July 23, 2012 at 10:10 am
Waterfront Night Market a Feast of Asian Treats
Street-food fest offers everything from stinky tofu and oyster omelettes to Asian French toast.
By
David Demchuk • Photos by Nancy Paiva
182108 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"1.4","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342819963","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva 0 0
182109 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> 002 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","created_timestamp":"1342817560","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/002/ 002 0 0
182110 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342816509","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-2/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-2 0 0
182111 Tornado shrimp. We just missed this (the people in line in front of us got the last ones), but they seem to consist of giant shrimp wrapped in some kind of deep-fried noodle-y goodness.<br />
<br />
<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342817302","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-3/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-3 0 0
182112 Spicy skewered octopi.<br />
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<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342816712","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-4/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-4 0 0
182113 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342823897","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.00625","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-5/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-5 0 0
182115 Those things on the grill? One potato each, cut spiral-wise and then crispified.<br />
<br />
<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342822952","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"50","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.002","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-7/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-7 0 0
182116 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342823515","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.005","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-8/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-8 0 0
182117 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"1.4","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342819892","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-9/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-9 0 0
Fans of Asian street food turned out in droves for the third annual T&T Waterfront Night Market this past weekend, in the T&T Supermarket parking lot at the foot of Cherry Street.
Despite the unpredictable weather, Torontoist was on-hand to take in the sights and sounds (and stinky tofu smells) and to try out some of the many snacks available from the dozens of vendors on-site.
We just narrowly missed out on the shrimp skewers spun in a tornado of crispy noodles (cries of “Oh no!” and “Boooo!” burst out from behind us at the news), but grilled baby octopus, steamed fish, and shrimp siu mai were all tasty, filling, and amazingly cheap.
Other favourites included octopus balls, fried-oyster omelettes, tofuyaki, and ever-popular, ever-chewy bubble tea. We did manage to score some fresh-fruit smoothies and one of the delightfully unhealthy deep-fried sandwiches known as Asian French toast.
Those needing a break from all the eating enjoyed live entertainment at the concert stage (we can’t say the performers were uniformly great, but that was part of the charm, in a sense) or the games at the modest but colourful midway before returning to the food stalls to eat some more.
If you haven’t yet had your night-market fix, don’t worry. Toronto is home to several over the summer, including the Chinatown BIA–hosted Night Market on Huron Street at Dundas every Friday and Saturday evening from July 20 to September 8.
182108 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"1.4","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342819963","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva 0 0
182109 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> 002 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/002.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","created_timestamp":"1342817560","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.008"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/002/ 002 0 0
182110 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/003.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342816509","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-2/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-2 0 0
182111 Tornado shrimp. We just missed this (the people in line in front of us got the last ones), but they seem to consist of giant shrimp wrapped in some kind of deep-fried noodle-y goodness.<br />
<br />
<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/004.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342817302","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-3/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-3 0 0
182112 Spicy skewered octopi.<br />
<br />
<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/005.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"3.5","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342816712","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-4/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-4 0 0
182113 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/006.jpg 1000 666 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342823897","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.00625","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-5/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-5 0 0
182115 Those things on the grill? One potato each, cut spiral-wise and then crispified.<br />
<br />
<em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/008.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342822952","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"50","iso":"3200","shutter_speed":"0.002","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-7/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-7 0 0
182116 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/009.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"2","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342823515","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.005","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-8/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-8 0 0
182117 <em>(Nancy Paiva/Torontoist)</em> © Nancy Paiva https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/010.jpg 1000 665 {"aperture":"1.4","credit":"Nancy Paiva","camera":"NIKON D700","caption":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva","created_timestamp":"1342819892","copyright":"Nancy Paiva","focal_length":"24","iso":"2000","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"\u00c2\u00a9 Nancy Paiva"} https://torontoist.com/2012/07/waterfront-night-market-a-feast-of-asian-treats/slide/a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-9/ a%c2%a9-nancy-paiva-9 0 0