Dusk is on its way, and the sky is beautiful: soft baby blues shifting into golden hues with dusty pink. We’re walking towards Haldon Street in Lakemba, and in the distance, I see hundreds of people and dozens of tents. My heart starts to race, my excitement levels rise, and I almost break into a jog – except that would look weird. Two things are running through my mind. One: is this how Charles Leclerc feels before a race? And two: man, I am ready to do some serious eating.
Lakemba Nights Ramadan Market is in full swing, kicking off at sunset to mark iftar, the fast-breaking feast for people of Islamic faith. It’s one of Sydney’s most popular, vibrant and culturally diverse events, drawing thousands of people every night. Market stalls serve food from all over the world, including Indonesia, Burma, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Cocos Islands, India, Syria, Mexico and more. This year, Lakemba Nights runs Thursday to Sunday, from 6pm to 2am (you can find out more here).
Time Out Sydney hit Haldon Street to bring you the five must-try dishes (plus one drink) at Lakemba Nights – and one I reckon you can skip.
View this post on Instagram
Kashmiri chai
My eyes were instantly drawn to a huge pot of bubble gum-pink chai – you can’t miss it. Originating from the Kashmiri region in the Indian subcontinent, Kashmiri chai (or pink tea) gets its striking colour from a reaction between baking soda and chlorophyll in the green tea leaves, not from artificial colouring. Creamy, sweet, with a hint of salt, it’s flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then finished with chopped pistachios for a bit of crunch. I remember drinking small cups of hot, aromatic chai in India more than a decade ago, and this one tasted just as good. Plus, it’s cute.
Momos
I find it incredibly difficult to walk past this Nepalese street food favourite without ordering some – and the momos at Lakemba Nights were juicy, spiced and moreish. Similar to Chinese dumplings, they have a soft wrapper and a meat filling flavoured with onion, garlic and ginger. They’re served with a fruity chilli sauce with the right amount of heat. My tip? Get a serving each so you can double dip as you please.
Murtabak
Murtabak is a stuffed, panfried flatbread popular throughout Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India. Inside is filled with a combination of meat, egg and vegetables, including onion, and the exterior is bronzed and crisp. It’s kind of like a cross between an omelette and a gozleme. My chicken murtabak came cut up in segments, so I could eat it with one hand, and topped with slices of raw white onion, fresh coriander, green chilli and a lime segment, which brought freshness, acidity, heat and brightness. Loved it, would order again.
Knafeh
A dessert featuring sweet cheese doesn’t sound that appealing, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this popular Middle Eastern treat. Shredded phyllo dough is layered on top of sweet melted cheese, and topped with a floral sugar syrup and crushed pistachios. The result is a super cheesy interior with a wispy, crisp exterior that looks similar to shredded coconut. I went to Albasha Knafeh & Coffee, which has become so popular it’s now set up with its own light stand to capture content. The stallholder serves the knafeh as if he’s a star on Broadway, raising his eyebrow while smiling and sprinkling crushed pistachios, just like Salt Bae, the viral Turkish butcher and chef. But he’s Knafeh Bae.
Satay skewers
Meat on skewers getting kissed by flames are everywhere you look at Lakemba Nights, and they do a damn fine job of turning on your hunger switch. I went to Island Dreams Cafe, a nominee in this year’s Time Out Sydney’s Food & Drink Awards for Best Cheap Eat, which serves food from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Marinated overnight, the meat is threaded onto bamboo skewers and cooked over hot coals until charred. It’s served with a delicious nutty satay that has a great depth of flavour, as well as chopped cucumber and purple onion for freshness and crunch, and cubes of lontong (compressed rice) to make sure no sauce goes to waste. Honourable mention goes to Madura Satay, whose Indonesian satay skewers looked incredible, but the line less so.
Shahi Wraps
They say it’s good to live without regrets, but I disagree. If I have one regret from my visit to Lakemba Nights, it’s not heading straight to stall number one: Shahi Wraps. And by the time I got there, I was too full: my jeans were about to burst open.
Here, soft, thin roti is quickly cooked on a dome-shaped iron griddle before being filled with your choice of succulent, spiced meat coated in a sauce – from a creamy, rich number to a vibrant green herb-packed one. Think: Indian Home Diner’s wraps – but better. Honestly, I’m still thinking about it. Next time.
Camel burger
Camel burgers are a classic Lakemba Nights order, and the line for Ramadan Camels – which has been selling them for nearly two decades – is one of the longest at the markets. I may get cancelled for saying this, but I didn’t love it. The patty tasted overworked, so it was chewy instead of tender, and the creamy sauce made it taste like a Big Mac. Though, they were super busy, so that could have been a factor. If you’re craving Maccas and you’re hungry, it’s still a solid choice. But I reckon you can skip the long line and head elsewhere.
Other things to note:
- This is a culturally significant event for people of the Islamic faith, so it’s important to be kind, respectful and dress conservatively
- Parking can be difficult; though, in saying that, we managed to find one. Note: we had to walk about 20 minutes to get to the markets. Free shuttle buses are available, and you can find out more here
- There is no alcohol at these markets
- All stallholders I went to accepted cards
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.