Words by Jean Claude Abas
The Little Saigon Market – opened in 1992 to cater for the growing Asian community – hides behind Hopkins Street, only a few minutes’ walk from Footscray Market.
Sometimes when you’re looking for a particular item that’s hard to get in your usual haunts and it seems to not be there, chances are it could potentially appear the following week. The great thing about Little Saigon is that if you are looking for a particular item for a recipe or dish and you are having trouble finding it at your local supermarket, chances are you’ll find it here.
What makes the Little Saigon Market different is that there is a mix, a variety of cultures that not only buy, but sell as well. The fresh produce is readily available at affordable prices.
Among the hidden gems you’ll find; a sugar cane drink shop just on the outside of the market, a little shop next to the entry called ‘Sun Wong Kee’ which sells a variety of food from cooked and raw to sweets, a shop that specialises in sweets called ‘To’s 2 Bread & Cake’, as well as takeaway restaurants such as ‘Co thu Quan’ and others inside and out.
Here is a list of things you didn’t know:
- Although Little Saigon is central to Footscray it is often overlooked.
- It can be a rewarding place to buy snacks – depending on how you feel – as each stall is different.
- It is a good place to shop for people who have moved locally or migrated, and also internationals who are looking for fresh produce
So next time you want to cook something that requires more ‘exotic’ ingredients, try Little Saigon Market – you might feel like you’re on holiday!
Feature photo Credit: David Porteus, a Kingsville based photographer. Flickr / davidporteus@hotmail.com
