rev:text
| - I have been an annual visitor to Night It Up for the last 3-4 years. I have really come to look forward to this free festive, nighttime event where dozens of mainly Asian food stalls are set up in the parking lot of the Markham Civic Centre. This year the event raises funds that go towards Raising the Roof, a charity that raises awareness about homelessness issues and working towards preventing it through their Upstream campaign.
There are many of the regular vendors from years past (your 4 main bubble tea chains, takoyaki vendors, okonomiyaki stands, squid and meat skewer stands, shaved ice, drink from the fruit stands, Taiwanese food stalls, bao stalls, and stinky tofu). There were long lines to try Thai-inspired rolled ice cream this year, as well as Poke wraps. This year's highlights for me are:
1) Pokito - a collaboration between Chatime, Menu food truck, and Bake Code. The "420 Queen Street West" features sashimi grade tuna and salmon with pickled cucumber, green papaya, pineapple, fried onions and garlic, green onions, taro chips and a sweet/sour/spicy sauce on seasoned rice. This was a taste and texture sensation in my mouth. I enjoyed it enough that I went home to tell hubby about it and brought him to NIU to try it himself. Unfortunately by the time we returned, they were sold out of the 420 Queen St West, but he tried the classic salmon poke which was also very tasty.
2) Thirstea ($3 lemonade or limeade or 2/$5, with $2 refills)
My strategies for surviving NIU include:
1) go earlier in the afternoon or evening when it is less packed and you can actually move through the various lanes
2) wear clothes you won't mind washing as you WILL reek of smoke and stinky tofu
3) if you go at night, exercise patience as there will be long lines and crowds.
|