Night Noodle Markets 2017, Sydney

Gimme the baos!

O-Not-Giri from Gelato Messina

Yay for Good Food Month! Night Noodle Markets are back, still gimmicky, still super crowded, still expensive.

But still super fun.

18 nights, 40 stalls, and what seems to be thousands of people each day. A couple of colleagues came with me and we were so happy that we decided to come early (5p.m.) because although there were still queues, they were very manageable and there were also heaps of tables.

Nothing is better than food, food, and more food for four hungry nurses after a long shift.

We didn't try all of it, but we covered the ones we really wanted to try.


Let's Do Yum Cha Food Truck

Not my usual first choice but I'm glad we made a quick detour. The pork buns were fluffy and the filling was quite generous and delightfully tasty.

BBQ pork buns from Let's Do Yum Cha

Bite Chew Drink

It's the promise of spicy, cheesy pasta that lured me in. We tried level 2 Angry Pasta, which was not spicy enough. It was enough to tingle the tongue, with stretchy cheese and quite generous meat.

Angry Pasta from Bite Chew Drink

Cloud Thief (Bao Stop)

I could not skip this one, of course. We went ahead and ordered both trifectas: The New School Trifecta (oriental buttery mushroom, Singapore chilli soft shell crab, and BBQ plum beef spare ribs) and The Old School Trifecta (braised pork belly, peking duck, fried chicken).

My favourite was the crispy chilli soft shell crab with the rich sauce and the soft braised pork belly.

Old and New School Trifectas from Cloud Thief

Black Star Pastry ft. N2

The queue was not as long as Messina's, but their strawberry watermelon soft serve was clearly one of the most favourited items this year. It was refreshing, sweet, and such a nice thing to have after you burn your tongue from the spicy pasta or the smoking hot skewers from Hoy Pinoy.

The mango cake was adorable, but I kinda was expecting something with bigger flavours.

Strawberry watermelon soft serve from Black Star Pastry ft. N2 Gelato

The mango cake from Black Star Pastry

Hoy Pinoy

I've always been a massive fan of their inihaw na baboy (pork belly skewers with banana ketchup glaze), but the exciting bowl of cebu lechon rice almost blew my mind with the succulent suckling pig meat and the crunchy crackling, the tangy vinegar sauce and pickled shredded veggies. Too much rice, but it just meant that we get to eat it with the inihaw na manok (chicken skewers in traditional soy glaze).

Hoy Pinoy's suckling pigs

Inihaw na baboy and inihaw na manok

Cebu lechon rice

Puffle

Honestly, it wasn't on my list because it looked too gimmicky. But the lines and excitement of the colleague made us do the detour. The bulgogi beef and philly cheesesteak cheese waffle was tasty to say the least, lots of meat inside with cheese and sauce. The waflle itself was cheesy and the crispy edges were addictive.

Bulgogi beed & philly cheesesteak puffle

Gelato Messina

Every year they have these eye-catching creations and every year I said I like the normal Messina scoop better but it never stops me from coming for more.

O-Not-Giri was honestly the best option, with thick white chocolate and rice cereal layer covering pistachio mousse and green tea gelato. I particularly like the white chocolate - pistachio combination.

I Think I'm Turning Sesame was admirable, with smooth black sesame gelato, miso crumb, coffee powder, condensed milk coffee jelly, banana miso bread, and cream. The miso part was almost drowned in the many other parts, but the slightly savoury sesame gelato was a winning element.

Kamikaze Katsu was unfortunately disappointing. Not only the thick slabs of bread and fried panko crumbs made it too heavy, the lime gelato and red velvet cake combination was slightly weird to us too.

O-Not-Giri

I Think I'm Turning Sesame

Kamikaze Katsu

And here are some Pimms cups to wash it all down. Two days to go, guys! Leave the cash at home and come early to avoid disappointment.

Pimms

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NIGHT NOODLE MARKETS

Until 22 Oct 2017

Hyde Park, Sydney

Web: Night Noodle Markets