The Melbourne Night Noodle Markets are back, returning to Birrarung Marr from November 9-26 with a sizzling choice of signature dishes from many of our favourite Asian eateries. With 30 hawker-style stalls to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin. Here's 20 of the best to help you start plotting your menu. Lucky it runs for 18 nights, huh?
1. Hochi Mama – 'Grilled Pork Slider', char-grilled pork and fresh Vietnamese 'slaw with mayo, between two soft brioche buns.
2. Cloud Thief (nee Bao Stop) – 'New School Trifecta' – fluffy steamed buns filled with buttery mushroom, Singapore soft-shell chilli crab and barbecue plum beef spare rib.
3. Nem N' Nem – 'Loaded of Fries', topped with pulled beef or tofu satay.
4. Dum and Dumpling – 'Dum Dum Ball', steamed pork dim sum.
5. Poklol – 'Chichi Fries', bulgogi beef, chilli chicken or chilli pork served on beer-battered fries with cheese, kimchi, shallots, Japanese mayo and a sweet Korean BBQ sauce.
6. Puffle – 'KFC Cheese puffle', Korean fried chicken stuffed inside a cone-shaped egg-filled cheese waffle, topped with Japanese mayo and shallots.
7. Twistto – 'Original Korean Twist Potato', fresh potato, hand-cut into a tornado shape, twisted on a stick, deep-fried and finished with various seasonings.
8. Little Kyoto – 'Phoritto', Vietnamese-style burritos.
9. Hoy Pinoy – Cebu-style lechon (pork), chopped and served on rice with atchara and spiced vinegar.
10. Taiwan Noodle House – handmade Taiwanese noodles topped with five-spice beef broth, 16-hour slow-cooked brisket, crispy roast pork belly, char siu roast pork and steamed Chinese vegetables.
11. Teppanyaki Noodles – Yakisoba with sizzling chicken, beef or vegetables.
12. The Wagyu – Japanese barbecue beef and yoghurt wrapped in a cone, served on rice with spinach, lettuce and onion.
13. Shallot Thai – 'Crackling Pork Noodle', roasted pork belly in caramelised sauce with egg noodles.
14. Gelato Messina – 'O-NO-GIRI', green tea gelato and pistachio mousse dipped in rice bubbles and white chocolate (see video above).
15. Bangkok Street Food – Grilled pork ball.
16. Mahjong – 'Dan Dan Noodle', Sichuan hawker-style spicy chicken noodles.
17. Wonderbao – 'Guabao Box', roast pork belly, sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken, and panko crumbed eggplant bao.
18. The Brulee Cart – 'Salty Sailor', salted caramel and ginger creme brulee blow-torched to order with peanut popcorn.
19. Waffleland – 'Black Panda', fresh baked waffle with black sesame, maple syrup and icing sugar.
20. Blackstar Pastry – 'Death by Chocolate Parfait' – custard-soaked cake topped with Oreos, cookies and cream gelato, whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa.
Night Noodle Markets, Birrarung Marr (entry via Federation Street), November 9-26, open Mon-Tue 5pm-9pm; Wed-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri 5pm-11pm; Sat 4pm-10pm; Sun 4pm-9pm; goodfoodmonth.com
Note: the Night Noodle Markets are cash-free, so don't forget your plastic!
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