Bloggers’ Bites: Night Market

Bloggers’ Bites is a series of posts chronicling the foodie adventures of Penn Appétit’s blog staff. On Thursday, October 3, 2013, some of Penn Appétit’s bloggers went to the latest installment of Night Market in Chinatown.

Dhruv Jain: After a long day of running around, a few friends and I finally made it down the septa line to our very first Night Market in Chinatown. Having never been to a food truck festival in Philly, I was excited to see how the food and ambiance would stack up to my hometown experiences in Raleigh, North Carolina. Lets just say, Philly did not disappoint. As soon I as entered the jam packed, bustling streets of 10th and Arch, I could hear the faint bump of the DJ from across the street, I could feel the humidity of the food trucks wafting onto my skin, and my nose was the subject of a warzone of aromas, from korean barbecue tacos to sangrias and local beer. My first experience was the pad thai, which, despite the long line, was delicious. The fresh squeeze of lime and sesame seeds balanced perfectly with the drenched noodles and sweet, spicy shrimp. With my mouth slightly ablaze, I set out in search of something to quench my thirst and arrived at Lucky Old Souls Burger truck where I was lured into purchasing the decadent though rather expensive ($6.50!!) caramel apple milkshake. All I can say is: heaven. The roasted apple flavors, with cinnamon and spices all a creamy cool milky refreshing shake took my taste buds 180 from the spicy pad thai, safe to say I felt great. The rest of my night was filled with wandering around, tasting all the non-culinary flavors of Philly nightlife, and soaking up the culture. With a full stomach, greasy hands, and a satisfied palate, we headed back down the market fisher line to good ole Penn. First Night Market in Philly was a success, definitely more to come!

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Byrne Fahey: I had been saving room in my stomach all day for the Philadelphia Night Market, this year in Chinatown. With 60 of Philly’s finest food trucks within blocks of each other, what to choose? I arrived just past eight, with the market in full swing. Lights and music guided me from the SEPTA station to gorgeous, packed Chinatown, where thick crowds of people weaved through tables and lines in both directions, clutching skewers and nibbling tacos. Rich scents escaped in clouds from the trucks lining South Street. Every few feet, a new flavor filtered through the air–hot barbecue sauce, burnt sugar, Caribbean spices, fresh basil. I listened to the voice in my stomach, not my head, and indulged in dessert first at Jimmies Cupcakes. My friend and I split a seasonal special–the “Jim O’Lantern”, pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing–along with one I’ve savored before–the “Lebron James”, vanilla cake, lemon glaze, and raspberry icing. Both cakes were moist, rich, and perfectly complemented by creamy, buttery, icings.

Sweet teeth satisfied, it was time for dinner. First up, a chicken skewer from a truck whose name I unfortunately missed. The marinade had infused each unbelievably tender and meaty bite with notes of soy, ginger, honey, and black pepper. Next, the quiet star of the night: nori fried chicken bites with seasoned rice, pickled cabbage, and yuzu mayonnaise from KAMI, a teeny Korean food cart. With virtually no line at the stand, I had no serious expectations, but the dish was expertly crafted and exceedingly delicious. The creamy, tangy, yuzu mayo played a foil to each crispy, salty morsel of chicken.

In a tedious line for the next truck, my friend and I stood next to Bonjour Creperie for several minutes, during which my friend admitted that not only had she never tried a crepe, but she wasn’t even sure what they were. This, of course, was immediate cause to purchase a classic Nutella-banana-strawberry confection. Why bother explaining with words? We demolished every last lick of powdered sugar in seconds.

Meanwhile, the line trudged on, and at last we reached the window of Ka’Chi, another Korean themed truck. Disappointed to find out the fried kimchi rice balls weren’t cooking well enough to sell, we opted for chicken banh mi sliders and soba noodles with julienned veggies.  Stuffed to the brim, out of cash, feet sore, I headed home. Happy.

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Connie Yu: Philly’s 2013 Night Market series finished where I began. Well, sort of.

I remember childhood jaunts to New York’s Chinatown, summer vacations spent strolling the vendor-lined streets of Shanghai—the glamour of lantern-lit tents and fluorescent storefronts, the clamor of spirited voices and sizzling street fare, tattered signs, gorgeous arrays of spices, fruits, meats, and people weaving among these.

October 3rd’s Night Market in Chinatown was a welcome evocation of this childhood awe. The fairgoers’ myriad languages and cultures were matched in diversity only by the fair’s colorful assortment of food. From Wursthaus Schmitz’s specialty sausages and meats to Pitruco’s Pizza’s popular brick-oven pies, from Ka’chi Truck’s Korean fusion fare to the ubiquitous Lil’ Pop Shop treats, over 60 vendors came to strut their stuff, as did many fairgoers, who truck-hopped and made merry with a cup of Yards Brew in hand. This bazaar was open to all.

I walked under the arch to join the festivities, and was greeted with a veritable party outside Tea Do, the local bubble tea powerhouse, as the Arch Street Stage prepared for another performance. Long lines graced Little Baby’s Ice Cream, a local small-batch creamery, as well as Sugar Philly, a University City staple, and The Cow and the Curd, winner of the 2013 Vendy Awards for their “not mozzarella sticks!” fried cheese curds. I stopped by a quiet stand first. The Good Spoon featured two very friendly vendors and a classic butternut squash soup made with apple and ginger. The locally-sourced soup shop also offered a chili made with grass-fed beef, which made for a hearty beginning to a food-laden night. Next, I visited CHeU Noodle Bar, which advertises its food to be “informed by tradition, but never defined by it.” So I grabbed a bowl of CHeU’s undefined, inauthentic black garlic wings, made with shishito peppers, lime, and cilantro, and found in it well-seasoned, crispy gratification. Sated, I decided to tackle the growing line for The Cow and The Curd. Twenty minutes later, I came away with a small platter of battered and fried Wisconsin cheese with Sriracha mayo and chipotle ranch dips on the side. Hot, cheesy heaven. I took a break from the carb scene and grabbed a Honey Peach Caramel pop from Lil’ Pop Shop. Up next was Supper’s Scratch Biscuits, which offered biscuit sandwiches. I chose the pulled turkey, kale, and pumpkin cream cheese option. The savory meatiness of the filling was complemented well by the cold cream and the fluffy fall-apart-at-the-touch biscuits. Having walked and eaten my fair share, I headed back to Tea Do for a Firedragon nightcap (red bean, milk, grass jelly, and tapioca), called it an evening well-spent (but literally), and walked back under the arch. I had finished where I’d begun.

cow and curd

 

Vera Kirillov: When I first came to Penn last year, I was thrilled to live in a city with so many food trucks, but one year later, I still haven’t tried as many as I’d like to. The Night Market turned out to be a great way to try out a ton of new food trucks and restaurants for cheap. To start, I got an order of spicy grilled baby octopus from Cantina Dos Segundo, and split an order of shrimp tacos from the Farm Truck with my friend. The food was fresh and delicious, and you would never guess that it was being served as “street food.” All of the other great bites I had that night, including Asian-fusion cupcakes and local apple cider, made me excited about Philly’s food truck scene again.

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