Asia is known for its authentic street food. As a young kid growing up in Asia, I loved going to the night markets where Asian street food was bountiful. Whether it was walking the streets of Seoul, Hong Kong, or Taipei.
When I heard about Night Market, I was pumped. I decided to give this restaurant a try in the hopes of some authentic Asian street food that I've been missing.
Ash Chan is the mastermind behind the restaurant, Night Market. He first debuted on the restaurant scene with the opening of Churn2, a nitrogen ice cream shop that's also in Harvard Square.
Night Market is located on the corner of JFK and Winthrop Street in Harvard Square. Just follow the white arrows on the brick wall, and you'll find yourself at the doorsteps of the restaurant.
First Glance
The casual yet hipster ambiance of the restaurant definitely gives off authentic night market vibes, and the relatively small space of the restaurant felt intimate.
The Menu
Looking through the menu, I was amazed to see that there were so many cultural variations. From Filipino lumpias and Singaporean Hainan chicken, to Korean spicy rice cakes. Basically, the list feels never-ending.
The Funky Appetizers
We first started with a rather funky-looking appetizer called the Lick-em-stick, which is a Malaysian-inspired rice ball dish. The appetizer came with a plate of rice balls, and two dipping sauces of sambal-aioli and the spicy garlic and chili flakes.
These Daikon fries are in fact made out of Daikon radish, complemented with ginger ketchup and garlic aioli — a healthier alternative to greasy and starchy potato fries.
The Entrée
I personally loved how all the portion sizes at this restaurant were not too big, so we decided to order a bunch to share in the style of tapas.
The Hainan Chicken Rice, a classic Singaporean dish, came with perfectly seasoned garlic ginger rice. The combination of the ginger rice, chicken, and accompanying ginger sauce was pure bliss.
And on to my all-time favorite Korean street food — Tteokbokki. This dish is probably the most widely-known Korean street food.
The main ingredients in this dish are rice cakes and a spicy gochujang sauce. Night Market gave it a little twist by adding longhorn peppers, garlic chive, and a fired egg.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Night Market was a fabulous experience. The price was affordable, with dishes ranging from $1 to $15. The diversity can't be beat with the range of Asian street food they offer.
Although the name of the restaurant was a little misleading since it wasn't the pure authentic night market food I'm used to, I definitely recommend to those who want to try out something fun and different.