Night Noodle Markets 2016

Finally doing a real time blog post, mainly because the Night Noodle Markets are ending this coming Sunday.

October is Good Food Month, and I usually go to a dessert place with my fellow Good Food Month friends every year 2015, 2014, 2013. However this year, it was the worst choice of #sugarrush restaurants, with mostly chocolate and nut desserts on offer. Nothing was really appealing, and quite expensive. So we decided to ditch the desserts and just have desserts at the Night Noodle Markets.

The line up was generally the same, some new and some people who didn't come this year. Set up same as usual. Just get there early to secure yourself a table, since lines are quite long even at 6.30, then peaks at around 7, but finally dies a tad bit at 8.30. As always, everything is more expensive, smaller and not as good quality here compared to getting it to the actual restaurant)

It's the first year where it's card payment only, which is good I guess since you just tap, and no need to deal with change, get out your whole wallet whilst holding a ton of food, and just speeds up the line/payment process. It feels prices may have gone up due to card payments...However, if you lose your card, then gg. Friends found a credit card lying on the floor, and chucked it into the bin-since the security/bag checkers won't know what to do with it, and better to chuck the card than someone scam away on your card the whole night before you realise you lost it and it may have been too late to call up and cancel your card. 

 

fav colour (:

reminds me of Vivd (not that I went this year..)

 

cranes not your typical lanterns...

Hoy Pinoy

A filipino style store, known for there skewers which you can smell and see the smoke from the other side of the street. I come here every year but walk past it. This time I just decided to get it, since might not have the chance or time next yr. Super overpriced skewers if you compare it to supermarkets, and the skewer is big but not a lot of meat either....It's just fun to hold a skewer haha.

    

 

Inihaw na Baboy: pork belly skewers with banana ketchup glaze-2 for $12

Messina

Too bad you can't mix and match or just get 1 skewer, so ended up getting 2 pork, which apparently is the more popular option over the chicken. The skewer is super long, but there's actually not that much meat. The glaze was a sweeter version of a tomato sauce and less 'sticky, but would have liked more glaze on it. Some parts of the pork was quite fatty, but when you're walking around and trying to make sure no one bumps into your overpriced skewers, it's hard to get bite away the fat...

   
Only On Sundaes: salted coconut sorbet, black sticky rice, lychee tapioca, caramelised puff pastry, lemon grass & white choc ganache-$12

Shared this with a friend, and I think this dessert is relatively value for money compared with other stuff in terms of quantity, quality and price. It was super filling even after sharing it. The sorbet wasn't really icy, and more smooth which I prefer. The salt wa more on the subtle side which is good in this case, since there are a few other flavours here. The lychee flavour was more sweet than lychee, but tapiocas are always fun to eat. Caramelised puff pastry was crisp but wasn't really needed. The lemongrass and white choc ganache was a tad bit grainy, maybe they put it on the stove or stirred it for too long...The black sticky rice was the really filling part. By itself it had a really plain flavour, so just try ti save some sorbet when you are finishing this off.

 
Matcha Do About Nothing: Milk chocolate and matcha gelato, white chocolate and pistachio crunch with a green tea waffle cone-$10

Tried a bit of this, and enjoyed the matcha flavour gelato inside, relatively good hit of matcha. The choc top was too sweet with the white choc. The cone was lined with choc, so couldn't really taste the green tea flavour in it.

Harajuku Gyoza

 
Octo Dog-$9

Bought this because it was so cute I couldn't resist! Look at those eyes haha. Didn't even know what it is until I bit into it. It's pretty much a frankfurt deep-fried in some Japanese style batter, which is slightly sweet. Wasn't too heavy or oily, and quite delicious.

Was thinking of trying the raindrop cake, since this restaurant is based in Potts Point which I never pass, but my friend may attempt it in the holidays, so passed on it since it's pretty overpriced for some agar and water. How much does agar even cost? Even if you but one small packet, pretty sure you can make a lot more than just one tiny portion...

Also wanted to try One Tea Lounge, but couldn't bring myself to buy 3 small sliders for $23 and was quite full. They actually do have the full size Matcha Baoger last week at the restaurant for $18 ($14 for fatties) which I missed...Also could've won a chance to win $50/$25 if you took a pic of something from them, but didn't end up getting anything from there...

Probably won't have time to come again to try more food...Finals just 2.5 weeks away. Did not study tonight, but life is too short without some good food (:

Out West

I'm actually never around here, but when I am, I make sure to grab a pork roll.

Pork roll-$3

The last time I was here, the one closer to the train station waster $4, this place is on the other side of the main street, so I guess it's cheaper. I hardly ever have pork rolls, so can't really judge it. I'd say it's average. Bread could be a bit more toasted but luckily it wasn't tough. Felt like my filling was lacking, and not enough of that processed meat. They also probably could tell I wasn't a local....We also bought a box of fresh rice noodles to take home. Wow, super soft and definitely could taste the freshness compared to those rice noodles you find prepackaged in Asian groceries. It came with a container of sweet chilli, fish sauce, other oil as a sauce (though taking home actual pho would be too messy...)

Lecture was cancelled today, so meeting up for group work in the area, and we decided to go for a coffee break here.

Regular capp-$3.70

Damn, this is one pricey coffee and it's out far west and not Surry Hills. It was also smaller than normal, even though I'm not a regular coffee drinker, the paper cup definitely felt smaller than other typical regular $3.50 capps. Unfortunately, there wasn't much coffee flavour or aroma in it, a tad bit on the watery side, drinking temperature was quite hot (almost but not quite burning your tongue), and not much foam or chocolate sprinkle on top. Not worth the price.

Also took my phone to one of the repair guys who opened it up, and apparently the logistical board inside (or whatever it's called) is completely dead. Parents have a feeling they would have taken parts out of it from the inside so they can use as spare parts....and when my mum takes it to HK, there would be even less of a chance to fix it. Goodbye to all my photos....luckily some food posts photos I had already uploaded onto Blogger, so won't lose those ones...btw, you can't download Blogger from the Apple app store anymore =/

0.5L tub-$12.80
Nonno Carlo-strawberry sorbet with vanilla cream and marsala soaked
Coconut and pandan
Blood orange

Messina has a new app, and if you were one of the first to download it, you got a $10 voucher! Decided to sue this today before exams hit and it expires...We really loved this strawberry special, the cream in it made this sorbet more towards a gelato side. The alcohol was subtle, strawberry was not overly sweet, and chewy biscuit/cake thing gave it some texture. The coconut and pandan was on point as normal, however the blood orange was sweeter than when I've had it previously...Maybe people complained it was too sour...

Free Grill'd burgers

They have this initiative where you sign up to help raise awareness against child abuse, and get free burgers for a bit over a week. I will do a Grill'd post, most likely after exams.

Eating so much this week, so screwed for exams and assignments...

Night Noodle Markets 2014

went on the 4th day, and 3rd last day. massive difference in crowd level. on the friday, people were already queuing at the popular stores even before it officially starts at 5pm.

first time i went, just wanted to see what there was. i knew wonderbao from melbourne would be there so it was on my "to-eat' store, but when i saw the prices, my heart dropped.

i was willing to pay $15 for 3, but not $20 for 3. they weren't that big either, and apparently it's almost double the price of their actual store in melb. also the buns etc, i'm pretty sure you can almost buy a whole back of 6 buns for the price of the normal buns they have here.

twice cooked pork belly w/ pickled carrots, damon, cucumber and hoisin sauce-$7

in the end, i decided to get one. i made sure that a few people got it before me, so it wasn't like the first few are more dodgy since they just opened for the night, if that makes sense. this was over hyped. bread wasn't soft, and rolled out unevenly. also was on the thin side. the pork was soft, but wasn't on the steaming hot side. only one piece of cucumber and the carrots that i had wasn't really pickled...i have to say, ippudo pork buns are probs 10x better. i guess this is ok, just didn't feel that it was worth $7. then again, everything at the markets are a lot more pricy.  

ramen burger lines were so long at 5pm...tried it last yr, and decided to not try the rice burger, to save that $13.50. i guess with the rice burger, it's probs just fried rice a bit overcooked so it's hard and you can compact it...

wanted the pad thai hot dog, but decided to save that $9...

got to sample the korean chips on a stick. it's actually run by curries...anyway, it was so nice and crunchy, but too unhealthy to buy...also tried the mini pancakes, which are alright, but not exciting...

after seeing numerous photos of messina at the noodle markets, i decided to go again.

 Happy Taste Bud Time- lychee sponge, mango purée, rambutan and coconut gelato, whipped salted coconut cream topped with a macaroon-$9

this and the "phuc king tasty" flavour which is a cinnamon, coffee something else flavour were probably the post popular. this one isn't as pretty as the other ones, and wasn't piled as high, but i guess it depends on who made it...once we saw the menu, my friend and i knew we had to try this one. i guess the price is ok, since messina is about $6 for 2 scoops, and here at the night markets things are more expensive, so i can justify spending $9 (well $4.50 halving it). the macaroon gave it a nice chewy texture, and the lychee sponge wasn't too sweet, and helped you scoop up the gelato near the bottom, couldn't really taste the rambutan since the coconut dominated the gelato. the whipped salted coconut cream was very interesting, wish we got more to help balance the very sweet mango puree. actually, i think other people just accidentally took a massive scoop of the cream in one go, so maybe that's why i felt we didn't have enough...now i can study without thinking about gelato all day!

so many parents taking their kids out for food. it isn't cheap here, and i don't think my parents would splurge on this for me as a kid. maybe elsewhere/holidays, but not something like this where you can have it at a restaurant with bigger portions...i guess it's the atmosphere and novelty of it which makes it an enjoyable experience (: