At a food party: Popup Markets teams up with WonderPho

On any given night, the city opens up to countless unexpected food journeys that tickle the palate of any epicurean. Such was true when Popup Markets hosted one of their food parties at WonderPho, a modern Vietnamese restaurant, located at York Mills and Don Mills, in North York.

Popup Markets, a new community dedicated to hosting events that promote local food and drink, chose the charming Vietnamese restaurant, WonderPho, as their target venue on the weekend. Decorated in Popup’s trademark light installation and cheeky Sriracha sauce carnival cutout, WonderPho supplied most of the snacks, while Popup kept the drinks flowing.

At its modern and elegant space, WonderPho Restaurant was also generous enough to showcase samplers of their various appetizers and mains. The tasting began with their spin of tortilla and guacamole: taro chips and avocado dip. The sampling continued with an assortment of deep fried appetizers, battered with the local brews that Popup Markets supplied.

Taro chips and avocado dip

Calamari

Viet Fried Chicken (VFC)

Pork Spring Rolls

Known for customizing your own pho, the menu at WonderPho offers half a dozen broths, ranging from mild (Pho Chay – vegetarian pho) to the more exotic (Pho Ca Ri – curry pho).

6 original broths by WonderPho

Finish off the pho order with your choice of noodles, meat, veggies, as well as other toppings and condiments, which will surely satisfy the pickiest noodle slurpers. I suggest trying the Pho Ga (chicken pho) for its clean and delicate taste, and to please any comfort food cravings. Of course, WonderPho also serves up the traditional Saigon style beef pho (Pho Bo) if you’re a purist.

My other favourite include the Sticky Rice Stuffed Chicken: aromatic rice wrapped by tender moist chicken pieces, the soft texture offset by the outer crispy chicken skin. The menu isn’t extensive or authentic, but it does many items well.

Sticky Rice Stuffed Chicken

For those looking for libations, Popup Markets provided a selection of beers from local microbreweries comprising of lagers, and wines from Pelee Island. Cleverly christened 905 Lager, this is the rival brew to Amsterdam’s 416 Lager, but made in the Markham region of course (by Amber Brewery). For those favouring sweeter concoctions, cocktails were also on the menu: Lemon Jasmine Julep and Sake Bombs. The Sake Bombs were the most fun to drink, as we propped up shots of sake using chopsticks, and dunked them into a glass of beer after pounding the table.

Sake Bombs

You can’t host a party without serving dessert. Surprisingly, Popup is known for their waffles. And man, do they have good waffles! A light batter with a delicately crispy exterior, the Waffles & Ice Cream was a delightful end to the night. I look forward to the next the food party the nomadic Popup Markets throws.