626 Night Market Wins Round 3
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Tasty To Go's milk fusion with pudding and boba (Tanaya Ghosh / Neon Tommy)
Indeed, the first night market in Southern California got bigger and badder this time around with lots more room and organization. It undoubtedly took meticulous and extensive planning, and the organizers did a great job communicating with their attendees before and after the event through the 626 Night Market's Facebook page.
There was an even wider array of food and clothing that the already-delicious treats from the first night market, which was a huge draw for most attendees.
Highlights of the event, which could take hours to explore, included AFC Tofu's free tofu deal, a tip courtesy of Kristie Hang of 626 Foodettes. Visitors who stopped by the booth and showed the requisite tweet could choose from a free pack of soft, medium, or firm tofu. The booth also provided samples of their firm and soft tofu in different smoky and spicy preparations.
Any modern night market would be incomplete without a little "Gangnam Style," and there were plenty of ways in which musical artist PSY's creation infiltrated the night market. There was a live DJ with a dance stage, which at one point was populated with children dancing to the insanely popular song.
Not all vendors sold Asian fare, as The Grilled Cheese Truck had an hour-long line for their melty grilled cheeses. The S'mores grilled cheese with an off-the-menu addition of bacon was uniquely delicious, as was Mom's Apple Pie Melt, which consisted of sharp cheddar with brown butter, caramelized apples and candied walnuts.
Another food truck, Paradise Cookies & Ice Cream, had deliciously creamy horchata ice cream and warm chocolate chip cookies, while Tasty To Go sold their giant cups of milk fusion drink with pudding and boba. The fruity tea from Flour + Tea was aromatic and high quality, and there wasn't a disappointment from any of the vendors we were able to taste that night, although hours spent there still amounted to only a fraction of samplings.
Not only was there food, music and dancing, but there was a hay maze, pumpkin patch and bouncer for kids.
The Fung Brothers were also at the night market Sunday night, shooting a new comedic video that is bound to go viral once again.
Popular 626 foodie personalities like Remil, a.k.a PinoyPanda, Danny, a.k.a. KungFoodPanda, and Hong, one-half of the Ravenous Couple, were also in attendance and enjoying the night market. The Ravenous Couple Store, selling the likes of "Gangnam Style" and "Banh Mi" shirts, also had a booth selling their awesomely clever Vietnamese-inspired tees.
The event was a win for the 626 Night Market, with more space and much-improved spatial planning. Although there were long lines for popular vendors, they are part and parcel with the popularity of such an event, and thus seem to be inevitable.
