Dandenong Market was transformed into a huge food market on Sunday, March 2, 2013.

It was fun wandering around the different stalls, sampling little morsels before deciding what to eat for our late lunch.

Most dishes cost $5, making it one of the most affordable events of the festival,

The Vietnamese crispy soft-shell crab and salad was a good starter which was followed by a hearty amei tha nhi aloo hin or beef and potato curry with rice from the Free Burma Cafe.

The coconut bomb dessert was suitably sweet, encasing a shredded coconut filling.

Dining was a simple stand-up affair at the tables formed from timber pallets, what a great idea, and fresh flowers in vases made from tin cans provided a colourful touch.

There was a delightful multicultural representation of restaurants and cafes from surrounding areas, and we wished we could have tried them all, including Afghan curries, Vietnamese noodles, Indian fare, food from Turkey, Africa, Taiwanese street snacks and more.

More meanderings led to tastings at Rye Crust bakery with its array of traditional European breads, such as Polish rye, spelt, German pretzels, eggless cakes and Black Forest cake.

My palate and I will certainly be visiting these restaurants and cafes pretty soon.