Little Mekong Night Market Celebrates Global Cuisine in St. Paul

Little Mekong Night Market, a culinary and cultural highlight of the summer, will return for its third year this Saturday and Sunday with more vendors and entertainment than ever. The two-night market, reminiscent of street markets abundant throughout Asia, is a vibrant mix of foods and crafts, not just from Southeast Asia, but East Africa and Latin America as well. Local vendors, food trucks and restaurants will showcase their wares on the corner of University and Western Saturday and Sunday. The Night Market, the brainchild of the Asian Economic Development Association, is free and family friendly. Plus, it's right on the Green Line (and you can ride the train for free.)

The Night Market is 5 PM to 10 PM Saturday July 23 and Sunday July 24.

Here are just a handful of the over two dozen food vendors you can expect to find at the Night Market this weekend.

East West Blend

This food truck takes a healthy approach to Asian classics like all fruit boba tea, magonada smoothies and peach and raspberry tea.

Tii Cup

Tii Cup has a two locations in the Twin Cities, where they specialize in authentic bubble tea, Taiwanese shaved snow and pick-your-own-flavor iced tea and iced milk tea. Try their signature Golden Milk Tea, which is a blend of black teas and non-dairy cream.

Pineapple chili lime pops from Frio Frio. Photo courtesy Facebook

Fun Fare eats. Photo courtesy Facebook

Silhouette Bakery and Bistro

The brand new eatery on University features fun desserts like little Japanese savory and sweet filled buns, gorgeous cupcakes, water mochi and more, along with and a savory menu. Pastry Chef Erika Trinh and her brother Eric Huynh opened the space just a few months ago, and hope the market's location right at their front door will help introduce St. Paul to their eclectic menu.

Highlight Crepes

Owner Noupheng Mouavangsou crafts crepes using French recipes and methods from the original French owner, but with an Asian twist. You'll have to go there to find out what that looks like.

Malaysian Kabob and Sausage Universe

That's a big name to live up to. Malaysian-Taiwanese sausages on a stick with a variety of sauces like sambal, honey lemon, parmesan curry and black bean, sure sound promising, and will certainly prepare Twin City bellies for the onslaught of meat-on-a-stick in our near future.

A sample of the Nigerian cuisine from Dischi's Kitchen. Photo courtesy Facebook

Dichi's Kitchen

Dichi's Kitchen is a caterer serving authentic Nigerian cuisine and more. Expand your horizons with steamed moin-moin, a West African bean pudding, sweet fried puff puff or spicy Egusi soup, a popular Nigerian Egusi melon seed concoction.