April the 22nd, 2024 – The second edition of the popular Asian Street Food Festival is rapidly approaching. Here’s what you can expect this May.
From May the 6th to the 12th, a mouthwatering rhapsody of exotic flavours and the most prestigious foods ever presented at a street food festival will arrive at Trg Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Zagreb.
Are you eager for an explosion of exotic flavours that will transport you directly from Zagreb to the bustling streets of Southeast Asia? Are you attracted by the culinary harmony of crunchy freshness and juicy satisfaction, the precision and skill of a sushi master, or the invigorating ramen that promises a symphony of flavours with every bite?
Would you like to experience a unique opportunity to taste first-class Adriatic bluefin tuna in a street food format?
If your answer to all of the above is an emphatic yes! then we have some great news for you: the second Asian Street Food Festival is coming back! As stated above, from the 6th until the 12th of May, Zagreb’s Trg Josip Juraj Strossmayer will once again celebrate thousand-year-old Asian cultures and traditions through an unrivalled splendour of exotic flavours and aromas.
Visitors will be able to enjoy juicy bao buns, hearty gyoza, creamy curry, aromatic pad thai, creative sushi rolls, popular Japanese ramen, tuna tartar and tuna katsu sandwiches made from premium bluefin tuna. These are just some of the foods that will be presented in one place during the second Asian Street Food Festival.
There will also be irresistible honey chilly chicken, delicious tikka masala, enchanting Korean fried chicken and hot dogs, delicious mochi ice cream, crispy som tum papaya salad, refreshing mango fruit salad and sticky rice, crispy prawns in tempura, juicy vegetable spring rolls, top tropical cocktails, authentic Thai lemonades, popular bubble tea, Crobucha kombucha, exotic spritzes and cocktails with yuzu citrus… (and we could go on!)
After last year’s exceptional success of the first Asian Street Food Festival in the region dedicated exclusively to Asian cuisine and culture, the organisers from Kokoš ili jaje brought together passionate and excellent representatives of Asian cuisine this year again. They then gave them the task of putting a particular dish or food item in the special focus of their offer. Thus, visitors to 10 different houses will have the opportunity to taste the highest quality foods and a truly rich and diverse selection of traditional and favourite dishes from China, Japan, Thailand, India, Korea, Malaysia and so on. At the second consecutive Asian Street Food Festival, visitors in Zagreb can expect:
Curry House by Tuk Tuk Express
Gyoza bar by Purple Monkey
Pad Tai by Thai Thai
Tuna & Bar by Picnic
Ramen House ZU KU JI
Sushi by Soho Sushi
K Dogs by K Dogs
Bao Buns by Jellyfish in space
Jingle Bells
Central Bar
Another surprise gastro participant is also announced, accompanied by a very rich programme: Metro will bring a fun themed food quiz, Asian motifs will be displayed at the Pinelli & Vino workshop, Marikomerc will donate one whole bluefin tuna to Udruga (Association) Down Zagreb, which will be the star of the show with chef Marijo Mihelj. Socialising with the those from within the association will also take place.
Towards the end of the second Asian Street Food Festival, 200 oysters will be distributed along with Reserva Royal sparkling wine, live performances by Zagreb Street Art artists await us, and, as always, a carefully designed music programme and performances by top DJs under the creative baton of Ozren Kanceljak are ready to perform for the crowds.
The festival itself will be officially opened by the honorary consul of the Kingdom of Thailand, Dr. Stjepan Ćurić, and visitors will be able to enjoy a performance by a traditional Thai dance group. During the festival, after enjoying some excellent Asian delicacies, you will be able to relax with a traditional Thai massage, and along the way, get a chance to win a trip to Thailand.
During the entire duration of the Asian Street Food Festival, whichever dish you choose, you’ll be able to enjoy top-quality Kikkoman soy sauces, which is the official sauce of the festival, and the exotic flavours will be accompanied by a rich offer of top-quality drinks at the Central Bar, led by Staropramen and Grif beer. There will be selected wines, brandies, sake, popular bubble tea, and as always, a wide selection of carbonated and non-carbonated non-alcoholic beverages on offer.
Crobucha Kombucha, a sparkling, refreshing non-alcoholic drink based on black and green tea, also awaits visitors at the Central Bar. This ancient elixir originating from Asia is an increasingly popular alternative to juices (including alcohol), and is credited with positive effects on immunity and improving digestion.
Crobucha Kobucha was created in synergy with organically grown aromatic herbs and fruits from Croatian islands and small, local producers. Each of the five flavours is an ode to a specific Croatian island. Original cocktails and quality refreshments will be provided by the creative team at the Gingle Bells booth. For this edition of the Asian SFF, they’re also preparing themed Yuzu Spritz, Yuzu Gin and Yuzu Mojito – made from the Yuzu citrus fruit, which is globally one of the trendiest foods in gastronomy. It mainly grows in Japan, Korea and China.
More details about the participants and the gastronomic offer of the Asian Street Food Festival:
Curry House by Tuk Tuk Express
This is the premier participation in the Asian Street Food Festival for this small pan-Asian restaurant located at the top of Tkalčićeva Street in Zagreb. It’s precisely from this location that it wins the hearts (and stomachs) of visitors with its diversity and authentic flavours. It offers Asian dishes from Korea to Thailand and Malaysia, and with great combinations of authentic spices and local ingredients, it introduces its diners to a world of incredible flavours. While their food tends towards a traditional expression, every dish has a small dose of modernity thrown in.
At the Asian Street Food Festival, they will offer their Tikka Masala Rice Bowl – a flavourful and aromatic dish with soft chicken served on steamed rice, accompanied by a creamy tikka masala sauce and the addition of fresh coriander. Then there’s the Honey Chilli Chicken – an irresistible dish of crispy honey chilli chicken, served over steamed rice, drizzled with a homemade sweet and spicy honey chilli sauce and garnished with chopped scallions for added flavour and texture. They will also be serving Korean Fried Chicken – crispy fried chicken doused in homemade sweet and spicy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. At Curry House by Tuk Tuk Express, you’ll also be able to taste some homemade lemonades: Blue Lagoon, Mango lemonade and Raspberry lemonade.
Gyoza bar by Purple Monkey
After winning over the visitors of the first Asian Street Food Festival last year, Purple Monkey is going to be making its second appearance. Once again, it plans to take its visitors to distant places with its dishes and flavours. The philosophy of their gastronomic destination in Tomašićeva is balanced dishes inspired by original Asian flavours and methods of preparation, but packaged in a completely new guise. “China joins Thailand and Vietnam on our plates,” they revealed. The Asian Street Food Festival will offer gyoza with sauce (a menu of 6 pieces, a menu of 12 pieces and a menu of 24 pieces), then Tempura shrimp with sauce and Mochi ice cream balls.
Pad Thai by Thai Thai
After last year’s success, this Thai street food restaurant, which offers authentic Thai flavours at two locations in Zagreb, is returning to the Asian Street Food Festival. At this year’s edition, their focus will primarily be placed on Pad Thai Chicken, a favourite fried noodle dish that perfectly balances spicy tastes with a touch of sweetness.
Then comes their Som Tum Papaya Salad with Fried Chicken Wings which is a tempting mix of crunchy vegetables: green papaya, carrots, scallions, fresh cucumber, spicy fish sauce and the perfect hint of chilli. Paired with juicy fried chicken wings, Som Tum is a culinary harmony of crunchy freshness and juicy satisfaction that promises a symphony of flavours with every single bite.
For vegetarians, they have prepared home-made spring rolls which, gently wrapped in a light, crispy dough, reveal a symphony of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs. Their sweet and spicy sauce brings an explosion of flavours that will mentally transport you to the bustling streets of Southeast Asia. Whether as a snack or a meal, these spring rolls are a wonderful culinary journey you don’t want to miss out on taking. For a sweet ending, there is the amazing Mango fruit salad + sticky rice. This classic Thai dessert contains sweet slices of mango, strawberries and blueberries on a layer of warm, sticky rice infused with creamy coconut milk.
Tuna&bar by picnic
In cooperation with the company Pelagos, the team from the well-known Picnic in Zadar is extremely happy that they managed to ensure the presence of Adriatic bluefin tuna at this year’s Asian Street Food Festival.
“By uniting three Zadar companies: Pelagos, Kroštula and Picnic, we’re bringing this extremely special food item to the festival at a very reasonable price,” they pointed out.
Young individuals of bluefin tuna are caught in the Jabučka basin and raised for eighteen months. Fishing with the Japanese technique of ike jime, the tuna doesn’t feel pain or fear. This is unmodified sushi/sashimi A+ quality tuna, and all Pelagos products are IFS higher level, Kosher and Halal certified and thus suitable for consumers with specific dietary requirements.
The world-famous Nobu chain, co-owned by Robert de Niro, also serves Adriatic bluefin tuna in its restaurants. Although almost the entire amount of this first-class tuna gets exported to foreign markets, a certain amount is left for the Croatian market to enjoy, and it will have a special presentation at the Picnic house as part of the Asian Street Food Festival.
“In this way, the goal is to present top-quality food from the Croatian Adriatic, through meal formats inspired by Asian flair”, they stated from Picnic. They will make two dishes from this first-class fish: Tuna katsu sando – tuna steak in panko crumbs, Asian salad, teriyaki mayo and sesame, served in brioche bread created for them by Kroštula and Boogie Lab.
Then comes their amazing Tuna tartar sando – tuna tartar with fermented soy paste, poke sauce, teriyaki mayo and sesame, also served in brioche bread from Kroštula and Boogie Lab. Picnic continuously promotes the policy of affordable quality, so dishes containing the much desired Adriatic bluefin tuna will come at a cost of just €8.50.
In addition to this year’s tuna delicacies, they’ll also offer their tasty sweet potato fries, which have become their trademark. From their drinks offer, they will once undoubtedly again stand out with their creative and innovative cocktails.
This spring, Picnic will present Roza, a spring cocktail based on gin, strawberries and Degarra rose wine. A refreshing drink made by taste master Ivan Karačić (the creator behind the mega-popular Panetonne cocktail at Advent in Zagreb) in several steps. By macerating spring strawberries in an alcohol base, it enriches the taste and aromas. After maceration, all of the cocktail ingredients are cooked in a vacuum using the sous vide technique for 2 hours at 55 degrees Celsius. After two days of the process, the cocktail is ready to enjoy. It’s ideal for hot weather, as it is both refreshing and drinkable. Who wouldn’t want to try that?
ZU KU JI Ramen House
ZU KU JI Ramen house, which was founded with the desire to enrich the ramen offer in Zagreb, is happy to present its premiere at the Asian Street Food Festival this year. They will present three different types of ramen, each of which is complex in its own way, and specific to a certain region of Japan.
They will be: Tonkotsu Hakata, Shoyu and Miso Chicken ramen, each priced at €15. Tonkotsu Hakata Ramen is a relatively new type of ramen, most popular in southern and western Japan, especially in Fukuoka, where it originated. It is also known as Hakata ramen, after the district where it was created, and is specific for the long process of cooking pork bones between 12 and 16 hours in order to obtain a rich and creamy taste.
Shoyu Ramen is most popular in northern and eastern Japan, especially in Tokyo, where it originated. Shoyu ramen means that it is made by boiling soy sauce, and has a saltier and spicier taste. Miso Chicken Ramen originates from the Sapporo area of the Hokkaido region, and is named after the main ingredient. This ramen is characterised by a very strong and rich taste. In addition to all of that, in cooperation with one of the best cocktail bars in Croatia – Peaches & Cream – cocktails were created that will be on daily offer during the Asian Street Food Festival at the ZUKUJI Ramen house.
Sushi by SOHO Sushi
The well-known and beloved Soho Sushi, located in Palmotićeva Street and part of the famous Good Food, is participating in the Asian Street Food Festival for the second year in a row. It will bring its handmade sushi rolls to Zagreb’s residents and visitors. For them, sushi is a delicate dance between skill and precision in which each roll becomes a work of art. After visitors were delighted by Soho Aloha last year – rolls with tuna, pineapple, avocado and a special sauce, we’re naturally looking forward to tasting the creations they have prepared for this edition of the Asian Street Food Festival.
Korean Hot Dog by K Dogs
After the exceptional success at the first edition of the Asian Street Food Festival, K Dogs is set to offer visitors an authentic Korean hot dog again this year. This dish is delicious, crispy on the outside, and at the same time creamy on the inside, a little spicy. It will offer four flavours: classic with hot dog, Half&Half – a combination of hot dog and mozzarella, then Mozza – only with mozzarella, and Cheese Lover, which has a filling of a combination of melted cheddar and mozzarella, and all of them have an ultra-crispy coating.
bao buns by jellyfish in space
Last year, they delighted the visitors of the Asian Street Food Festival with their unique sushi rolls and cocktails, and this year they are focused on bao buns! This talented team regularly attracts praise in their Street Food & Cocktail Bar in Martićeva, and their main motto is “We connect inextricably”.
Naturally, we can’t wait to taste their rhapsody of flavours this year. Their impressive and enticing offer will include: Bao Buns Pork – steamed buns with slow-roasted pulled pork, cabbage in cream and mayonnaise sauce, and pickled carrots in soy. This is all followed closely by Bao Buns Salmon – where steamed buns embrace kimchi, spicy mayo, salmon, togarashi, tobikko and cucumbers. They will also have Futomaki surimi, Uramaki Crispy salmon, and tempura prawns, as well as three themed cocktails: Mango tiki, Tropical heaven and Jelly lagoon, all three with a strong emphasis on fruity notes, perfect for spring and summer.
Entry to the second Asian Street Food Festival is free, and food and events can be enjoyed every day from the 6th to the 12th of May, from 12:00 to 00:00. For more info, follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram!
