** Update- This post is from 2013, some traders are no longer at the market, but there are plenty of new ons **
Noodle Wagon
I spoke to Gillian at the noodle wagon. When I visited, the noodle wagon had only been in operation for 3 days, but you wouldn't have believed it! The word on the street was that her noodles were amazing, and I had a chat with her to learn all about her new stall.
She creates noodles based on Asian, Japanese and Thai styles with a choice of Chicken, Beef, Pork or Tofu. She said how she uses mainly European ingredients, keeping with an Asian vibe, but with her own twist! She has been a chef for 25 years and after visiting the Exeter Street Food market and loving the vibe saw a gap for noodles and Asian food, and the Noodle Wagon was created! There was a mountain of fresh vegetables piled up in front of me in an array of beautiful colours. Gillian offers Teriyaki, Thai Green Curry, Spicy peanut, Black Bean and Chilli Garlic - all sound equally delicious! Gillian's dishes all sounded so delicious that I had a hard time choosing which wonderful flavour to go with. In the end I decided to have the chilli garlic sauce with chicken, and it was truly wonderful. The chicken was succulent, tender and melt in the mouth good, teamed with lashings of fresh crunchy vegetables, and egg noodles, all with the glorious sauce. The sauce had just enough spice to be noticeable, but not detract away from the flavours or leave a nasty burn in the mouth. If you like more spice, Gillian had lots of chillies on hand to make it to match your palate!
Eat Like a Greek
I have always loved Greek Food and I have been complaining that there just aren't enough places nearby that serve great Greek Food. Somebody must have been listening to me moaning, as now there is Eat Like a Greek. I visited the stall when it was only on its 3rd day of trading, but you wouldn't be able to tell. Run by Greek, Michael, the minute that you get near to the stall you can smell the wonderful flavours and the Greek music playing out, with Michael doing a little dance behind his stall! He has been working in the Kitchen of his restaurant in Samos, a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is clear how passionate he is about his food, and he decided to set up the stall to bring that wonderful food from Greece to the people of England. His stall is also equipped with his own Pythagorean cup, also known as a Greedy Cup. This cup allows the user to fill it with wine up to a certain level, meaning that everyone gets an equal share. If someone exhibits gluttony and fills it too much the cup spills its entire contents out of the bottom! I don't think I will be trying that one, I wouldn't end up drinking much wine and would have a wet lap!
Michael told me how he uses local meats, but a lot of his ingredients come direct from Greece, including their handmade Baklava. This is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry and filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup. I tried a hot one and it was absolutely delicious! I also had one of his kebabs. He described it as a perfectly balanced meal in your hand, wonderful flavours from his Samos oregano, home-made tzatziki wrapped in naan bread, covering all major food groups with carbs, protein and veg- and a great taste! The meat is full of flavour and the tzatziki is absolutely amazing. I will be spending a lot of time here during December! The kebabs are just £4.00, so an absolute bargain! Find them on Facebook
I have talked about Ice Americana in my previous write up, but we went back to try their Philly Cheese Steak- it was delicious! Mountains of rump steak with onions and peppers topped with cheese, coleslaw and chips! It was amazing, as soon as I finished I wanted more! The steak was cooked to perfection, not chewy at all and the chips on top just finished it off perfectly. It was also very reasonably priced for such a satisfying meal! Dan also runs Ice Artisan Gelato, making wonderful flavours of gelato and sorbet, all handmade and without any additives additives or nasty stuff- just pure, natural ingredients! I will be trying some and writing about it very shortly. Find Ice Americana on Facebook
I am making it my mission to eat from every stall, so watch this space for part 3!
You can find the Exeter Street Exeter Street Food & Innovations Market every day in December until the 23rd in the Guildhall in Exeter.
L x
