Han Ah Reum

[Rachel Perlow]

Forget Mitsuwa in Edgewater or Maxims on Route 46 in Parsippany or even Kam Man Food on RT 10 in East Hanover. We just found the best asian grocery store ever! It is a supermarket inside a Korean indoor shopping mall by the same name:

Han Ah Reum, 321 Broad Ave, Ridgefield, NJ (201) 943-9600.

On the way to dinner at Light House/Myung Ga, we spotted what looked like a Korean supermarket and decided to stop there after dinner. It is not just a food market, but a whole mall catering to the local Korean population. Just inside the main entrance is the supermarket, which is all we really explored.

Their produce section is excellent. Meat is available already cut for the dishes for which they are intended. Fabulous fish section. Let me go on about the fish. Absolutely no fishy smell was evident. Fish were displayed whole and on ice. I got my nose right up to a fluke and took a good sniff, too! There was also a big bin full of live blue crab (ū a pound) and a freezer chest with Alaskan King crab legs (ฟ/lb).

Behind the fish section are are bins of various marinated things. Not just kim chi, but dandelion greens, seaweed, fish, etc., given similar treatment. There are toothpicks out so you can sample the products in each bin. Most of the items are labeled in Korean and English, but be wary of items just in Korean. We noticed a gentleman sampling something with approval, so Jason tried it too. He thought he was about to try some kind of vegetable, but it turned out to be raw oysters. He was surprised, but he liked it!

All the perishables in the store seemed very fresh and more surprising, it is all quite reasonably priced. A lot of asian stores (emphasizing Mitsuwa here) jack up the prices. It's as if they import American goods that have previously been exported to Japan or something. Here the prices for American products are in line with any local supermarket, and the produce, meat and fish prices seem a little better.

There is also a pretty good selection of hispanic products, which seems to be the other major demographic of this area. In addition, there is a restaurant area to the back left of the store, with a play area for little kids. You can eat your take out products from the store there, and they also have various soups, dumpling, rice and noodle dishes available.

[Rail Paul]

Better than Maxim's? That's going a stretch for produce.

Hmmmm, I'll have to ask Dee to check it out on her way home from Fort Lee...

[jhlurie]

Rachel, Han Ah Reum appears to actually be part of a chain.  I saw another one today in Hackensack--on River Street immediately off the traffic circle which meets with Rte. 46.

[tommy]

Quote: from jhlurie on 9:24 pm on Jan. 20, 2002

Rachel, Han Ah Reum appears to actually be part of a chain.  I saw another one today in Hackensack--on River Street immediately off the traffic circle which meets with Rte. 46.

is that by that irish pub down there?  just trying to figure out exactly where you're talking about.

thanks.

[Rachel Perlow]

Quote: from Rail Paul on 12:08 pm on Jan. 20, 2002

Better than Maxim's? That's going a stretch for produce.

Actually, I threw Maxim's in there because it is one of the more famous stores. I actually can't stand going in there. I've been only been there a few times, but it always smells and seems quite dirty. One time "nature called," they directed me to the back storage area, it is really a mess back there. I won't buy anything but packaged products from them.

Kam Man is much better. Their produce and fish selection seems much fresher than Maxim's. I also appreciate that they have decent public bathrooms, which may be required because of the food service area, which Maxim's doesn't have.

I'm curious to check out the other Han Ah Reum to see if the quality is chain-wide or if the Ridgefield store is extra special. Also, as long as I'm applauding cleanliness in supermarkets, I want to be fair and mention that Mitsuwa seems completely immaculate - it's just so rediculously overpriced that we usually only go there to get a few specialty items.

[Wah]

I've been shopping at all the Han Ah Reums for a long time.  I'll tell you what I know...  

The Han Ah Reums around here (northern NJ) are located in Englewood (by the circle at the end of Palisades Ave.), Little Ferry where the shop rite (I think) used to be... Valley Fair I think its called, NYC on 32nd street, and Ridgefield.  

The ridgefield one is the newest and largest.  They have the freshest produce compared to the others, and the seafood is cheaper than most american supermarkets (i'm pretty sure, but I could be wrong).  The one in Little Ferry is also very large, but is not as clean and fresh as the one in Ridgefield... The one in Englewood seems to be getting less business since the Ridgefield Han Ah Reum opened.  Its pretty small (although NYC is the smallest) and I only go there if I need something and I happen to be driving near englewood.  It also has a small hot foods area, but not like the one in ridgefield.

hope this helps.

[Rachel Perlow]

Wah - thanks for the breakdown. We'll have to check out the one in Englewood, since it is closest to where we live. I must've driven past it dozens of times and never noticed it!

[Wah]

Yeah the englewood one is hidden pretty well.  I don't know what the name of the street is, but its on the block between the DMV and circle.  Like I said... its smaller than the ridgefield store so be prepared.  :)

(Edited by Wah at 11:23 am on Jan. 22, 2002)

[jhlurie]

Quote: from tommy on 11:34 pm on Jan. 20, 2002

is that by that irish pub down there?  just trying to figure out exactly where you're talking about.

thanks.

As Wah says its probably actually Little Ferry instead of Hackensack.  And yes, that Pub is very near.  

The Ridgefield one is such a spectacle that I'm sure the rest of them are a bit of a let-down in comparison.

BTW: Wah... I also thank you for the heads up.

[tommy]

on my way back from China 46 tonite, i remembered the place at the 46 circle.  stopped in.  they are open til 9.30.  wow!  great place. some real good buys there.  pork at 1.09 a lb???? "hello!?!??!", as annoying people used to say a few years back.  

i noticed that they didn't have sushi like matsubishi (or whatever it's called in edgewater), and they don't have ingredients that might be specifically thai or vietnames (kaffir lime leaf or lemongrass for example).  but lots of other great stuff.  

thanks to all, once again!!  i'll be spending lots of time here.

[Rachel Perlow]

Quote: from tommy on 9:41 pm on Jan. 22, 2002

i noticed that they didn't have sushi like matsubishi (or whatever it's called in edgewater), and they don't have ingredients that might be specifically thai or vietnames (kaffir lime leaf or lemongrass for example).  but lots of other great stuff.

That may be because it is Korean and not Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese. ;)

[Wah]

there is a sushi section in both the englewood and ridgefield stores.  

[shugga]

There is also a Korean grocery store (I do not know if it is the same chain) in Bergenfield, on Teaneck Rd. in the Foster Village Shopping center.

By the way, the Jamaican Restaurant in that strip mall is EXCELLENT!

[Jason Perlow]

The korean supermarket isnt as good as Han Ah Reum there, but yes, the Jamaican place that bakes its own patties on premises is excellent. Good jerk too.

[tommy]

jason,

i love the new avatar!!! LOL!  that was jhlurie's idea, right?

(Edited by tommy at 8:58 am on Jan. 28, 2002)

[jhlurie]

actually it was his wife's.

Jason: next eGullet dinner we have to get you a viking hat to wear.  I'm sure we can find one if we look hard enough.

(Edited by jhlurie at 10:33 am on Jan. 28, 2002)

[tommy]

i stopped by the store in ridgefield today.  the place was a jumpin.  couldn't find a parking spot!

this one is *much* nicer than the little ferry/hackensack store.  we were quite impressed.  the fish, as rachel said, was pretty impressive.  although, i did pick up on a bit of a fishy smell.  but hey, whatareyagunnado.  they had skate and lots of other fish that i rarely see.

produce was fresh and plentiful.  back to my earlier comment on not having thai/vietnamese items, i was wrong.  this store had lemongrass (really fresh looking and really nice) and thai chilis, which are hard to come by outside of NYC.   we bought a bunch of crap and the bill was 70 dollars.  it was quite a deal.

most interesting was the "rib steak" we bought.  i assume that "rib steak" means "rib eye".  although, i do understand that butchers all pretty much have different names for the same cuts of meat (can we get a little standardization here?!?!?).   turns out this cut was more of a sirlion.  but, for 2 huge pieces (probably 12/14 oz each) it was only 5 bucks.  that's 2.50 each.  that is absurdly cheap.  grilled them tonite, and although they weren't rib-eye, they were decent and 1/4 of the price.  yippee!

lots of fresh sushi made by the fellows there.  also sashimi grade fish.  20 bucks a lb for tuna, which is what i remember yohans in edgewater being.  

another interesting part:  there were 2 woman in the middle of the store at a table making kimchee by the garbage can full.  the woman was absolutely covered with spicy sauce, gleefully making tons of kimchee.  pretty neat.  well, messy, but you know what i mean.

a great store.  my affinity for asian women is probably another reason why i like this place.

[Jason Perlow]

did you catch the automated rice cake making machine?

That sucker is wicked.

[jhlurie]

another interesting part:  there were 2 woman in the middle of the store at a table making kimchee by the garbage can full.  the woman was absolutely covered with spicy sauce, gleefully making tons of kimchee.  pretty neat.  well, messy, but you know what i mean.

I love those ladies!  It was my favorite part too, except maybe for the big banging rice cake thing.

a great store.  my affinity for asian women is probably another reason why i like this place.

So what's with the blonde wife? :)

[Rail Paul]

Han Ah Reum is written up in a feature article in Wednesday's Newark Star Ledger.

very positive, flattering. Good overview of the various types of produce and how to use it in cooking.

[Rachel Perlow]

I couldn't find a mention of Han Ah Reum in the online version of the article, but here's a link to the part describing various Asian ingredients.

[Rachel Perlow]

I finally found the Han Ah Reum in Englewood. It's OK, with noticible similarities to the Ridgefield store. But, it just wasn't as exciting and had a slightly fishy smell.

[tommy]

i forgot to mention:  when i was there i saw something that i have never seen before...a black chicken!!!!

maybe i should as on the cooking forum.  it was kinda creepy.  i wonder if it tastes, um, like chicken?

[Rachel Perlow]

I forgot to tell you what I purchased there. I was going for crab, but they didn't have the same kind of selection the Ridgefield place had. They did have a big bin of shrimp, under ice, out for people to help themselves. Large tiger shrimp, that I'm sure would be ~ผ-15/lb in a supermarket, were ů/lb!

I also got a flat of 6 pints of strawberries for Ű. Unfortunately, when picking through them this morning there were quite a few with mold, which reduces the "excited find" feeling I was having. However, leaving them out on my kitchen counter for 5 hours last night probably helped spread the mold faster. Next time I'll sort through them immediately and vacuum seal them.

[tommy]

the ridgefield store had shrimp out as well.  3.99 a lb.  they were nothing exciting, but were probably fine for most applications.  i bought some and ground them into my spring roll filler.