Asian food stores

rascal

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caseydog raised the subject and it got me thinking, here down under we are blessed with medium Kosco stores to big stores like gurujis. I can get almost anything I want. I have 3 medium stores within 5 kms. Also 2 very big ones in town. ( 20kms).
Do you have a local Asian store and able to get most things?

Russ
 
Any Asian markets around here are very, very small. The best Asian "store" around here would be within the humongous international market about an hour away.
 
We are eating a lot of Japanese so I've been visiting ours and learning a lot. The okonomi BBQ sauce is delicious with rice. I'm eating more rice. Need to check out Korean sections.

Russ
 
We have a lot of Asian stores around, most are small to medium size (the one that's closest to us). But, there is a huge one about 20 minutes away. It's the size of a regular supermarket. That's where we get geoducks, Dungeness crabs, razor clams, etc. They have all kinds of interesting ocean life in their fish department, including jellyfish. They even have durian in their produce department on occasion, as well as other interesting kinds of veges/fruits.

If we are looking for something we haven't bought before, the phone is always out with pictures of various brands of the product we are looking for as it can be very hard to find an employee that speaks English, and the labels quite often don't have any English on them or it's in very small type.
 
We have a lot of Asian stores around, most are small to medium size (the one that's closest to us). But, there is a huge one about 20 minutes away. It's the size of a regular supermarket. That's where we get geoducks, Dungeness crabs, razor clams, etc. They have all kinds of interesting ocean life in their fish department, including jellyfish. They even have durian in their produce department on occasion, as well as other interesting kinds of veges/fruits.

If we are looking for something we haven't bought before, the phone is always out with pictures of various brands of the product we are looking for as it can be very hard to find an employee that speaks English, and the labels quite often don't have any English on them or it's in very small type.

Yeah I too have encountered Asian owners who don't speak English well. I asked for Japanese Mayo but got given wasabi Mayo, not nice!! But now I know what I'm looking for, or if a young person working there, their English is pretty good.

Russ
 
I find a lack of desire too help non-Chinese speakers. There are many things I'd like to try, but have no idea what they are.
 
I live in a rapidly growing suburb of a rapidly growing city, so all kinds of new things are available to me that were not around ten years ago.

We have and Asian supermarket that is part of a regional chain. It seem very traditional to me, including tanks full of live fish you can have dispatched to order. They also have a pretty good-looking selection of Wagyu beef that I'm really wanting to play with.

We also have a big Indian Market that is also part of a regional chain, but I'm not a fan of Indian food, so I haven't bothered to go there.

I eat a LOT of rice, but that comes from the time I spent growing up on the Texas Gulf coast. Actually, Texans in general eat a lot of rice. Rice is a major money crop in Texas, and is popular in several genres of cooking -- Cajun, Tex-Mex, Mexican as a few. If all you can afford is a bag of rice and a sack of beans, you have a week's worth of meals in Texas.

What we do NOT have in my particular suburb is a good Mexican Supermercado. I have to drive 20 miles for a decent one -- 30 miles for a good one. That's what I am waiting for.

CD
 
I find a lack of desire too help non-Chinese speakers. There are many things I'd like to try, but have no idea what they are.

The trick to shopping in many ethnic market, and especially Asian markets is to look for young employees. I don't know the the reasons, I just know that a young person born into an Asian family, who has grown up in the West is likely to know the food, and help you find the right product, in a language you understand.

The same is true here in Texas with Mexican stores. The younger employees know the products, and can talk fluently about it with you.

I am sure it would be the same for a middle-aged Asian or Mexican person thrown into an American Supermarket. They would do better if they met someone who knew their language, and American food culture.

Language barriers can be frustrating. But, if you are willing to invest some time and effort, you can find a way through it.

CD
 
Even the young people for the most part don't seem to speak English in most of the Asian markets here. I think they hire recent immigrants for probably min wage, if that and I know it's not legal, but..., who then move on as they learn English. Our best bet so far has been younger Asian customers who don't look like they are in a hurry and usually seem happy to help when asked.
 
Even the young people for the most part don't seem to speak English in most of the Asian markets here. I think they hire recent immigrants for probably min wage, if that and I know it's not legal, but..., who then move on as they learn English. Our best bet so far has been younger Asian customers who don't look like they are in a hurry and usually seem happy to help when asked.

Never overlook other customers who seem receptive to conversations. People who like good food seem to always be interested in helping.

CD
 
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