The Ultimate Food Guide to 2019 Richmond Night Market, especially if you have limited budget!

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Recently, I did a series of Instagram stories on spending just $30 (excluding the admission) in this year’s Richmond Night Market, and many love it! Therefore, I decide to come up with an ultimate food guide for you, especially if you have limited budget. This year’s admission is $4.95 per person, with an option to purchase the Express Pass for $28 (include 6 visits). If you are planning to go only once, I prefer just getting the one-time pass. The line up doesn’t seem to have much difference, to be honest.

I was lucky to be invited to a media event, hosted by ChineseBites and Tourism Richmond. I tried 25 stalls in the Richmond Night Market, and I was surprised by this year’s creativity and overall quality of the food. Concluding my two visits to Richmond Night Market, here are the top 10 food items that you should try on your next visit.

TukTuk (F25)

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Coconut Panna Cotta with Dok Jok (Original & Squid Ink) / $8

Many agree this stall to be one of the best in this year’s night market. It features a traditional Thai dessert, with flavoured panna cotta and 2 freshly fried Dok Jok (Thai Flower Cookie) ($8). The panna cotta comes in 3 flavours: Coconut, Thai Tea, and Thai Green Tea. Dok Jok comes in original and squid ink flavours. It then tops with caramel drizzles and gold flakes.

My favourite is the coconut-infused panna cotta, with mixed dok jok. There are big slices of coconut meat in the soft panna cotta. The squid ink dok jok is rich, with a touch of saltiness. Caramel drizzle elevates its sweetness, and the overall flavor is perfect. Make sure you crush the dok jok before eating it!

Okonomi Bites (F33)

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Cheese Tonkatsu Poutine / $10 (left)

This stall features Japanese style poutines, and my favourite is the Cheese Tonkatsu Poutine ($10). I am usually not a cheese person, but I can’t resist the cheese strings and melted cheese. Each order is made on the spot, so it is crispy and hot. The proportion of crust is cheese is perfect. It is best to eat it hot, so you can dip your fries in the melting cheese!

Asomi Mochi (F17)

Authentic Japanese Homemade Mochi ($5) made its appearance at the night market this year again. Though you can also get them online, I don’t mind grabbing one here, as a late-night dessert. The mochi is wrapped around a strawberry, with red bean paste filling. The strawberry is sweet and juicy! You can also find the new flavor, Cheesecake Mochi, at the night market. It is with cheesecake filling instead of red bean paste. It is refreshing and not overly sweet or heavy. I recommend the original, purple yam, and the new cheesecake flavor!

iTofu (F50)

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Cold Tofu Pudding with Fresh Mango & Handmade Taro Balls / $5.50 (+$2/topping)

Few years ago, I discovered iTofu at the night market, and I just fell in love with it. Then it opened a shop in Richmond, and I have always been a huge fan. Over the years, the quality of the tofu pudding didn’t diminish. It is always one of my favourite stalls here! I would recommend to get a cold tofu pudding with fresh mango and/or handmade taro balls ($5.50 + $2/premium topping) as toppings and share it with a friend! It will get hot and smoky in the night market, so a refreshing dessert is the best!

Zzim Drumsticks (F42)

With many korean fried chicken stalls at the night market, I think this one needs more of your attention. Instead of deep fried chicken, it is Korean braised chicken drumsticks that is cooked overnight, so the flavours are soaked into the drumsticks. It comes with two flavours: Black (sweet soy garlic) and Red (hot spicy pepper). Each portion also comes with a skewer of tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes). I recommend getting the “Red”, because it is more like a sweet type of spicy, and the rice cakes taste much better with Korean hot sauce!

Pancho’s Bakery (F5)

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Churro Cone Sundae / $10

A Toronto-based churro shop just arrived the Richmond Night Market this year, and I was amazed by its soft, crunchy churro! You can choose between the Churros or Churro Cone Sundae. I recommend to go with the sundae, as the cold treat is slightly melted when you bite into the freshly-made hot churro cone! It is a lovely texture. With the sundae, you can choose the choice of syrups and toppings as well. That’s when the wet wipes come in handy, because it will get messy.

Mr. Crabzy (F107)

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Stuffed Crab Claws with Shrimp Paste / $13.95 (3 pcs)

It was my first time trying this place, and it was delicious! The Stuffed Crab Claws with Shrimp Paste is perfectly fried and crispy. They use local dungeness crab claws and fresh shrimp to make the paste. The crab is meaty and remains juicy. Though it is on a pricier side, you get what you pay at this stall! I do wish there is some kind of dipping sauce to add heat to these claws.

Rotato Potato (F21 – F22)

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Cheese & Sour Cream Rotato / $7

This is a classic, and it is known for not only the cool rotato, but also the long line up. I like how you can do 2 flavours (half and half) on 1 rotato. My favourite combination is the cheese and sour cream! Although some people might already get bored of this stall, I still think it tastes pretty addicting once you have a bite of it again.

Teppan Bossam (F34)

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Spicy Pork Belly / $8.50 (regular)

Another classic on the list – Korean-style Pork Belly. It is another of my all time favourite. You can choose among the 3 flavours – Spicy, Barbeque, and Garlic. I tried the spicy this year, and I thought it is nothing too special. So, I still prefer the garlic flavour. The garlic sauce pairs well with the tender and juicy pork belly.

Salty’s Lobster Shack (F68)

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Lobster Roll / $19

This is more of a bougie-style stall, featuring Nova Scotia Lobster Roll, Lobster Chowder. It is difficult to find lobster rolls in Vancouver, but now you can get your hands on them at night market. For one full-size lobster roll, it is $19. The bun is filled with lobster meat, and I think it is worth the price. I think the lobster chowder is pretty salty, so I will stick with my lobster roll here!

Overall Impression

I include a mix of new and classic stalls on this list, and I hope this will help some of you to get a glance of the food at the Richmond Night Market this year. I highly recommend to go for stalls that you cannot try elsewhere, except the night market! It is nice to see new and creative stalls every year, and I am already looking forward for the next year’s one (is that too early to say?) and of course my next visit with my friends!


Richmond Night Market | Instagram | Facebook
Address: 8351 River Road, Richmond, BC V6X 1Y4
Hours:
Fri to Sun: 7 pm to 12 am

Disclosure: Media Event

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2 Comments

  1. Everything looks so tasty!

    1. Thank you! Hopefully, you will enjoy your visit to the night market this year!

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