Rickshaw driver... take me to the grocery store.

I've told some of my friends about the discovery of the Asian grocery store. First of all, I'm no expert, I'm just sharing my experiences. I'm not about to search out the best and accidentally go into the worst of the stores just for the sake of a good blog. Second, not all Asian grocery store are alike. I've heard tales of the Hong Kong market on Bellaire but haven't made the trip there yet.

Round 1
I first went into one of these over on Bellaire after having shaved ice and I'm not going to lie, it was kind of scary. It was questionably dirty compared to my Bunkerhill HEB and I most things weren't marked in English. It was like my sister's shopping trips in Tunis for the first several times.

Round 2
There was a Fiesta on Blalock and I-10 and it closed down a year or so back. There is a new store that opened in the same location and I guess curiosity got to this cat. It all started out with my search for satsuma tangerines, which I'd never had but was told they had them. I couldn't help but notice lots of Asians walking in and out of the store and that made sense after I walked in... because its an Asian grocery store based out of Cali. Most of the items in the store are marked both in English and something Asian, I really can't tell you which of the Asian languages though.

Without going into too much detail, I'll describe this place. There's now a few different restaurants and stores at just inside the entrance and on weekends, there's normally a line for the food. They have sushi of different types and deli item. The produce area is not huge but has lots of different options and there's always at least one or two guys restocking produce. There's lots of frozen foods which I'm sure I couldn't figure out how to cook correctly. In the back of the place, you'll think you're at an aquarium because there's live fish in tanks, with crabs and lobster as tank neighbors. That should mean they're fresh, right? The meat market probably has any type of meat you'd like in different cuts and they have plenty you won't want also. They even sell a little Kobe beef for not too bad of a price. On the shelves, there's all sorts of sauces, jams, candy, etc, and let's not forget to mention the isle dedicated to noodles. On the way out, there's a bakery with mostly non-HEB like goods, but I've tried a few and they're mostly good.

I've been back several times and its still kind of an experience once I get out of the produce area. There's so many things I have no idea what they are but I go back few a few reasons. 1. The produce is normally fresh and really cheap. 2. Bakery and everything in it, even though I did play Asian pastry roulette and lost one time. 3. I'm not sure it always happens but one weekday night, I found sushi rolls marked down to $3-4. Overall, I'll go there when I want good cheap produce and pick-up a few thing with my veggies and fruit.

Here's what I bought on my last trip there: 5lb whole beef tenderloin, 2 bunch cilantro, 1 red onion, 1.25 lb large shrimp, 2 bunch green onion, brown Korean pear, red pepper, 2 limes, 2 huge Asian pears, 3 oranges, 4 avocados, 2 more smaller Asian pears, 4 yams and 4 kiwis. Total: $34 with tax. Several of the things I bought were on sale but still think its a great deal.

Warning: 99 RM can be a very crowded on weekends and the parking lot is not laid out well so be prepared.

Round 3:
My good friend Marjorie told me about a Korean grocery store, Super H Mart, just north of I-10 off Blalock and Westview. Its kind of similar to 99 RM, but has more Korean things, which are pretty strange. They like to pickle things? The store is not as big, but the produce areas is more spread out. The first time I went in there, I walked out with 1lb of sliced marinaded rib eye, mushrooms and refrigerator udon noodles. $7 and an hour later, I'm at home eating a quick stir-fry and having the leftover for lunch the following day. Marjorie and I went there for lunch not long after my 1st trip and had these hot stone rice stir-fry bowls.

Maybe you're not ready for the Asian grocery store but why not take a baby step. Pick-up an Asian pear next time at your own grocery store. They're one of my new favorites. Its kind of a mix between a normal pear and an apple. You might find them packaged in a styrofoam pear jacket and some of them are big enough to be shared with a friend.

At the end of every trip, other customers probably wonder why I'm leaving my Asian wife or girl friend in the store. I just keep on walking while reaching for whatever pastry is sitting on the top of the groceries in my reusable grocery bag.