, it will take advantage of the event to promote Taiwan's summer snacks one last time in its annual campaign to turn the country's location on the Tropic of Cancer into a tourist magnet with diverse interests.

It said the food it will highlight, including Aiyu jelly from Nantou County in central Taiwan and cactus fruit ice cream from outlying Penghu County, will all come from areas crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. (By Lee Hsin-Yin) ENDITEM/ls