Market Friday - Brunei's Pasar Malam Gadong

My market story began when my housemate and I planned a farewell potluck party for a dear friend who is departing Brunei for good. As both of us are busy at work and the celebration was on a Friday, we decided to just go buy food at Pasar Gadong. We don't have time to prepare or cook anything.
Fridays are a no-go in the kitchen for both of us.

So the day came, and we set out for Pasar Gadong. I arrived first as I went there straight from work. While walking towards the entrance, I was thinking of what food to buy when suddenly Hive's Friday Market popped on my mind.What amazing timing and opportunity to take photo shots! Wooooooop. 😊

The Pasar Malam Gadong( Gadong Night Market ) is the country's largest market, attracting a significant number of locals and visitors every night of the year. It is open every day from 4 p.m. to midnight, showcasing the finest Bruneian food and culture. The night market is a popular attraction in Brunei's Gadong business sector, which serves as the working-class counterpart to the nearby, more expensive The Mall. I like buying food there as it is inexpensive, clean and vibrant.

A cute stray puppy met me as I walked towards the Pasar. He was wagging his tail, bouncing up and down, and even playfully biting my legs. I did play with him for a little while 'til a man behind me urged me to take him home. I'd love to, but I choose not to because having them around is a responsibility. Being an ex-pat and all, it isn't easy. So the poor pup followed me until I had to shoo him away since dogs are not permitted inside.😔

The drinks were the first food stall I photographed. There are several fruit and cold drink options suitable for tropical weather. It's tasty and refreshing, and it's huge. Each one costs $1. My favourite one is the coconut juice and the lemon one.

There are numerous soup options in Brunei, There's Bakso and there's Soto. Honestly, this two always confuse me as they so looked alike. Let me try and have a go at differentiating them. Soto usually has no beef meatballs, instead has either beef or chicken as toppings. Both Bakso and Soto are cooked in beef broth and seasonings and that's what makes them similar. Eeeeeeek, I hope I got that right.😅

The grilled meat and fish area is our absolute favourite. Definitely not overlooking the Satay ( chicken, lamb or beef ), Kelupis in beef or prawn, Pais, Nasi Katok, and Nasi Penyet. Nasi means rice by the way.

We bought chicken wings, chicken liver, and fish. Because chicken butts (Tungking) are my favourite, I got three skewers and ate them in the car on the way home. I could not wait, I know! 🤤🙃

Next were the little snacks as they say, but for me were kinda not that 😅🙃
The most common ones in Pasar Gadong are Pulut panggang, Cucur pisang (banana fritters), and noodle dishes like meehon, kueh teow and meegoreng. Western dishes such as fries, burgers, and chicken wings are also offered.

Finally, but by no means least, DESSERT!
While there are several options, I feel the Kuih was the most popular
( Malay cake varieties ). Cendol is also well-known, and it's a shame not having a photo of it!

If you made it this far, thank you for reading, and I hope you have had a meal already while scrolling my post.😅

Thank You @dswigle for this amazing #marketfriday community.

😊😍
chichi18