Bay Area Specialty Markets

[Macarons&Mozart]

What are some good places to find specialty produce? Right now, I am looking for the ever elusive fresh Yuzu, as well as Sudachi (Japanese lime-like citrus). Any spottings in the Bay area? I'm in Palo Alto, so something nearby would be great, but I'm willing to trek over to the city if necessary.

I'm also looking for fresh Pandan leaf. The wonderful, sweet fragrance drives me crazy!

And also, what about specialty Chinese items like dried abalone, dried scallops, and good quality dried shark's fin? I'm sure these are to be found in Chinatown, but do you have any favorite stores that I should look up?

Fresh specialty mushrooms (porcini, chanterelle, matsutake, etc) would be great too! (And truffles if possible, so that I don't have to pay shipping, or buy 4 oz at a time!).

If you have any special markets in the Bay area that you like, please share! I am new to the area, so I'm just getting used to things. Thanks!!

Rob

[mcdowell]

I don't know where to go in Palo Alto, but I lived in Cupertino for a long while.

I really liked Marina Grocery on Bandley Drive (just off Stevens Creek, west of where it crosses De Anza). Large, extremely clean, and well stocked with all of your Asian produce and fish needs.

Between Marina Grocery, the Whole Foods up the block, and Trader Joe's there on Foothill, most of your specialty needs can be covered within a couple of mile radius.

Man, I miss California.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'm afraid I never get to the Peninsula, but here in the city, many of those ingredients are available at Nijiya Market (Japanese) and at 99 Ranch Market in Richmond.

[djyee100]

Here's a list of Asian markets in the Bay Area as compiled by Thai cooking teacher Kasma Loha-Unchit. http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/markets.html I visited the markets in Oakland Chinatown with Kasma when I took her intensive summer cooking course two years ago, and those stores were good (so was her cooking course).

[hzrt8w]

.....

And also, what about specialty Chinese items like dried abalone, dried scallops, and good quality dried shark's fin?  I'm sure these are to be found in Chinatown, but do you have any favorite stores that I should look up? 

.....

←

As for shopping for Chinese dried food ingredients... The best is to shop in Chinatown San Francisco - in terms of price and quality. I feel that while I can go to other shops in other places, but since I don't shop for those ingredients too often (like once a year, because I can buy enough that lasts me a long time), the best is to wait until I visit San Francisco. In SF Chinatown, many of these shops are along Stockton Street, between Jackson and Broadway. The prices for stuff are very competitive. Just shop around and use your eyes to compare. The one I usually go to, and sorry I can't provide the business name - because I am a visual person I only memorize spatial relationships... - the shop is on Stockton St., between Pacific and Broadway on the East side. It has a big storefront and very bright inside. You can't miss it. They have all kinds of shark fins (whole variety of price range), dried mushrooms, dried scallops, oysters, etc.. The staff are friendly. I shop there. I do go to other smaller shops nearby too - I had shopped enough times to know which store offers the best deal for what item. :-)

Edited September 12, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[hzrt8w]

If you go to do some shopping along Stockton Street in San Francisco Chinatown, here are 2 more specialty food shops that are worth dropping by:

Gourmet Delight BBQ

1045 Stockton Street

(415) 392-3288

(it is between Washington and Clay on the uphill side)

They have the best Cantonese BBQ items I have found in California.

Roast Pork ~$5 to $6 a pound, best! Must try!

Cantonese split (flat) roast duck, ~$12 each. Best! Must try!

Cantonese roast duck (regular), ~$10 each

BBQ pork, very good

Soya sauce chicken, $3 each, very good

White boiled chicken

etc...

And just right across the street (the downhill side of Stockton St):

AA Bakery

It offers the best Hong Kong style bakery (e.g. bread, pineapple bao, curry puff, mooncake, etc.) I have found in the SF area.

Here is a picture of the shop:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1007357

Edited September 12, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[rykomatsu]

What are some good places to find specialty produce?  Right now, I am looking for the ever elusive fresh Yuzu, as well as Sudachi (Japanese lime-like citrus).  Any spottings in the Bay area?  I'm in Palo Alto, so something nearby would be great, but I'm willing to trek over to the city if necessary. 

I'm also looking for fresh Pandan leaf.  The wonderful, sweet fragrance drives me crazy!

And also, what about specialty Chinese items like dried abalone, dried scallops, and good quality dried shark's fin?  I'm sure these are to be found in Chinatown, but do you have any favorite stores that I should look up? 

Fresh specialty mushrooms (porcini, chanterelle, matsutake, etc) would be great too!  (And truffles if possible, so that I don't have to pay shipping, or buy 4 oz at a time!). 

If you have any special markets in the Bay area that you like, please share!  I am new to the area, so I'm just getting used to things.  Thanks!!

Rob

←

Nijiya in San Jose has Sudachi, $1.99 per fruit, as well as matsutake so I would think that the one in Mountain View would have them as well on El Camino north of 85 across the street from the BMW dealership.

They MIGHT have dried Yuzu zest and Yuzu oil, and I do recall them having the fruit as well a few years back.

(if you can't tell from your other thread and this one, I love nijiya )

-RK

[melkor]

Call suruki in San Mateo, they've got fresh yuzu in season and can get you nearly anything if you call in advance. I buy all my fish there. I much prefer it to Nijiya and Mitsuwa.