The Canberra Night Noodle Markets

I quickly checked out the noodle markets last Friday night and the queues were massive. When I was back for a longer stay on Saturday night Bookplate was a far more sensible option.

Last night I did go to the noodle markets and some queues were still quite long. But I found a thai place with only two people ahead of me. My red curry was pretty damn good too; $12 not too bad given the context.

The question that needs to be asked is, are these noodle markets an improvement on previous food options at Enlightens past?

Yes, they are.

There can be improvements made, I agree, but Enlighten keeps improving every year.

It’s awesome seeing so many people out enjoying our city.

Went there yesterday. Overall impression: great concept, lousy implementation. Would go again next year only if the issues from this year are addressed.

The variety was, as other people said, lacking. All in all, I think there were less than 10 stalls. Mind you, still plenty of good, yummy food to be had for single sitting so that’s actually not that bad.

Food was slightly overpriced. Some stalls had snack sized portions at $5 others went with $10. Drinks, on the other hand, were highly overpriced – I’d recommend you bring your own.

So far, doesn’t sound too bad, right? Well, here’s were it falls apart: the organisation was awful. There are far too few tables/chairs and the queues were enormous. I would suggest for the organisers to include a lot of standing bar tables – you know, the ones that are high enough to stand next to without chairs – it would relieve the logistical problem of having too many plates and no practical way to enjoy it. Also, and this is my own opinion, standing table encourage people gathering together at the same table which I enjoy in festivals.

As for the queues, I think it’s an outcome of the small variety. That is, few stalls = fewer queues to be served = larger amount of people on each queue. The skewers and N2 were particularly long: the N2 one was about 30-40 minutes.

But overall, my partner and I both enjoyed our time there, but we probably will give next year a miss if the same issues persist (queues, lack of tables).

So there you have it. Overall, not at all a bad experience, but remember to pack ample amounts of patience for the queues and bring enough cash and something to drink.

Remember: “ILLEGAL PARKING WILL BE ENFORCED”

At least it was all spelled correctly.

rigseismic67 said :

Ok event, marred by the usual massive crowds which many of the food providers failed to predict. 45 minutes wait for a special N2 ice cream is a little sad. We arrived at 6pm Monday night and it was standing room only, people in line next to us said they had been every night since it opened and planned to be there every night it is open. That’s a sad reflection on Canberra’s nightlife.

I went last night, straight after work. It was quite empty at 5pm and I was disappointed I waited around 15 mins to be served at the Phillipino stall for my banana ketchup glazed pork belly. Despite opening at 4pm, I don’t think they had anticipated the amount of public servants who would wander over right on 5pm. They had quickly sold out of what was cooked and waited until they could have over food straight away before serving again.

Given I left the market at 6pm with a full belly. Not quite sure where you were, I would have considered the market still quite empty, there were barely any queues as we walked out.

As for Canberra having a sad nightlife… I fully intend to go back later on this week to try what I didn’t get my hands on. Expensive yes… but oh so delicious.

random said :

rigseismic67 said :

45 minutes wait for a special N2 ice cream is a little sad.

I was particularly sad to find it inferior to Frugii in Braddon.

Haha, I thought all ice creams were inferior to Frugii 😉

Mysteryman said :

A single row of 8 stalls does not make a market in her mind. Mine either.

Agreed, but it is a start. The Multi-cultural Festival took quite a few years to get up to speed and it is doing very well now.

rigseismic67 said :

45 minutes wait for a special N2 ice cream is a little sad.

I was particularly sad to find it inferior to Frugii in Braddon.

Ezy said :

I headed in there last night – fortunately I was a guest of Thatcher’s cider, so the dumplings and skewers came to us all night. The dumplings were amazing and the smokiness flavour of the skewers was something special.

As for the crowds, yes you can complain about it. It is Canberra at the end of the day – the city that complains that nothing good ever happens here, and when something good does come to town you complain about how busy it is.

Having an event like this, and it being popular shows that there can success found in running these things. Which can only mean good things ahead for us. Sure, it will take a few goes to iron out the kinks (we will be seeing the noodle markets for another 4 years), but just be patient or plan accordingly.

This isn’t a restaurant experience, it is a festival experience… embrace it for what it is.

I was there last night too. It was disappointing. The food variety was limited. There were 4 Thai food places, some chicken or pork on skewers, and some dumplings, as well as a Thai/Spanish place.

I don’t mind crowds, I don’t mind the “festival” being in an inconvenient place, I don’t even mind too much having people rummaging through out bags on entry. But the selection of food needs to be a LOT better if I’m to ever go back. Especially since the event is only a month after the multicultural festival, which had so, so many more vendors with greater variety and better prices ($5 Ethiopian beer, anyone?). It also felt nothing like a market, as my friend commented while we walked around. A single row of 8 stalls does not make a market in her mind. Mine either.

Ok event, marred by the usual massive crowds which many of the food providers failed to predict. 45 minutes wait for a special N2 ice cream is a little sad. We arrived at 6pm Monday night and it was standing room only, people in line next to us said they had been every night since it opened and planned to be there every night it is open. That’s a sad reflection on Canberra’s nightlife.

I headed in there last night – fortunately I was a guest of Thatcher’s cider, so the dumplings and skewers came to us all night. The dumplings were amazing and the smokiness flavour of the skewers was something special.

As for the crowds, yes you can complain about it. It is Canberra at the end of the day – the city that complains that nothing good ever happens here, and when something good does come to town you complain about how busy it is.

Having an event like this, and it being popular shows that there can success found in running these things. Which can only mean good things ahead for us. Sure, it will take a few goes to iron out the kinks (we will be seeing the noodle markets for another 4 years), but just be patient or plan accordingly.

This isn’t a restaurant experience, it is a festival experience… embrace it for what it is.

I love the Noodle Markets. It means that the good restaurants that I normally have to book at are empty to half full and you can just walk in.

Sweet.

Hopefully the Noodle Markets can work out their really bad logistics issues before they become a victim of their own popularity

Vendors were ridiculously unprepared. Opened at 5pm but most hadn’t started cooking anything. Some stalls were more prepared and served reasonably quickly, but most didn’t. Gave up lining up at one place after 15mins when the people waiting for their food for 30mins urged us not to wait as they bumbled through mixing everyone’s order up. All food was at least $10 for a snack sized portion, $15 up for something more substantial.

The one entry point was there for checking bags for alcohol according to the security guards who we asked, who also confirmed you couldn’t bring in alcohol from the bar immediately outside the gate. They gave up pretty quickly when the hoards of people arrived, also started letting people in the side gate. Very little to drink inside the gates, beer range, iced tea and some lemon/lime similar lemonade. Bring your own drink if you don’t want a midi sized beer for $8.50-$9.

Find yourself a nice restaurant instead.

I haven’t been to the Night Noodle Markets yet as I’m waiting for the crowds to quieten down. Sounds like Sunday afternoon was the right time to go!

Friends described visiting the markets on Friday night as like being in the mosh pit at a heavy metal concert – they ended up getting nibblies at Bookplate instead, which sounds like it was doing a roaring trade that night.

I know Canberra is smaller than Sydney or Melbourne, but we absolutely get behind events like this in huge numbers compared to our actual population, so if there are ways we can make them bigger and reduce queues, I’m all for it.

Alexandra Craig said :

The security guards had handheld clickers so we asked them how many people had been through and they told us it was an exit gate hahaha I’m 95% sure there was only one official entry point.

I found a gap in that extremely unaesthetic railing at the far side, on the other side of the bridge.

Saved me having to mix in with the sweaty, heaving flesh of the hoi polloi.

rubaiyat said :

I really didn’t get it with making everyone squeeze through a very small entrance past security guards for something that had no tickets and was open to the public.

What is it with lining up for very expensive essentially junk versions of good food to be had elsewhere. Are we getting like the Yanks who line up for everything because it makes it somehow exclusive and special, even when it obviously isn’t?

The smart money had actually gone to the cafe/kiosk by the lake and the cafe in the Portrait Gallery.

The cafes in Questacon and the National Library were doing a roaring trade as well.

But all in all it was a really fun, balmy night Friday. Everybody was out with family and friends and enjoying the atmosphere and the shows. Best IMHO was the band in the National Library lobby.

The security guards had handheld clickers so we asked them how many people had been through and they told us it was an exit gate hahaha I’m 95% sure there was only one official entry point.

rubaiyat said :

I really didn’t get it with making everyone squeeze through a very small entrance past security guards for something that had no tickets and was open to the public.

What is it with lining up for very expensive essentially junk versions of good food to be had elsewhere. Are we getting like the Yanks who line up for everything because it makes it somehow exclusive and special, even when it obviously isn’t?

The smart money had actually gone to the cafe/kiosk by the lake and the cafe in the Portrait Gallery.

The cafes in Questacon and the National Library were doing a roaring trade as well.

But all in all it was a really fun, balmy night Friday. Everybody was out with family and friends and enjoying the atmosphere and the shows. Best IMHO was the band in the National Library lobby.

” making everyone squeeze through a very small entrance….”
Have you ever seen a fat noodle eater?

I really didn’t get it with making everyone squeeze through a very small entrance past security guards for something that had no tickets and was open to the public.

What is it with lining up for very expensive essentially junk versions of good food to be had elsewhere. Are we getting like the Yanks who line up for everything because it makes it somehow exclusive and special, even when it obviously isn’t?

The smart money had actually gone to the cafe/kiosk by the lake and the cafe in the Portrait Gallery.

The cafes in Questacon and the National Library were doing a roaring trade as well.

But all in all it was a really fun, balmy night Friday. Everybody was out with family and friends and enjoying the atmosphere and the shows. Best IMHO was the band in the National Library lobby.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :

We went along with the kids at about 6.30pm on Saturday but didn’t stay as the lines were enormous. Looks like those who arrived early had a great time, though.

Learnt my lesson for next year!

“…..the lines were enormous….”
Reminiscent of a post war Russian meat queue.
Good practice though for waiting in line at soup kitchens which will be part of the Australian social welfare scene in a few years time.

Oh, another thing I noticed – it was very difficult to find non-alcoholic beverages (that aren’t coconut juice/iced tea). If you just want a bottle of water or a soft drink can, bring it with you. Apparently you could buy them at the Library but that’s a bit of a walk out of the actual noodle markets.

I went on Saturday night and was a teeny bit disappointed. It’s advertised as running until ‘late’. We got there just before 9.00pm and some stalls were already closed – including N2! I could name a heap of actual restaurants open until after 10.00pm, so it was a bit of a let down that these stalls were closing early.

I did have a plate of delicious dumplings though! However, everything is advertised as ‘street food’ but it’s definitely not street food prices. 5 dumplings cost $10. If I remember correctly, you can get four or five dumplings from Akiba for $10. Just thought it was a bit overpriced considering most people want to do like Sophia did and try a bit of everything.

Am going to try again on a weeknight – I really want N2 and to try a few other things this time! 🙂

I went last night and enjoyed it. However, may of the stalls don’t sell small servings, so if you bought at some stalls one plate full is enough for dinner, which I thought was a shame, as I like tasting several things, but I didn’t want to overeat. Worth getting on my bike for another visit.
I wasn’t sure about the coconut juice though. I thought it tasted old. Anyone else have one? How did it taste to you?

We went along with the kids at about 6.30pm on Saturday but didn’t stay as the lines were enormous. Looks like those who arrived early had a great time, though.

Learnt my lesson for next year!

It seemed like a good idea to go last night. However, word to the wise, be sure to draw out some cash elsewhere before going. We went last night, went to the ATMs there first up, to find they were both out of order. After getting some false directions to where there wasn’t even an ATM at all (15 minutes walk away), we had a gut full, and just went elsewhere for some Korean BBQ (that place in Manuka is amazing btw)..

With that lesson learned on board, we’ll be trying again tonight, a little more prepared. Hopefully the crowds will have dropped off a little bit compared to the weekend.

My favourite thing for the enlight/noodle market shenanigans was the wifi controlled paper boats. I went for a ride past it on the Saturday evening, and it was quite fun being able to control the colour flow from the iPhone. Neat little art installation indeed. Do be patient if you have a play though, the wifi gadget gets hammered by the punters.