Thursday, January 16, 2014

2013 Night Market: Chinatown Review

I realize it's early in 2014, but you can never plan too far ahead for Philly's Night Market! For several years now, I've attended the Chinatown outpost of Philly's Night Market. Sponsored by the Food Trust, Night Market is an annual occurrence in Fairmount, West Oak Lane, South Street, and of course, Chinatown.



Chinatown typically completes the season for the Night Market and it's always packed!


In 2013, Chipotle was on hand to offer free tastes of their new menu offerings.


Alla Spina and other local restaurants were offering tasty bites and drinks throughout the night.


Wursthaus Schmitz was on hand to dish out fried bologna and roast pork sandwiches! 


And for those with a sweet tooth, Little Baby's Ice Cream was offering unique flavors to test your palate.

Mac Mart Food Truck
 

But being who I am, I needed something to satiate the belly of a pig. So it was my gluttonous pleasure to finally indulge in some mac from Mac Mart Truck.

Heart Attack Mac ($8)
Caramelized onions, crispy bacon, Parm-Panko topping
 

Creamy cheese, al dente macaroni, salty bacon, hearty caramelized onions, and crispy Panko Parmsan made for an amazing bite. A spritz of Frank's only served to heighten the flavor with the added bit of garlic and heat. Yum.

Sum Pig Food Truck
 

After seeing a beast of a dish from a neighboring Night Marketer, I had to stop by the Sum Pig food truck

Smoked Pork Parfait ($10)
Smoked pork, cheesy mashed potatoes, collard greens, Caribbean corn, BBQ sauce, thick-cut applewood smoked bacon


Take a gander. The thick-cut caramelized bacon sold me on this purchase, but to be truthful, it was more of an interesting dish in conception, but not in execution. There were smoky hints of spice from the barbeque sauce and plenty of mashed potatoes, but other than the bacon, there was simply no texture. Even the corn within became a mushy bite. Way too many different flavors to appreciate each the dish. Regardless, it was fun to try.


So while not all the dishes at the Night Market hit the mark for this pig, the Food Trust always puts on a great show. If you stop by later this year, be sure to head over to the Chinatown Arch to enjoy the DJ spinning beats throughout the night! And of course, support Philly's Food Trust!

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