The noodles will be there. The dumplings will be ordered. The bao, present and accounted for. But this year, we're definitely making room for dessert. The 2019 Melbourne Night Noodle Markets on at Birrarung Marr from November 7 - 24 are bringing in the big guns of Australian confection, some whipping up exclusive treats made just for the event. Here are some of our sweetest picks.
Transport yourself to the balmy beaches of Thailand with just one icy bite – the always-inventive gelato makers were inspired by the sights of Siam for their menu this year. Instagram-fiends will want to snap a 'Phuket Bucket' (friendly reminder that the 'Ph' is not an 'F' sound), a rainbow stack of condensed milk pudding, crumble, lychee and sala shaved-ice, lychee gelato, and jellies; but we've got our sights on the 'Eye of the Thai-ger', an ice-cream sandwich that wraps Thai milk tea cheesecake in tea sponge, dips it in Italian meringue and tops it off with a sprinkling of coconut.
Forget nostalgic visions of old-school Asian-restaurant fried ice-cream – this Perth-based stall transforms the classic crumbed dessert into more modern mouthfuls. Fried balls of matcha, salted caramel or vanilla bean ice-cream come decadently topped with popcorn, white chocolate and sweet glazes. A hot-and-cold dessert perfect for our hot-and-cold Melbourne spring weather.
Scale the mountainous heights of these epic Korean shaved-ice bowls. Scoopy's bingsu are a treasure chest of jellies, pearls, fruit and more hidden under a towering heap of flavoured, soft-as-snow shaved ice. Flavours include Midnight Delight (a wicked black sesame version), Mango Sunrise, Royal Taro and Mochi Doughnut.
If you haven't joined the throngs of wobble-addicts across the globe, now's the time to jump on board. Japanese souffle pancakes are puffy, cloud-like pancakes with whipped egg-white meringue folded into the batter to create the thick, jiggly hotcakes. Japanese brand Kumokumo is offering flavours such as tiramisu and creme brulee for the markets. Also in attendance will be the signature 'soft cream' soft-serves, and the brand has plans for a permanent bricks-and-mortar store in Melbourne soon, too.
We love food on a stick as much as the next festival-goer, but there's a reason these supercharged, strawberry-topped, chocolate-drizzled, umbrella-on-top waffles are also served in a box. Structural integrity aside, expect all sorts of creative deliciousness with flavours like the Nutella-loaded Bangkok Night; chocolate-covered Dancing Dragon; lychee and caramel Lucky Fortune; black-sesame flavoured Black Panda and the show-stopping Cheeky Monkey – a tangle of peanut butter, ice cream, bananas, salty pretzels, caramel syrup and wafers.
Mums and dads of pups will not have to leave their good boys and girls without a tasty treat. A new addition to the event this year, the one-off Night Poodle Markets will pop up from 4pm-7pm on Saturday, November 9. Pooches can get family portraits with their owners and their very own dog treat for just $5, with all proceeds going to RSPCA Victoria. Limited spots are available, so register in advance here.
The Melbourne Night Noodle Markets run from November 7-24 at Birrarung Marr. Visit Melbourne Night Noodle Markets for more details - and remember it's card only - no cash!
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