The night I craved Pad Thai badly

...was the day I was planning to go to the Night Noodle Markets that's part of Sydney's month-long food festival.

I really love the idea of making international flags with food!

For two weeks (weeknights only), Hyde Park holds an Asian hawker market where people can choose from over twenty (my own count) stalls offering anything from Thai to Singaporean snacks and meals, and dine outdoors on tables scattered across the park (or choose to sit on the grass) whilst enjoying Asian-themed entertainment.

Banner at Hyde Park

I know, sounds fun right? I thought so too, which brought me there right after work last night. I was greeted with this:

The place looked packed by 6PM! (It starts at 5 and ends at 930PM).

This man was even sitting on the ground OUTSIDE the park!

Sample of what's happening at the back of the stalls: crew breaking their backs with giant woks! The queue in some stalls was ridiculous! Caucasians are definitely gaga over Asian food.

There was virtually no available table. I decided to just leave cos I wasn't willing to wait in line for food, and everyone was with someone anyway.

But all was not lost! I had forgotten that Ferrero seized the event to promote its new chocolate.

I want my chocolate, lady!

Can I have the whole jar instead? :D Yes this is a different lady. I cheated and got 2 samples! Mwahaha!

The only thing I took home. If you're curious, this is just dark chocolate version of the usual Ferrero. I prefer the milk chocolate because I felt it suited the signature make up of a Ferrero better (nutty, crunchy wafer coating with chocolate center). Or maybe I simply like my dark chocolate really bitter while the Rondnoir was quite sweet.

So I didn't get my Asian fare the way I wanted to. But I'm sure only 10% of the stalls was authentic anyway. Bitterness! Haha.