After being re-introduced to Dandenong via a Public Art tour, I was eager to visit again soon. Our tour guide mentioned that he also did foodie tours around the greater Dandenong area, and also the Dandenong Market.
So I booked a tour of the Market and off we went.
The famous neon Dandy Pig welcomed us to the Market, from his home on the rooftop. He's been a part of Dandenong since 1950 and recently became more famous on a postage stamp.
Our tour, led by the Market's resident chef, Russell, took us through the food halls of the market, stopping to chat to the stallholders and taste samples of their wares.
From fragrant spices to tasty zaatar breads...
...to fishmongers and butchers, with customers thronging to buy their products...
...to the Dandee Donut van, where we inhaled one of these hot, sugary, jammy balls of deliciousness.
The tour was a great introduction to the market! We each got a shopping bag - inside was a market map, recipe leaflets, a jar of spice and a $5 voucher to spend in the market. Russell shared tips on purchasing, storing, and preparing produce from the market. He later did a one hour cooking demo in a dedicated area, The Kitchen, whipping up an Asian noodle dish before our eyes and giving the audience a sample of the dish, as well as a copy of the recipe.
We then headed off on our own to explore The Bazaar.
130 shops selling everything from lace to saris...
...second hand books...
...to handbags. I bought myself a new casual bag, its colours reminiscent of the foods I had just seen on the tour.
We were running out of time by this stage and could only do a quick look around the produce section, but we did manage to visit a few stalls and grab some fish from Schwarze and quality fruit and veg at very reasonable prices from these couple of stalls.
Taylors organic and conventionally grown produce...
...and Pikfresh Produce next to them, who have been here over 30 years...
...and made a mental note for next time, to save some room in the car for the bulk buy section in the back row. Boxes of fruit and veg at great prices.
We'll be back in a few weeks, Dandy Pig. I'm looking forward to visiting a few more stalls.
What: Market Tour
Where: Cleeland St, Dandenong
When: Tuesday and Friday 10:00am
Why: fresh produce
How Much: FREE
Related post: Public Art Walk
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