Brave the lines to feast at the Night Market
Our food critic checks out what’s new and exciting to eat this summer
A zillion people flock there (well, more like a million) each summer and it can be a mosh pit of people with pointy chopsticks, but tourists and locals endure the dishearteningly long lineup (bring War and Peace or a pup tent) to get into the Richmond Night Market because the 98 food stalls are worth it.
Dishes represent the nooks and crannies of China as well as Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, plus other countries such as Germany and India. And there’s retail therapy, with 200 stalls hawking everything from hover boards to Okanagan fruit, not to mention an entertainment stage. There’s nothing like it in North America and it’s better than or comparable to the best I’ve visited in Asian countries, although Luang Prabang, Laos has a night market with unforgettably good food and crowds that squish you into a skinnier, taller version of yourself.
This year, the Richmond Night Market brought in 18 mechanical dinosaurs, including three 12-metre T. rexes — moving, roaring ones — to enthrall the kids. To clear up the identity crisis created by an ownership divide a few years back, the market is a block from Bridgeport Canada Line Station near River Rock Casino. Panda Market is the one in the original location at 12631 Vulcan Way and you might head there if you hate the crowds — meaning, it’s not as busy or as popular.
I hadn’t visited for a couple of years and since there were new food stalls, it was time to hop the Canada Line. To abort an hourlong wait in a lineup, we bought a $20 zoom pass, good for seven visits (which you can share with friends and family) and gives you express entry into the market.
There’s more variety than ever, including non-Asian stalls like the German pork hock and sauerkraut vendor, which is doing surprisingly well (perhaps because one serving easily feeds three?). I figure it’s far more interesting to search for a Japanese raindrop cake (also known as water drop cake) than a Pokemon Go gym site. There’s a novel edible treat at the end of the search.
If you are a market novice, you are welcome to follow my trail of crumbs. (And I would strongly advise that if you wish to get inside a plastic walking water ball in a water pool and be tossed every which way, please do so before you eat.)
LITTLE PHNOM PENH
As soon as arrived, I beelined to Little Phnom Penh, which started up this year. I heard there were long lineups but since they serve only the one dish, it moved along quickly. This is a chip off the old block of the iconic Phnom Penh in Vancouver’s Chinatown known for so many must-try Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes. At the night market, it’s one dish: the much-loved chicken wings they serve at the restaurant, deep-fried, tossed with fried garlic, green onions and ginger and served with lemon and pepper sauce.
MOGU JAPANESE SWEET EATS
Sticking to the chicken, Mogu does seriously fabulous chicken karaage, which they also serve along with burgers at their downtown food truck. Here, it’s karaage only. The chicken is marinated, deep-fried and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. This year, the vendors opened a second stall, selling potato croquettes.
CHEF JAMES
The Chef James in the name cooks at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel downtown but on weekends, he throws himself into carny mode at this barbecued ke-
bab stall. He’s very entertaining but more importantly, his beef, lamb, lamb kidney, honey garlic prawn kebabs are delicious. I’d order the grilled knotted bread on a stick, too.
OD
You’ll probably be hearing more about the specialty at this stall. How could you not? This Japanese innovation, the raindrop cake or water drop cake, is like a Zen koan — one hand clapping and all. The clear gelatinous cake (thanks to agar) really does look like a giant tear or water drop and it dissolves into a puddle and a memory in 30 minutes. It’s served with a sprinkling of soybean powder (kinako) and a sweet syrup. If a near-invisible cake doesn’t do it for you, maybe their macaron ice cream sandwich will?
OHANA POKE
A new vendor that serves up poke, a Hawaiian favourite that seems to be catching fire locally. It’s probably one of the more healthier dishes in the market — sashimi-grade fish (salmon or tuna) and a light dressing, as close to natural as you can get.
PO WAH DIM SUM
This oldie has been at the night market since the very beginning. If you want a hit of good, oldfashioned dim sum at night, this is the place. I ordered the pork siu mai (four pieces per order).
TAIYAKI
I love these arty fish-shaped pastries (taiyaki) filled with red bean paste. You can have it nice and simple or go for a pig-out — the ice cream fish bun. The maw of the taiyaki is filled with ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce and speared with a berry skewer and chocolate Pocky.
MONSTER FRIED ICE
Fried ice? Not quite. It’s ice cream, Thai style, frozen in sheets on a flat metal surface and scraped into rolls. Add whipped cream, tapioca pearls, sprinkles. Comes in lots of flavours: passion fruit, strawberry, coconut, Oreo.