Unicorn Buns To Honeycomb Slushes: What You Need To Eat At 626 Night Market This Weekend

The second of four 626 Night Markets of the year will be returning to the Santa Anita Park July 21 to 23 for another anticipated record-breaking event. The three-day night market has well surpassed 100,000 attendees this year. To put that in perspective, that means each 626 Night Market easily has more attendees than the Super Bowl attendee record set at Super Bowl XIV. As the original and largest Asian-themed night market in the United States, the 626 Night Market features more than 250 food, merchandise, crafts, arts, games, music, and entertainment attractions. But with any night market, the main attraction has always been the food. LAist was invited to an exclusive preview for the next 626 Night Market to check out what vendors would be bringing to the table. Of course, with any 626 Night Market, there will be a slew of new vendors and old favorites doing limited edition items as well as old, tried and true choices.

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Rainbow unicorn buns filled with your choice of chicken curry, BBQ pork cha siu, or veggies from Momma Fung’s & Co. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
UNICORN BUNS
It’s safe to say that Momma Fung & Co. will be one of the most photographed vendors at this upcoming 626 Night Market. There’s no denying the popularity of rainbow-colored unicorn food items. Everything from their pink unicorn hats, to their bao-covered nipple-pink shirts, screams “Instagram me!” The brand new business (and first-timer to the night market scene) will be debuting their rainbow bao buns. Choose from your choice of filling: cha siu (BBQ pork), tofu veggie, and chicken curry. The best part of the rainbow buns is that the colorful swirls don’t just stop on the outside—they swirl deep within. So break open your buns and snap away!

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Workaholic’s handcrafted rainbow colored all natural artisan Korean dumplings. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
KOREAN DUMPLINGS
Known for being a popular vendor at Smorgasburg and the Studio City Farmers Market, Workaholic creates handcrafted artisan Korean mandu (dumplings). The rainbow-colored dumplings are very large and are served over a bed of sesame-dressed salad. Workaholic’s dumplings use all fresh and high quality ingredients including organic vegetables. The dumplings are never frozen and artificial coloring is never used. The colors are achieved by using beet and other fruit/veggie juices. For the 626 Night Market, Workaholic will be doing a Beef Bulgogi mandu, a Spicy Pork Kimchi mandu, a Coconut Curry mandu, and a vegan option. One of the signature favorites is the Beef Bulgogi mandu, which is colored with purple cabbage juice and stuffed with BBQ beef, green onion, chives, potato noodle, and garlic marinated in soy sauce.

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Chick N’ Skin is serving fried crispy chicken skin done a variety of ways at the 626 Night Market. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN
There are few things in the world better than deep-fried chicken skin. Chick N’ Skin will be serving crispy chicken skin nachos and crispy chicken skin cones. Try their chicken skin nachos, which is essentially pieces of crispy chicken skin topped with hot nacho cheese and sour cream. If you want your chicken skin without the nacho sauce, you can order the cone option where the fried chicken skin is topped with your favorite flavor dipping sauce. Choose from Cheddar Cheese, Sweet N’ Spicy Tom Yum, BBQ Bacon, Chinese Salt & pepper, and Thai Herbs (Larb).

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Honey honey will be serving 6 different flavors of all-natural slushes made with 100% natural honey and topped off with a piece of local farmed honeycomb. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
HONEYCOMB SLUSHES
Honey honey is a newcomer that already has a loyal cult following. Despite only being a month old, Honey honey has become one of the most sought-after vendors at the Yamashiro Night Market and the Silver Lake Farmers Market. Owner Tony has over 15 years of experience in the food industry and is dedicated to making healthy drinks that are 100% natural. Tony will be bringing six slush flavors to the 626 Night Market: pina colada, strawberry, matcha, mango, coffee, and lemon ice slushes—which all have no artificial color, no artificial flavor, and no artificial sweeteners. They are made with 100% natural honey and topped off with a piece of local farmed honeycomb.

POTTED MILK TEA
Monterey Park dessert shop and café, Macchiato’s, will be making their signature potted milk tea drinks, liege waffles, as well as an array of other easy to eat finger foods. The potted milk teas are topped with whipped cream and Oreo cookie crumbs to make it look like a potted plant. Insta-worthy and tasty.

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For the 626 Night Market, Beta BOMs will be making Thai Tea S'Mores BOMs, Toasted Cereal and Milk BOMs, Matcha Peach Cream BOMs, and their signature Miso Butterscotch Mocha with Meringue Drops drink ith Meringue Drops drink. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
FRENCH CREAM PUFFS
Based in Orange County, Beta BOMsspecializes in a unique take on French cream puffs. Each BOM is a light, crispy puff shell filled with various pastry cream flavors. Their signature BOM flavor is the Chocolate Miso Butterscotch. For the 626 Night Market, Beta BOMs will be making Thai Tea S'Mores BOMs, Toasted Cereal and Milk BOMs, Matcha Peach Cream BOMs, and their signature Miso Butterscotch Mocha with Meringue Drops drink. They will also be making 200 limited edition Strawberry Honey Winnie BOMs in the shape of a teddy bear pop for the occasion. The creator, Chef Wendy Leung, comes from the renowned French Culinary Institute in New York City and has worked at Manhattan's Picholine, a 1-Star Michelin rated restaurant.

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Pizzushi will be making fusion sushi rolls such as Flaming Hot Cheetos Lobster Rolls among other unusual creations. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
HOT CHEETOS SUSHI
Pizzushiwill be making fusion sushi rolls such as Flaming Hot Cheetos Lobster Rolls with Taijin, “Kobe Beef” Pho Rolls, Sushi Pizza, Seaweed Nori Nachos, and a Hot N’Juicy Burrito Roll, which has a wrapped shrimp tempura inside.

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Handcrafted Ube (purple yam) Milkshakes topped with Fruity Pebbles, whip cream, wafer straw, ube marshmallow, ube heart bread (purple yam swirl bread), and chocolate syrup and topped with liquid nitrogen for added fun from Crescendo. (Photo by Kristie Hang/LAist)
UBE MILK SHAKE
Crescendo is playing with liquid nitrogen again and making handcrafted ube (purple yam) milkshakes topped with Fruity Pebbles, whipped cream, wafer straw, ube marshmallow, ube heart bread (purple yam swirl bread), and chocolate syrup. The ube shake is made using Crescendo’s exotic tea made from a blend of passionfruit, dragonfruit, and other bits of mixed fruit teas. In addition to the ube shake, Crescendo will also be making extravagant and Insta-worthy Oreo and Matcha shakes for the 626 Night Market.

In addition to the vendors mentioned above, Maccha Misu will be serving Matcha Tiramisu cakes and Iced Matcha Lattes. Their matcha is made using organic grass fed milk. Yellow Business will be serving Hong Kong-style waffles topped with ice cream. Pengo Drink Station will be making drinks in a spilt cup with unicorn floaties. Taiwan’s Hot Star Fried Chicken will be making their popular giant fried chicken cutlet. Fan favorite Okamoto Kitchen will be making their chef's special poke with avocado, green onion, seaweed, diced jalapeños, sesame seeds and a soy citrus/spicy garlic oil blend served over chilled soba noodles with your choice of tofu or tuna. Chana-Mana will be serving Thai-style tom yum wings, garlic wings, tamarind wings, as well as other fried Thai inspired foods. To learn more about the other vendors participating, visit http://www.626nightmarket.com.

626 Night Market is located at 285 West Huntington Drive in Arcadia. Admission: $3 Fridays & Sundays. $5 Saturdays. Tickets available at the gates. Children ages 6 and under free. Parking is free. Gates open at 4 p.m., and close at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 p.m. on Sunday.