Rapid Creek Markets

After a false start this morning (wallet left at the hotel) I made it to the Rapid Creek Markets.
Darwin has a number of markets, I will cover them over the next few weeks. Rapid Creek is a food market held on Sunday mornings at the Rapid Creek Business Centre. It is actually a really odd experience. Far different from a "normal" Australian Market. Think Melbourne Markets, Adelaide Central Market, Brisbane Powerhouse (Jan Powers), Eumundi or many others and you will be wrong. This is more like an Asian market transported to Australia.
The stalls are temporary affairs on trestle tables. The stall operators are largely Asian, I recognised Thai and Vietnamese, I suspect other nationalities too. The lady in the picture has a very traditional Vietnamese sun hat.

Produce is just placed on the trestles and sold in bunches. Very Asian.

I do wonder how this passes health inspection, but I am not arguing.
On the tables I could see many of the Asian fruits and vegetables that I would expect to find in Asia such as Rambutan, Jack fruit, Bitter Melon, and produce that I have only seen in Asia such as Black Rice pudding.
The market covers the front and arcade area. I purchased a Green papaya salad. For those who know me that is a defining foodie experience for me. It is one of the things that I miss from Thailand and have spent much time at home trying to perfect a home made version. I no longer need to. The salad was prepared in front of me, the papaya shredded and the ingredients pounded and mixed into a mortar. It was a generous serve. I will be back.

Outside there is a hot food area and seating. The hot food is pretty much what you may expect i.e. deep fried things, chips, spring rolls and satay, curries etcetera. Also lots of very healthy options, such as  fruit and vegetable juices. Also a range of Malaysian Laksa and Asian noodle soups. What I did see here that I have never encountered before were super sized spring rolls. These were huge. Bigger than a Chicko roll. Almost big enough to be a meal on it's own. I have no idea how these developed from the standard spring roll, but I have now encountered them several times in the course of the day.

 

The Bludger is in food heaven.