RICHMOND: Night Market

The Richmond night market is a totally fun outing on a summer night, and growing so quickly that it’s now in its third location in less than a decade.

The popularity led to a fight between event companies, but all you need to know is don’t eat before you come here! Your eyes will pop at all the different tasty snacks and treats you can fill up with, and it’s not as fun when you’ve just had dinner.

There’s lots to see and eat; sooo many foods on sticks. It’s hard not to get swept up in the boisterous atmosphere and delicious smells in the air.

This is Sam. He makes egg puffs (雞蛋仔), a popular kind of waffle ball, but his showmanship sets him apart from the other egg puff stands. He dances around and tosses the puffs into the air into a bag etc.

That, and he speaks better Cantonese than me.

The stands are predominantly Asian and there are lots of neat treats (or weird ones, depending on your outlook). This Korean stand sells fish-shaped waffles filled with sweet red bean paste or Nutella.

I give props to whoever came up with this brilliant profit-making idea: deep-fried potato skewers, rolled in spices. Really, it’s just fries/chips but prettier. For $3 each.

The food aisles are hard to resist. I managed to polish off some spicy lamb Xinjiang kebobs (3 for $5), grilled squid ($3.50), curry fish balls, and some of Scott’s mini donuts one night — post-dinner.

If you need to walk off some of that food, there’s tons of stalls hawking iPhone/iPod covers, cute dolls, socks, 3D-dog art, replica swords from Lord of the Rings and an electronic mahjong table.

The table is quite a hit with passersby (note Ben’s facial expression below), but I’m not sure how many buyers it attracts at $1,500 a pop. It is cool to watch though.

There’s a handful of carnival type games, including one where you try to catch as many tiny goldfish as you can with a paper scoop. The prize? Take the fish home — or exchange them for a bag of chips. (I did not make that up.)

Picnic tables and chairs run along one edge of the market and in front of a big stage where there are nightly singers (kids, karaoke stars, teen bands). I’m amazed at how clean everything is with garbage and recycling cans logically situated everywhere. And yes, there are bathrooms too.

The market is located at the foot of the Knight Street Bridge. There’s parking for $5 — in a lot sponsored by a pho restaurant. (Not sure how that works when I’m still paying for it.)

Be warned that the later the night goes on, the more jammed the lot gets, especially with so many drivers of the Asian persuasion in such a small area. Ya know what I mean? (I can say that because I’m one of them.)

Summer Night Market, open Friday & Saturday 7 p.m.-midnight, Sundays & long weekend Mondays 7-11 p.m. from May through October, 12631 Vulcan Way (behind Home Depot), Richmond, B.C.