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What? A post about the Richmond Night Market in early-October??? Isn't it going to end in a week or so? Yes, you are right, I am really late to the game this year! Reason-being is that I was gone most of the Summer and didn't have a chance to visit in the Spring. So better late than never right? I only visited the market twice and didn't do my usual stuff-my-face-until-I-puked while tagging along with Mijune. Rather, it was much less aggressive and I only tried enough items to get a taste. I totally ignored the rainbow grilled cheese because I wanted to eat food that was interesting to me and not just for an IG shot.
So without any more delay, let's get to the eats! No visit to the Richmond Night Market is truly complete without an order of Deep Fried Squid Tentacles (or grilled squid, if that is your preference). The moment I got in, I made a bee-line to Squid Feast to avoid the long line-up later on. Getting the large-sized version, this was truly enough to share. Crunchy with an appealing chew, these tentacles were further spiced by the spicy garlic sauce on top. Even without it, the batter was plenty seasoned already. Another must eat at the RNM is Chef James' BBQ Skewers at Xin Jiang Man. We got the combo that included lamb, beef, shrimp and lamb kidney. Beautifully charred on the outside with a mixture of spices including the unmistakable taste of cumin, these were also cooked just right. My favourite was the lamb due to the fattiness and texture (as well as the gaminess).
Fast becoming another staple of the RNM, we got a half-order of the Roasted Pork Hock (from Original Oktoberfest-Style) since we didn't want to fill up on a whole one. However, if you are sharing with a few people, there aren't many things that are as good of a deal as the whole pork hock. Good value is one thing, but the pork hock is also fantastic. Just like last time, ours was tender and fatty with crunchy cracklings. Add in the side of mustard (which is my personal favourite condiment), it was hard to stop eating it. One of the newest items at the RNM is the Crab Roe Rice at the Crab Hut. For essentially a scoop of rice, it set us back $15.00. It was definitely quality over quantity here as the essence of the crab roe did come through with a briny sweetness. Every scoop of rice was delicious but at the same time, whether it was worth it or not was purely subjective. Bluebeard and Viv thought it was not, but I can see how some people would like it.
For the past few years, one of the more popular items has been the Stuffed Crab Claws at Mr. Crabzy. At $17.75 for 3, it ain't cheap, but remember, we aren't eating some piece of flatbread or something. Quality of the ingredient is one thing, but the way they do here is also very good. Generally, the traditional way of making these is by molding processed shrimp pasted at the end of a crab claw and deep-frying it. That they did here, but the shrimp paste was not merely a mousse. There was the delicate rebound texture of bits of shrimp to go with the light airiness of the paste. The natural sweetness really came through. If you've ever visited a Brazilian Rodizio, you might recognize the Pão de Queijo (or cheese bread balls). I can't profess to say I've eaten many of these, however, these ones were really good being light, slightly glutinous and plenty cheesy. These can be found at the Whatafood stall.
Something a bit different are the Vietnamese-inspired Tacos from Taco Tigre featuring chicken banh mi, 5 spice pork belly and beef pho. This was $10.00 for 3 and yes, the picture is missing one as it was eaten. LOL... Anyways, I got to try the Beef Pho and yes, it really did taste like the components of Pho except for the moisture of the soup. There was a drizzle of hoisin on top which was good, but I would've preferred some sriracha. I wasn't the one who bought this, so I ate what was presented on the table. Another RNM favourite is the Daifuku at Asomi Mochi. These have gone up in price, much like many of the other food items here. They are now 2 for $9.00 or $5.00 each (up from $7.00 for 2 last year). I find the mochi quality on these to be excellent with a pillowy-soft texture while still having a glutinous-chewiness. The matcha is my personal-favourite.
So with 2 admissions left on our Zoompass, Viv and I returned several weeks later to get a few more items from this year's market. We went for the $19.00 full-sized Lobster Roll from Salty's Lobster Shack. Although this was not served in a buttered split roll, it ate well nonetheless. It was packed with bits of lobster mixed with mayo and some celery and dill. There was probably a bit too much dressing, yet at the same time, we were not left wanting in terms of lobster. I wished for more larger chunks of lobster in the mix, but for the price, it was fine. While I was getting that, Viv was across the way at Zzim getting some Korean Chicken Drumsticks. She got the large order for $11.00 and paid an extra $1.00 to get half-and-half. The result was 2 drumsticks in hot spicy pepper and 2 in sweet garlic soy. In terms of filling up your tummy, this has to be one of the better deals at the RNM. The drumsticks were juicy as promised where we found the spicy pepper to be more flavourful. Loved the addition of chewy rice cakes.
For several years, the Mac & Cheese Roti at Mamak La has been one of the most popular items at the RNM. I've had it once before, but haven't eaten it lately and Viv has never tried it at all. I wouldn't classify this as amazing, although it is really something different and completely fusion. The roti itself was flaky and fairly chewy (in a good way) with some elasticity. Due to the preparation, it would never be "fluffy" as it is compressed and grilled. Inside, we found nacho 3 cheese which had a resemblance to Kraft Dinner. That wasn't a bad thing since the noodles were chewy and plenty salty from the cheese as well as the extra cheese slice. Drizzled on top was curry mayo sauce. Another popular RNM food item is the Fish Stick from aptly named Fish Sticks. This was actually sliced fish cake, tempura-battered and drizzled with your choice of sauce. Small was $8.00 and a large was $12.00. This was actually really good where the batter was light and crispy. I got a mix of garlic lemon pepper and spicy mayo. Both were good and this was surprisingly delicious.
Our favourite item of the night was dessert in the Dok Jok with Coconut Panna Cotta at Tuk Tuk. Essentially a creamier and richer version of the popular Chinese coconut pudding, the panna cotta was super flavourful with the aromatics of coconut milk and with just enough sweetness. On top, the 2 Dok Jok cookies were lightly crispy and delicate. They were drizzled with just enough sweetness. Loved these! This is a must try in my opinion. This was a respectable $8.00. We ended the night with the usual (like for the past 3 years for us in the Summer Special at Icy Bar. This was $7.50 and still worth it despite the increases in price over the years. It sported coconut milk, chia seeds, strawberry, mango and jelly with condensed milk. Sure, it was sweet, but just enough IMO. Plenty refreshing and a great way to end a visit to the Richmond Night Market.
The Good:
- Dok Jok with Panna Cotta
- Fried Squid Tentacles
- Roasted Pork Hock
- Fish Stick
- Chef James' BBQ Skewers
- Crab Claws
The Bad:
- Prices are creeping up to the point where you can get a tasting menu somewhere
- Really busy at peak times, go early at opening
- Without a Zoom Pass, you will not get in quickly
At one point, we had 2 thriving night markets both located in Richmond. To many, this was plenty confusing since one would have to either say, "the one near the River Rock" or "the one behind Home Depot". Well, that isn't a problem anymore since the one behind Home Depot has ceased operations. So the busy Richmond Night Market (picture credit Tourism Richmond) has become even busier with lack of competition. In fact, it doesn't even have any equal in North America as it is the biggest Asian night market on the continent. I made several visits with the first on my coin and the subsequent ones hosted by Tourism Richmond.
My first visit was with family visiting from the Bay Area in California. Although they sport the biggest Chinatown in San Francisco, they hadn't seen something like the night market before. We started off strong with the large Deep Fried Squid Tentacles from Squid Feast for $14.00. This was a substantial portion of perfectly fried squid. It was crunchy on the outside while appealingly chewy. It was well-seasoned with a peppery saltiness, but we thought it could've been even saltier. While we were waiting for our order, I stepped over to the Dumpling Master for their Mixed Dumplings ($7.50) consisting of 2 each Kimchi Beef, Black Truffle Pork and Spinach Vegan. There was a variety of toppings to choose from including nori, bonito flakes and sesame seeds. My favourite of the bunch was the black truffle as it was strong enough to be noticed, but not overwhelming either. The pork was tender and meaty while retaining some juiciness. Predictably spicy and tangy, the kimchi beef was good as well with a meatier filling. Surprisingly, the vegan dumpling was pretty tasty too. I would've been happy with them as an order, seriously!
I'm sure most of you are familiar with Takoyaki ($7.00) which is why we did not try the stand that specialized in it. Rather, we hit up Best Takoyaki where they featured not only the traditional version, but also veggie-yaki, hotateyaki (scallop), shrimp-yaki and BBQ duck-yaki. We ended up with the regular and the BBQ Duck-Yaki ($8.00) We found the takoyaki to be on the softer side with a crumbly exterior. However, it was fluffy and tasted quite good with hits of cabbage, caramelized batter and octopus. For real impact, the BBQ duck-yaki was meatier and really did have a roast duck aroma. Add to the fact there was still octopus, the little balls were filling. Of course a visit to the night market isn't complete without Chef James' BBQ Skewers (5 for $13.50) at Xin Jiang Man BBQ. We got lamb, shrimp, beef and chicken skewers and they were on point. The meat was succulent and well-spiced while completely charred and caramelized on the outside.
Something not readily found anywhere else, we had the Dragon Beard Candy ($5.50) at Kam's. It looked a lot like cotton candy, but the texture and sweetness was nothing like it. Rather, it was like a hybrid of Chinese peanut candy and cotton candy. Hence it was more dense and robust than the light and airy cotton candy. As mentioned, it wasn't incredibly sweet. Instead, it was pointedly nutty and aromatic. If you ever drop by, make sure you watch them making it, very cool. Okay, our next item was not really anything sexy nor inventive. But it is a street food classic being the Curry Fish Balls from Po Wah Dim Sum House for $5.50 (7 pieces). This was pretty typical with small fish balls soak in a watery curry broth. I found the fish balls to be tender with a nice rebound. They weren't as spicy as I would've liked, but the curry did penetrate into the fish ball.
Returning only a week later, I was hosted by Tourism Richmond. We began with dessert. Well why not? This was especially true with the Daifuku (2 for $7.00) from Asomi Mochi. We had all of their available flavours including Purple Yam, Chocolate, Matcha and Original. These were really good! The mochi was soft and tender, yet still retaining a light delicate chew. Beyond that, the thin layer of sweet red bean ensured flavour without being overwhelming. I know this could be the luck of the draw, but their strawberries were large and sweet. My favourite of the bunch had to be the original as it just tasted like a classic daifuku. The matcha was a close second as it was not bitter at all while being impactful. Close by, we got the Seafood Okonomi Poutine ($8.50) from Okonomi Bites. This was also very good with crunchy fries topped with real cheese curds and strips of fried okonomiyaki. I found the strips airy and fluffy while not sporting enough seafood. No matter, the tangy and sweet sauce really brought the whole thing together was was the best part.
Staying in the same section, we had the Stuffed Crab Claws with shrimp paste for $13.98 at Mr. Crabzy. These were topped with cheese, tobiko and wasabi mayo. Compared to things I'd already tried, this was one of the tastiest. I found the shrimp paste to be on point being moist and buttery with a perfect rebound texture. It was well-seasoned being sweet and a bit savoury, but the topping of wasabi mayo added a creaminess with a minor hit of spice at the end. Although the price might turn some people off, I thought it was worth it due to the ingredients and the execution. Continuing on our streak of good eats, we had the Spicy Braised Pork Belly finished with apple wood smoke for $10.00 at The Phamily Table. Like a fine dining establishment, they actually piped in smoke into the clam shell box. So we were treated to the intoxicating smell of smoke upon opening the lid. The belly was buttery and tender without being too fatty. The smoke was there, but not strong, yet the spicy sauce on top was impactful.
Rounding the corner and up the busiest part of the food stalls, we made our way over to Tasty Oyster & Scallop BBQ. As such, we got one order each of the BBQ Garlic Scallop with vermicelli ($12.00) and BBQ Garlic Oyster ($7.50). Underneath the chewy vermicelli, the scallops were beautifully prepared being buttery and briny. Despite the hot sauce on top, the scallops were actually bland. A simple addition of salt and/or soy would've brought the dish to life. The same could be said about the gigantic oyster. It too was also perfectly prepared being soft and tender, but was lacking in seasoning. With the hot sauce and red chili, there was a definite kick. Yet, salt was definitely needed here. As mentioned, the oyster was just massive as it was a meal in itself. It was super-fresh where the sweet brininess was the highlight.
Right across the way, we stopped at Sweets for well, you guessed it, sweets... The better of the 2 items we ordered was the Deep Fried Yam Balls ($8.00). These were crunchy and fairly airy while being appealingly chewy. However, they were not served hot as we were expecting, so that decreased our enjoyment. We didn't really care for the Matcha Croissant ($8.00) as it was very dense and not flaky at all. In fact, the inside was doughy with no discernible layers. With that being said, the matcha flavour was apparent and not overly bitter. Continuing with dessert, we had the Tofu Cheesecake ($7.00 each) at Cupping 8 Cafe. As pictured, we selected Mango and Matcha as our flavours. I found the texture of the cheesecake to be similar to a very stiff panna cotta. Therefore, we could eat it off the stick since it was so firm. However, it was still smooth and almost silky when bitten into. I'm more a traditionalist when it comes to cheesecake (I like the NY style), but this was different and healthier I'm sure.
Heading back to savoury, we decided to try one of the more popular items according to their top 10 board. At the Banh Xeo, we ordered the Local Experience Vietnamese Savory Crepe ($8.50). Hidden within the thin and crispy crepe, there was the usual bean sprouts, onions, pork and shrimp. In terms of execution, the crepe was pretty good. As mentioned, it was thin and had a mostly crispy texture except for some spots. Inside, I found the amount of pork and shrimp to be insufficient as most bites were just mostly bean sprouts. We already had fried squid the first time I visited the night market, so this time around, we sampled the BBQ Squid ($8.00) at Lao Er BBQ Squid. Unlike the fried variety, the texture of the squid stayed more buttery while retaining a chewiness. Also, the seasoning has a chance to penetrate the squid and of course coat the squid on the outside. Hence, there was a lightly spicy and umaminess to the dish.
If you thought this wasn't enough food sampled at the night market, think again. We came back a few weeks later with Mijune at the wheel. In addition to much of the aforementioned items, we also had the following eats. Yes, she went nuts (as she usually does when it comes to food), where we started off with some different items at Chef James. Other than the usual awesome skewers, we also had the Crispy Buns, Buttered Corn ($3.50) and Roasted Yam ($3.50). Seared and caramelized, the green onion buns were indeed crispy while fluffy on the inside. Beyond the smokiness and savouriness, the addition of hoisin added a rich sweetness. The corn on the cob was pretty textbook being cooked just enough where the niblets were crispy and sweet. As for the yam, it was very good. It was soft while still retaining its texture and shape. Drizzled with a slightly spicy mayo and imitation bacon bits, there was variation in flavour and texture.
Right next to Chef James, the Original Oktoberfest-Style Roasted Pork Hocks were calling out to us. Roasting on the rotisserie, these huge chunks of meat were $15.50, but oh-so-worth it. Succulent and juicy, the pork was super tender and flavourful. There was a choice of sauces including hot, wasabi mayo, BBQ and mustard. Be careful though, if you do end up getting this, it is far too much food for 2 people, let alone one. So make sure you are sharing this. Around on the other side, we decided to get 2 Pancake Wraps from Fusion Wraps. We decided on Spicy Chicken and the classic Taiwanese Egg & Pork Fluff. Despite looking rather thick and dense, the pancakes were pretty good. They had a Malay roti quality to them where they were flaky on the outside with defined layers on the inside. We much preferred the egg and pork fluff as it as not overly heavy and had the traditional taste we are familiar with.
Moving along, we decided to get one of the hottest items from last year's night market in the Spicy Garlic Bossam ($10.00 + $1.00 kimchi) from Teppan Bossam. Unlike a traditional bossam, their version involves searing it on a blacktop with a sweet and savoury glaze finished with toppings and sauce. It is eaten as is without blanched Napa cabbage and pickled turnip. Unlike the previous times, this one was a little on the chewier side, but is was still tender enough and fatty. The sear added caramelization while the sauce delivered as promised. Over at Bao House, we went for both the Pork Belly and Beef Gua Bao (or Taiwanese "burger") for $11.99. Dressed with pickled snow cabbage and cilantro, we noticed that the white sugar and ground peanuts were missing (maybe to avoid nut allergies?). Despite this, the baos ate well with a firm fluffiness. Inside, the beef was sliced thin and tender while the stewed pork belly was super moist and tender.
For awhile there, we lost Mijune only to discover that she had done back-to-back fried chicken stalls. The first one was the Korean Sweet Chili Fried Chicken from Chicking for $7.00. The chicken itself was succulent and tender with a think crispy batter on the outside. As for the sauce, it was fairly mild and sweet. Personally, I would've enjoyed a more aggressive gochujang-style of sauce, but I can see why they offered a milder version for the masses. While this was decent, the Sweet & Spicy Wings ($7.00) from The Chicken Shop were outstanding. There was a punch of flavour with each bite where the chicken itself was bursting with juices. The batter was on point being the right thickness and super crispy. They were able to render the skin despite the presence of an aggressive batter. Yep, the thing you see at the back was indeed fried chicken skin. That was thin and super crispy while lightly salted.
Of course we couldn't forget about the drinks since we were eating all this fried food! So Mijune took it upon herself to hit up the Sippy Tea for their Roasted Milk Tea in a Ziplock-type bag. Hey, it didn't look like much, but wow, it was delicious! The drink was well-balanced with an impactful amount of roast tea flavour combined with conservative sugar content. The milkiness was perfect, offering up some creamy notes to each sip without being heavy. This was actually refreshing. Okay, the stuff we had at Icy Bar was actually a lot later (hence the lack of light), but I decided to add it here since we were on drinks. In addition to the Mango Icy ($7.00), we had the Mango Tapioca Icy ($6.00) and the Summer Special ($6.50). The mango icy (shaved ice) was topped with a considerable amount of ripe mango, mango mochi and a big scoop of ice cream. This was refreshing, but the ice could've been less gritty. The "drinks" were the real stars of the show as they were just sweet enough while exhibiting the flavours of all the fruit that you see. I highly recommend you get these as a palate cleanser.
Continuing on sweets, we got Crunchy Ice Cream at 196 Degrees. These liquid nitrogen created ice cream nuggets were akin to dipping dots and mini-melts. However, their size and shape were bigger and much more random. They weren't crunchy per se, but the firmness was appealing. After the initial bite, it melted into a creaminess that was sweet, but not overly so. From the 2 flavours we ordered, I enjoyed the Matcha ($8.00) more as it was slightly bitter with plenty of natural tea aroma. I found the Strawberry ($8.00) to have a "Pocky-like" taste. Staying with matcha, we tried the Cold Fried Ice Cream at Sawadika Thailand ($8.50). Essentially, they take the ice cream in its liquid form and freeze it on a large steel cooling plate. Using spatulas, they form it into rolls as you see in the cup. This was topped with chocolate sauce and coconut. This was also quite good with a firm, but creamy texture that was purposefully sweet. The matcha was more mild here, but still definitely there.
Yet another dessert (blame Mijune), we had the Ube and Black Sesame ice cream sandwiches from Cookies N Cream (2 for $14.00). Although none of the ingredients are made by the vendors, the end product was good nonetheless. I found the ice cream to be rich and balanced in flavour while the cookies to be the right texture. What I mean by that is that the cookies were soft enough to not shatter when bitten into (held its shape). Lastly, we grabbed another market favourite in the Seafood Cracker ($6.50) from Japanese Seafood Cracker. I had this last year and it is akin to a really large sheet of shrimp chips but a little more dry and styrofoam-like. Yah, that doesn't sound that appetizing, but I could see this going with beer at home. Not sure walking around the market eating it though. So there you have it - the stuff I have tried at the Richmond Night Market for 2018. If I go again, I might add some more items to this article. For those who are visiting Vancouver, this is definitely an experience not to be missed.
*2 of my 3 visits were hosted by Tourism Richmond*
The Good:
- Large selection of food representing many different cuisines
- "Yeet Lau" which means lively atmosphere
- Free parking
The Bad:
- If you go nuts, prepare to bring lots of cash
- Can get rather crowded, but that is part of the experience
*Market is closed*
For those who get confused about which Richmond night market is which, things are much clearer in 2016. You see, the International Summer Market has rebranded into Panda Market. It features less vendors as before, but there is still no shortage of food stalls to be found. One of the positives of being a smaller operation, it is less crowded and parking is easier to find. Oh and there is no entrance fee either. We were treated to a ChineseBites event where we were able to sample a selection of treats from various vendors.
Along with Sean and Amy, we started off strong with the Fried Whole Squid doused in sweet chili sauce. This monstrosity was from the aptly named Sea Monster. It was tender with an appealing chewiness and coated with a super crispy batter. It was a tad greasy, but hey, it was deep-fried! As much as there seemed to be too much sauce, the whole thing remained crispy and not overdressed. Continuing on the same theme, we had a mixed plate of Fried Squid and Grilled Squid from BBQ Squid. The texture of the squid was much more chewy and "snappy" than the whole squid. That didn't mean it wasn't good, just different. I found the fried squid to be firmly crunchy while the sauteed squid had a nice spice and savouriness.
Along with the squid, we had Popcorn Chicken from TW Traditional Snacks which was nicely prepared. The deep fry was uniform where the exterior was crispy-to-crunchy. I liked how they removed the chicken skin, so that there wouldn't be any non-rendered fatty parts. The chicken was well-seasoned with a purposeful amount of saltiness while the meat itself was succulent and juicy. We also got the Takoyaki which were rather large in size. They were rather soft, including the outside, but not in a bad way. The texture was almost creamy in a thick way. It tasted good though.
With what was probably the highlight of the night, we were treated to 2 Skewers each of chicken and lamb (from Xin Jiang A Fan Ti Halal BBQ). We requested them to be spicy and they came as such. However, the heat level wasn't to the point where the other spices and flavours were obscured. In fact, the cumin was rather prevalent as well as the natural meat flavours. We found both meats to be tender and almost juicy while nicely charred on the outside. As for the Pork Okonomiyaki from Pie Pie, we found it rather thin and doughy. Hence, it really didn't have the classic texture we were looking for. Despite the presence of pork and cabbage, we didn't get much of those textures or flavours.
We got the first of 2 Hurricane Potatoes from J&J and it was pretty decent. Coated with starch, it ensured that there was a bit of crispiness to go with the tender and thinly sliced potato. We found it a touch greasy while adequately seasoned. Had to eat it hot though as it wasn't as good when it cooled down. One of the most popular and interesting treats at the market is the Chimney Pastry from Top Dough. I've had one of these before at Transylvannia Traditions and this one was not as good. With that being said, the outside was firmly crunchy and the caramelized sugar provided a sweet crunch. However, on the inside, the dough was a little underdone.
For some inexplicable reason, the Be Fabulous booth didn't allow for us to choose our item and gave us probably the least desirable thing they had on the menu in the Corn Cake. Well, it was to no one's surprise that it was one of the least memorable items we had. It was dense and lacking in flavour. The only thing going for it was the sweet pop from the corn niblets. Interestingly at the Shanghai Special booth, we got an order of the Pork Schnitzel (think Taiwanese deep-fried pork cutlet). That is truly international! It wasn't bad with a crispy breading that wasn't overly greasy. Inside, the pork was a touch dry, but ultimately tender and well-seasoned.
One of the more surprising items was the simplicity of the Fried French Toast from It's Toasty. Well, it didn't look like much with oil glistening from the surface. However, one bite and just past the lightly crispy exterior, the bread was super soft and fluffy. In between the 2 slices of bread was a mango jam that wasn't too sweet, but provided a nice kick of flavour. Onto a familiar dessert, we had the Mango Shaved Ice from Mangoholic. I wasn't a huge fan of the gritty ice, but the mango was solid, being ripe and sweet. The ice cream was pretty decent too as it was creamy and just sweet enough.
Despite the fact it is a franchise, the Warm Pretzel from Mr. Pretzel was money. It was soft and not overly heavy with an appealingly chewy texture. Loved that it was dipped into copious amounts of butter as it was tasty! Even though I was full by now, I still kept picking at it. We got the veritable Bubble Waffle from Ying Kee and it was okay. I liked the crispy exterior shell, but inside, it was too bready for my liking. Flavourwise, it was a little one note being rather sweet where the caramelized aroma from the cooking process was somewhat missing.
With our second Hurricane Potato, it came with a side of Taiyaki from Twist Potato Korean Waffles. Although the first potato was good, this one was even better since it was crispier and the selection of powdered flavours and also sauces made things more interesting. We went for half cheddar and half white cheddar. Some added garlic mayo the mix and it was apparently tasty, but I just didn't want to deal with the mess. As for the taiyaki, there wasn't anything necessarily amiss with it, but I much prefer the croissant version from Snowy Village. This was one was crispy, but lacking in flavour and overall texture.
One of the best sweet items we tried was the Cheese Tarts from Cheese Tarts (yes creative name...). We got one each of the regular and the lavender. I found the fillings in both to be creamy yet not overly heavy. There was definitely hits of cheese while not being too sweet. As much as I can't stand lavender anything, this was not too strong where the cheese flavour still came through. Another dessert was the Mini Donuts (with Reese's Pieces) from Mini Donuts (another creative name). Funny how we couldn't really taste the Reese's Pieces despite seeing them dusted on top. The donuts were still sweet while being soft and warm.
The most novel item of all was the Smoking Sundae from Sweet Lips. The dry ice contained in the double-cup surely added a flair to the drink, but only in visuals only. As for the drink itself, it wasn't offensive nor awesome. With that being said, it wasn't too sweet and pleasant enough. Worth a try if you want people to look at you. 2 more drinks came courtesy of Totoro Bubble Tea and Shake Shake. We got the Milk Tea with pearls and a Lychee Slush also with pearls (even though we asked for jelly). Since we asked for half-sweet, the milk tea was mild-tasting. There was not a very strong tea flavour though. On the other hand, the lychee slush was very sweet as we got full-sugar. It was also a bit icy.
One of the first drinks we got was a Lemonade from Happy Lemon. We were given the option of adding a flavour shot, but stuck with the original lemon. It wasn't overly sweet and had a nice tartness, but for some reason, there was a certain aftertaste. A familiar item was found at Cocoro in the Deep Fried Oreos (found also at the PNE). Of all things strange that are deep-fried, I actually don't mind these as the soft oreos work with the batter. Sure, they're sweet, yet a the same time, they resembled a soft crispy whoppie pie. Well, there you have it, we tried nearly everything a the Panda Market and came away with very full stomachs.
*All food and beverages were complimentary*
The Good:
- Smaller venue, less busy
- Easier time finding parking
- Not entrance fee
The Bad:
- Smaller venue also means less choice
- Less vendors in general
Posts
What? A post about the Richmond Night Market in early-October??? Isn't it going to end in a week or so? Yes, you are right, I am really late to the game this year! Reason-being is that I was gone most of the Summer and didn't have a chance to visit in the Spring. So better late than never right? I only visited the market twice and didn't do my usual stuff-my-face-until-I-puked while tagging along with Mijune. Rather, it was much less aggressive and I only tried enough items to get a taste. I totally ignored the rainbow grilled cheese because I wanted to eat food that was interesting to me and not just for an IG shot.
So without any more delay, let's get to the eats! No visit to the Richmond Night Market is truly complete without an order of Deep Fried Squid Tentacles (or grilled squid, if that is your preference). The moment I got in, I made a bee-line to Squid Feast to avoid the long line-up later on. Getting the large-sized version, this was truly enough to share. Crunchy with an appealing chew, these tentacles were further spiced by the spicy garlic sauce on top. Even without it, the batter was plenty seasoned already. Another must eat at the RNM is Chef James' BBQ Skewers at Xin Jiang Man. We got the combo that included lamb, beef, shrimp and lamb kidney. Beautifully charred on the outside with a mixture of spices including the unmistakable taste of cumin, these were also cooked just right. My favourite was the lamb due to the fattiness and texture (as well as the gaminess).
Fast becoming another staple of the RNM, we got a half-order of the Roasted Pork Hock (from Original Oktoberfest-Style) since we didn't want to fill up on a whole one. However, if you are sharing with a few people, there aren't many things that are as good of a deal as the whole pork hock. Good value is one thing, but the pork hock is also fantastic. Just like last time, ours was tender and fatty with crunchy cracklings. Add in the side of mustard (which is my personal favourite condiment), it was hard to stop eating it. One of the newest items at the RNM is the Crab Roe Rice at the Crab Hut. For essentially a scoop of rice, it set us back $15.00. It was definitely quality over quantity here as the essence of the crab roe did come through with a briny sweetness. Every scoop of rice was delicious but at the same time, whether it was worth it or not was purely subjective. Bluebeard and Viv thought it was not, but I can see how some people would like it.
For the past few years, one of the more popular items has been the Stuffed Crab Claws at Mr. Crabzy. At $17.75 for 3, it ain't cheap, but remember, we aren't eating some piece of flatbread or something. Quality of the ingredient is one thing, but the way they do here is also very good. Generally, the traditional way of making these is by molding processed shrimp pasted at the end of a crab claw and deep-frying it. That they did here, but the shrimp paste was not merely a mousse. There was the delicate rebound texture of bits of shrimp to go with the light airiness of the paste. The natural sweetness really came through. If you've ever visited a Brazilian Rodizio, you might recognize the Pão de Queijo (or cheese bread balls). I can't profess to say I've eaten many of these, however, these ones were really good being light, slightly glutinous and plenty cheesy. These can be found at the Whatafood stall.
Something a bit different are the Vietnamese-inspired Tacos from Taco Tigre featuring chicken banh mi, 5 spice pork belly and beef pho. This was $10.00 for 3 and yes, the picture is missing one as it was eaten. LOL... Anyways, I got to try the Beef Pho and yes, it really did taste like the components of Pho except for the moisture of the soup. There was a drizzle of hoisin on top which was good, but I would've preferred some sriracha. I wasn't the one who bought this, so I ate what was presented on the table. Another RNM favourite is the Daifuku at Asomi Mochi. These have gone up in price, much like many of the other food items here. They are now 2 for $9.00 or $5.00 each (up from $7.00 for 2 last year). I find the mochi quality on these to be excellent with a pillowy-soft texture while still having a glutinous-chewiness. The matcha is my personal-favourite.
So with 2 admissions left on our Zoompass, Viv and I returned several weeks later to get a few more items from this year's market. We went for the $19.00 full-sized Lobster Roll from Salty's Lobster Shack. Although this was not served in a buttered split roll, it ate well nonetheless. It was packed with bits of lobster mixed with mayo and some celery and dill. There was probably a bit too much dressing, yet at the same time, we were not left wanting in terms of lobster. I wished for more larger chunks of lobster in the mix, but for the price, it was fine. While I was getting that, Viv was across the way at Zzim getting some Korean Chicken Drumsticks. She got the large order for $11.00 and paid an extra $1.00 to get half-and-half. The result was 2 drumsticks in hot spicy pepper and 2 in sweet garlic soy. In terms of filling up your tummy, this has to be one of the better deals at the RNM. The drumsticks were juicy as promised where we found the spicy pepper to be more flavourful. Loved the addition of chewy rice cakes.
For several years, the Mac & Cheese Roti at Mamak La has been one of the most popular items at the RNM. I've had it once before, but haven't eaten it lately and Viv has never tried it at all. I wouldn't classify this as amazing, although it is really something different and completely fusion. The roti itself was flaky and fairly chewy (in a good way) with some elasticity. Due to the preparation, it would never be "fluffy" as it is compressed and grilled. Inside, we found nacho 3 cheese which had a resemblance to Kraft Dinner. That wasn't a bad thing since the noodles were chewy and plenty salty from the cheese as well as the extra cheese slice. Drizzled on top was curry mayo sauce. Another popular RNM food item is the Fish Stick from aptly named Fish Sticks. This was actually sliced fish cake, tempura-battered and drizzled with your choice of sauce. Small was $8.00 and a large was $12.00. This was actually really good where the batter was light and crispy. I got a mix of garlic lemon pepper and spicy mayo. Both were good and this was surprisingly delicious.
Our favourite item of the night was dessert in the Dok Jok with Coconut Panna Cotta at Tuk Tuk. Essentially a creamier and richer version of the popular Chinese coconut pudding, the panna cotta was super flavourful with the aromatics of coconut milk and with just enough sweetness. On top, the 2 Dok Jok cookies were lightly crispy and delicate. They were drizzled with just enough sweetness. Loved these! This is a must try in my opinion. This was a respectable $8.00. We ended the night with the usual (like for the past 3 years for us in the Summer Special at Icy Bar. This was $7.50 and still worth it despite the increases in price over the years. It sported coconut milk, chia seeds, strawberry, mango and jelly with condensed milk. Sure, it was sweet, but just enough IMO. Plenty refreshing and a great way to end a visit to the Richmond Night Market.
