Night Noodle Markets 2017

Updated post-scroll down to round 2 for more food!

Yay, October is Good Food Month (and also noo because exams are looming). Let's be honest, I really come to the Night Noodle Markets for the desserts. I don't think I've ever had noodles before at the NNM. Recap of Night Noodle Market 2016 shows I ate pretty similar stuff haha. This year they totally got rid of the 'Sugar Rush' or 'Let's Do Desserts'. Last year they had way too many boring chocolate dishes, and I think they got rid of it this year because it's probably the only thing which is worth your money, $20ish for a dessert plus wine at a restaurant, compared to market food which is $15+ for a smaller portion of fried rice in a cardboard box. Once again, they are cash free again this year. There were heaps of people on the first night, then I realise it was still school holidays last week.

Round 1

Hyde Park Palms

They tried to make a more Cali feel with the theme of Hyde Park Palms. Pretty sure they put in new palm trees, since my bus stop is outside Hyde Park, and only noticed the palm trees just a few days before NNM started. I finally have a CitiBank card so could enter the 'VIP' section. This year you can pre book tables as well, but ceebs.

Always come to Messina because they create different desserts every time

Menu

Kamikaze Katsu Sandwich-$12

Not going to lie, was a bit disappointed half of it was melting cause it just doesn't look that great and I was most excited to try this one out. It still tasted really good though, loved this concept of combining dessert with Jap food. The gelato could have had more lime in it, but the soft red velvet cake wasn't too sweet, and there was still a slight crunch from the panko crumbs. Loved the yuzu sauce to give it some acidity and again not make it really sweet. Normally I don't like fried ice cream apart from the Thai ones, since the Chinese ones are all floury/doughy, and really the flour is soaked in oil. I think if the gelato was harder you could actually eat it like a sandwich, but ended up eating it deconstructed. They actually replied about the melted gelato. I guess that's why they hire HRs and PRs for all this social media stuff. Obviously I didn't get this replaced, but I do wonder if I showed my post will they offer me a free one...(doubt it though, but if I had time wouldn't mind trying lol).

O-no-giri

inside

Ahh, this is so cute! The only onigiri I can remember having this year was in Japan at a 7/11 (didn't even have time to have a nicer onigiri at other places), so does this gelato version count as one? The white choc did make the whole thing quite sweet, and it too a while to go past the hard-ish mousse to get to the green tea. The green tea could have been more bitter (maybe I'm just too sued to super intense matcha ice cream these days), and the pistachio could be a bit stronger flavour.

This year at the CitiBank dining area, you can order stuff and they would fetch it for you from around 5 different places, so you don't have to wait in line. 

Black Star Pastry: The Mango Cake-Fresh blueberries and crystallised lavender aboard slithers of sweet mango on a layer of coconut mousse, a bed of sago pudding on a foundation of gingerbread sponge-$9.50

The cake was slightly 'leaking' when it arrived, and didn't hold it's shape after another 5 or so min. The cake wasn't really sweet, but I did find it was lacking a punch of mango flavour. There was hardly any blueberry on the top, actually pretty much hardly anything on top compared to other slices...The coconut mousse could have had more coconut, and the sago is softer than normal. Gingerbread sponge again could have more spices/flavours in it. I still prefer the OG strawberry and watermelon cake. I think the textures are a bit different in this one, but it's not amazing. Maybe a bit better than the Jap Forest Cake.  

Hoy pinoy: chicken skewers in traditional soy glaze, 2 for $13

Another price inflation noted, all thanks to this food blog (jks). But it has increased $1 from last year. It's obviously not cheap, but no market food is cheap. It tasted alright, wouldn't say it's amazing, but luckily it wasn't overly marinated.

Round 2

got here a bit later on a Tuesday night, still just as many people

 

Puffle: Korean marinated Bulgogi Beef Philly Cheesesteak style stuffed inside our signature cheese Puffle topped with Japanese mayo and shallots-$16

I was actually pleasantly surprised since this met my expectations, even though the line was almost 30min. Normally a lot of these things the markets are a bit gimmicky, and probs not worth the money but still worth the experience (or photo). I think this tasted really good with the crunch from the waffle, and cheesy flavour inside. There was a decent amount of beef and other toppings as well, drizzled with that super yum Jap mayo, and slightly refreshed by the shallots. It's a nice sort of comfort food and wasn't too messy to eat.

Indu: Smoked Goat Dosa-Smoked goat’s leg dosa, zucchini ribon raita, pomegranate, chilli and bacon jam-$15

Interesting flavour combination, where I could actually appreciate the chilli. Loved the salty yet sweet flavour from the bacon jam, but needed more refreshing elements in it. Hardly ever have Indian food so I can't really compare it to others.

Din Tai Fung: Giant Dumpling-$12

it's so cute!

They had this earlier this year for a limited time at the restaurant, but I didn't manage to have time to try it. They have it here at the markets so I thought why not give it a go. It's really a novelty thing, but it's so cute with the straw to drink the soup. It's also the hardest thing to eat and you just sort of have to deconstruct it with a fork. It tasted like a normal xiao long bao, but I think because the proper ones are mouthful bites, the flavour is more prominent compared to this big version.

other things from Din Tai Fung

 

One Tea Lounge: ube x matcha soft serve w/ green tea ice cream-$8

The ube/yam/taro flavour was quite nice and went with the matcha. I would have preferred the matcha to be more bitter so the sweetness of the ube would come out more, but most people probably like a sweeter than bitter matcha. Couldn't really taste the the flavour in the cone though.

behind the scenes shot

I Think I’m Turning Sesame-Black sesame gelato, condensed milk coffee jelly, miso crunch, banana miso bread, vanilla cream and coffee powder-$12

Back again for more Messina. I think from memory, this is the first time they did a black sesame flavour, and it was quite a good hit. The coffee jelly bits were interesting, sort of like a panna cotta but not as creamy. The miso crunch could be more miso-y, and although the band bread was there, also felt like it lacked the miso flavour. Personally didn't think the cream was necessarily since once the ice cream sort of melted at the bottom, it mixed in with the cream. 

lights

night

the only lanterns

They had less stuff put up this year, like last year they had the cranes, other years, more lanterns or other Asian inspired deco, but I guess importing palm trees plus big fancy lights weren't cheap. Hope to be back before it ends next week to try some other stuff from the markets since those ice creams were surprisingly filling.