Good Food Month has returned in October 2017 and so has another edition of the Night Noodle Markets. I have only visited the Night Noodle Markets once before, back in 2014 with my experience of the event not being very memorable, leading to no burning desire to return and skipping the occasion for the next few years.
For those who are unaware of what Good Food Month in Sydney is all about, it is a three weeklong series of events that celebrates the excitement of food and acknowledging the chefs behind the amazing dishes on offer.
The Night Noodle Markets runs from the 5th October – 22nd October 2017 In Sydney’s Hyde Park, with over 30+ food vendors’ serving up the best selection of street food from across Asia. As well as food, pop up bars are a plenty serving a wide selection of wines, ciders and beers as well as putting on live entertainment, whether it is a local musician playing an acoustic set or a local DJ spinning the decks.
As I had done a bit of research before attending this year’s events, I was quite excited about the new and exciting food on offer to punters and also the fact they have made this event cashless meaning customer turnover will be quick and efficient eliminating the painstaking queues I remember from my previous visit to this event. Another pro about doing some research before attending is being able to see what food is on offer before you arrive, allowing you to have an idea of what you want to eat and you’re not spending half your time trying to locate the dishes you desire.
Below are my top 5 recommendations when attending the 2017 Night Noodle Markets
MR BAO
It’s fair to say Mr Bao has delivered in 2017. Mr Bao serves up its own Vietnamese / Japanese fusion twist on the popular Taiwanese street food Bao – Meaning steamed bun.
As soon as I arrived I made a B line for Mr Bao as I knew as the evening went on the lines for these Bao would be ever-growing. I opted for the Trio of Bao which set me back $21.
- Shredded Beef Bao
- Crispy Chicken Bao
- Pork Belly Bao
All three fluffy delights offered different textures and flavours. The sriracha mayo with the fried chicken gave the bao some heat, the nuts with the shredded beef offered a different texture but the standout for me was the pork belly bao. Deliciously moist pork belly with a generous offering of crunchy, rich pork crackling really made this bao stand out from the others. The addition of cucumber on this boa help cut through the richness of the pork. Double thumbs up from me!
PUFFLE by POKLOL
Korean joint POKLOL has brought to the table, their own spin on one of Hong Kong most popular street foods – An egg waffle.
The Puffle is an Egg waffle, filled with rich, salty cheese which make the foundations.
POKLOL had three types of Puffle’s on offered at the Night Noodle Markets this year.
- Spicy KFC (Korean Fried Chicken Puffle) Cheese Puffle
- Bulgogi Beef x Philly Cheesesteak Cheese Puffle
- For the dessert lovers – Rainbow ice cream, Hershey’s chocolate syrup, strawberries, Oreos & Unicorn dust.
As It was only second course and not quite dessert time just yet, I opted for option 2 – Bulgogi Beef x Philly Cheesesteak Cheese Puffle – $15.
Cheesy egg waffle, filled with melt in your mouth Bulgogi beef then topped with a combination of mustard and mayonnaise. A very generous serving which I was happy about, though the taste can become quite repetitive when trying to devour the whole thing. I wouldn’t mind trying one of the other two options next time. Overall, a pretty solid and satisfying street food option.
HOUSE OF CRAB
Not much to say here but YUM YUM YUM! Their name says it all. Crabs Galore! How could I pass on a soft shell Crab Po Boy covered with Singaporean Chilli and sesame mayonnaise?
Po Boy refers to the traditional sandwich served up in Louisiana, usually consisting of fried seafood.
I thought it was a generous serve for $15 and with the popularity surrounding this vendor; I obviously wasn’t the only one with the same thought. I will let the photo below tell you more.
On a side note – I feel sorry for the poor lady that ordered before me. She obviously wasn’t a fan of chilli but after some convincing by the guy behind the counter who advised her the chilli was “more of a sweet chilli”, she decided to give it a go. This Singaporean chilli sauce packs some heat and exceeds the heat of any sweet chilli condiment I have tasted. So wherever you are, I hope you enjoyed what you could of your Po Boy and that you are OK!
GELATO MESSINA
OK, I know what you thinking! Why would you go to an Asian street food market and opt for Gelato Messina for your dessert options?
I understand and I will proceed to plead my case.
Anyone that is familiar with Messina will know they are always thinking outside the box when it comes to whacky and creative gelato flavours. This is no different with what they have created for punters attending the Night Noodle Markets in 2017.
There were two items on their menu that grabbed my eye that I thought I must try over everything else on offer.
Option 1 – Kamikaze Katsu Sandwich $12
Lime Gelato, coated in red velvet cake and panko bread crumbs. This is deep fried and placed in between two bits of white bread with a dash of yuzu sauce.
Texturally amazing! Taste even better.
Not being much of a sweet tooth, I could go round two of this baby!
Option 2 – OH-NO-GIRI- $10
Great Tea Gelato, Pistachio Mousse coated in White Chocolate and Rice Bubbles
With the whole “Matcha” phase currently sweeping the world, I suppose it wouldn’t be an Asian street food experience without trying something Matcha flavoured.
Matcha refers to grounded green tea leafs which is usually used for making tea.
Matcha gives off a strong green tea taste which isn’t going to be for everyone and almost 24 hours after trying this, I am still unsure whether I was a fan or not. 10 points for creativity though and with the amount of units being sold, they are obviously a hit with punters.
Overall the Night Noodle Markets 2017 were a massive success in my eyes and a million times better then what they were three years ago. There are so many more options I could have tried, I just couldn’t fit any more food into my stomach after the above options were consumed and washed down with a few or more tasty alcoholic beverages.
To avoid disappointment, arrive early in order to grab a table and chairs in prime position. Arriving early also means queues for food are at a minimum. I arrived at 4pm which made the whole experience easy and relaxing. When I left at 6pm, lines were gathering length and empty tables were non existent.
As stated early, this event is cashless, meaning pay pass will become your new best friend. Make sure your cards are loaded up before arriving.
Venue: Hyde Park Sydney
Opening Hours:
Monday & Tuesday 5pm – 9pm
Wednesday & Thursday 5pm – 10pm
Friday 5pm – 11pm
Saturday 4pm-10pm
Sunday 4pm – 9pm
For more information visit
https://www.goodfoodmonth.com/sydney/night-noodle-markets/
If you do get a chance to stop by, I hope you have fun, sample as much food as you can and don’t leave your appetite at home!
Happy Eating
OHH
onehungryhuman 