There is nothing that makes my foodie heart beat faster than news of a bustling food fair has reached our shores. It’s even more exciting when I know that food fair is the Asian Night Market: Taiwan Food Festival.
This is no ordinary night market, the Asian Night Market: Taiwan Food Festival is a recreation of the famous Ningxia Night Market.
Plus, to satisfy our incredibly high standards, the Asian Night Market brought more than 30 stalls directly from Ningxia Night market, featuring more than 130 types of Taiwanese food.
Held in Sentosa and spanning from Siloso Point to Siloso Beach, the Asian Night Market will run from now till 9 February 2020 (closed from 20 to 22 January 2020).
Ningxia Night Market has famously earned the nickname as the ‘stomach of Taipei’ and rightly so, with a fantastic array of Taiwanese snacks all sans the plane ticket.
With so many delectable treats at your disposal, it can be a tad overwhelming. To make things a little easier at the Asian Night Market, we’ve narrowed it down to the six must-try items at Asian Night Market.
1. Taiwanese Sausage with Glutinous Rice (Stall 19)
We’ll start with a Taiwanese classic, the大肠包小肠 Taiwanese Sausage With Glutinous Rice (S$10). We’re all familiar with the flavoursome bite of the sweet and savoury Taiwanese sausage but there is a more traditional way of enjoying this tasty snack.
In Taiwan, the Taiwanese sausage is cradled in a glutinous rice sandwich. If you know how I feel about carbs, this was a welcome sight indeed.
True to form, the Taiwanese Sausage was good on its own but even better with a thick and starchy rice envelope. Rice with sausage—the Asian in me was just exploding in delight.
2. Braised Snacks (Stall 23)
For something a little more adventurous and truly authentic to Ningxia Night Market, these Braised Snacks (S$12) would fit the bill. Now, don’t be fooled by a name like braised snacks these are definitely not for the faint-hearted.
They stock the likes of Braised Chicken Wings, Braised Chicken Hearts, Braised Pig’s Heart, Braised Pig’s Liver and Braised Chicken Feet on the menu.
These goodies come in a set just like how its traditionally done so you get a couple of pieces of each item. Then it’s loaded with a smattering of spring onions and a generous dusting of pepper.
These were braised till they were, as the Taiwanese say, QQ. Bouncy and with a vinegary sauce, these are quite enjoyable once you get over that mental barrier.
My favourite has to be those tender chicken hearts. Springy and strangely addictive, you’ll be asking for seconds.
3. Papaya Milkshake (Stall 14)
Bubble tea has become ubiquitous with Taiwan Night Markets and there is no question our devotion to everything boba. Another lesser-known but the equally scrumptious drink is the Papaya Milkshake (S$6).
A simple concoction of fresh milk and freshly cut papaya, the clementine coloured drink will quickly become your new favourite. Sweet and refreshing, this will surely soothe on a sweltering afternoon.
4. Zheng Li Beef Noodles (正立牛肉面) & Fried Chicken Cutlet (炸鸡排) (Stall 13)
Another highlight you can’t miss from the Asian Night Market has to be the savoury treats you from the vendors at Stall 13.
Here you can find Fun Sun G’s Fried Chicken Cutlet (炸鸡排) (S$12), one of the more famous stalls in Ningxia Market. This hefty 120oz fried chicken entails that you leave your diet at the door.
Unbelievably crispy, juicy and slightly spicy, Fun Sun G has indeed earned their reputation. Every other fried chicken cutlet you’ve had will pale in comparison.
Also available at Stall 13 is the Zheng Li Beef Noodles (正立牛肉面). Prepared by Master Cheng, one of the top ten chefs on both sides of the strait, you’ll be utterly blown away by this hearty bowl of beef noodles.
Li Zheng’s Braised Beef Noodles (S$10) comes with large chunky pieces of braised beef in a fragrant beef broth—the perfect bowl to accompany you on a rainy day.
The noodles were thicker and chewier more than usual which provided great texture as I slurped up the noodles.
I was pretty pleased with the portion of beef cubes, a liberal serving that is sure to satisfy the hungriest of tummies. Not to mention, these cubes were fork-tender and melted in my mouth.
Well, the broth truly takes the cake. This is a dark, rich and beefy broth that you will savour till the last drop.
5. Yue’s Egg-Bombed Scallion Pancake (月氏激蛋葱油饼) (Stall 21)
This is the one for all the die-hard Taiwanese street food fans.
Yue’s Egg-bombed Scallion Pancake (月氏激蛋葱油饼) (S$8) is a mandatory pit stop for anyone visiting the Asian Night Market.
These are basically golden rounds of deep-fried scallion pancakes placed over a fried egg and herbs before being brushed with a homemade garlic and chilli sauce.
An umami bomb and mix of different textures, those herbaceous crispy layers are simply divine and the epitome of the ultimate street food.
6. Egg Sponge Cake (鸡蛋糕) (Stall 18)
To end your romp around the Asian Night Market, a delightful piece of Egg Sponge Cake (鸡蛋糕) (Original) (S$4) is sure to be the icing on top of the cake.
Light and airy with a custardy centre, I couldn’t help but gobble up this fragrant and crispy cake. The purist in me only snagged the Egg Sponge Cake in the Original flavour but there are more exciting flavours such as Peanut (S$5) or Cheese (S$6) to suit your fancy.
With so many more stalls available at the Asian Night Market, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what they have to offer. You’ll have to head down to the Asian Night Market and see for yourself!
It gets better, the Asian Night Market is a cashless event and Mastercard holders get to enjoy 10% off F&B outlets. Plus, if you are travelling to Sentosa via Grab you can enjoy S$5 off your ride with the promo code: SentosaSpring.
The Asian Night Market is the ultimate spot for authentic Taiwanese fare. All I can say is, go with an empty stomach!
*This post is brought to you in partnership with Asian Night Market.
Price: $
Our Rating: 5 / 5
Asian Night Market
Siloso Point, Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099004
Asian Night Market
Siloso Point, Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099004