Asian Markets in the DFW area

[Richard Kilgore]

Which Asian grocers do you like in the area? Which ones have a specific national/regional focus and which ones more broadly define themselves? Any hidden treasures?

[Modern Day Hermit]

Here are some just off the top of my head:

Korean - Located off of 35 and Royal (east and west), numerous restaurants and markets

Vietnamese - Beltline and Josey in Carrollton - numerous markets

Indian - West side of 75 and Beltline (Sweet Shop, Textiles, Indo-Chinese restaurant, vegetarian south indian restaurant, videos, groceries, etc.)

Main and Greenville - exit Beltline, go east (turns into Main, I believe) -- Taiwanese market, a couple chinese market and from what I hear -- I really nice restaurant upstairs.

[Scott -- DFW]

The (non-Mexican) ethnic market I go to most is Taj Mahal Imports (southwest corner of Central and Beltline). Sometimes I'll hit the big Asian market on the other side of Central, while I'm up there.

In addition to the others listed, there's a decent sized Vietnamese market on Maple, near Wycliff. And there's a small Thai market on Fitzhugh, a block or so east of Central. Really, though, small ethnic markets are all over the place. It would be a monumental project to catalog and compare them all.

Scott

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks, Modern Day Hermit. And welcome to eGullet.

Scott -- DFW: Thanks. No need to catalogue and compare all the ethnic (or even just Asian) markets in the DFW area, unless you want to. Just pointing out locations of various markets may be helpful to those who want to go explore, or who are looking for, say, a Thai ingredient they can't find elsewhere. Even more helpful would be a brief report on the ones you shop at -- what you have found of interest; is there a language barrier for English speakers; how wide a range of products; do prices seem high, low, average compared to whatever you want to compare them to? Those sorts of questions people may have.

How about Ft Worth and the mid-cities? Denton?

[Modern Day Hermit]

If anyone is interested in Indian specific grocers, here is a website dedicated to everything Indian in numerous metro cities:

Ek Nazar (One Look)

Scott -- Taj Imports is one of my favorites. If they don't have it, I don't think anyone has. I am personally a huge fan of their dokla on the weekends and their chaat shop.

Thanks, Modern Day Hermit. And welcome to eGullet.

Thanks :) I've been lurking for sometime and finally decided to go ahead and register.

In regards to my previous post about the shops located off of Josey and Beltline (near 35), there is a store, according to one of my friends, that sells fresh tofu. Naturally, I can't remember which one, but if I check it out anytime soon I will report back. The Vietnamese store on the NE Corner of Beltline and Josey, I have yet to run into anyone that speaks English. However, they are very nice. One lady in particular is very nice to discuss different ingredients and dishes. If I mention the name of a dish, she will take me straight to all the necessary ingredients.

There is another Asian market at the corner of Beltline and Rochelle, in Irving, between 183 and 161. I have not gone in since I frequent other shops, but I have driven by numerous time.

Still thinking...

**edited to add that I find most Asian (and Mexican) markets a whole heck of a lot less expensive than American markets. I do most of my shopping in "ethnic" markets simply because I usually find better ingredients at a much lower expense. I do make an exception for Central Market, I love their store. I've heard some say that most of their items are more expensive but when I have made an effort to make comparisons -- they are pretty comparable, especially since their quality is usually much nicer than your average Kroger or Tom Thumb (I hate Albertsons ;) ).

Edited December 4, 2003 by Modern Day Hermit (log)

[Scott -- DFW]

MD Hermit,

I'm with you 100% on doing the bulk of my shopping at non-gringo supermarkets. Almost all of my cooking is Mexican/Southwestern, so I end up spending most of my grocery dollars at the Fiesta on Henderson. Not only are most produce items cheaper there, but they're often of much higher quality than I can find at Central Market or Whole Foods. Produce seems to turn over there a lot faster, so new shipments are always arriving. The quality gap widens even more for specialty items: chiles, nopales, tomatillos, sour/Seville oranges, chayote, etc. (They used to carry canned huitlacoche there, Richard. I haven't seen it there for a while, though.)

BTW, there are also several small Korean markets along Beltline, south of 183, in Irving. Haven't been to any of them yet.

Scott

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks for the reports, Hermit and Scott. The details and the personal experience makes a big difference.

[friedclams]

In Plano on Coit at Park is the May Hua Korean market...

it consists of the market with a fresh produce, fresh meat and fresh-swimming tanked fish areas and packaged asian foods. There is also a large selection of frozen asian foods.

I've shopped there and find the produce excellent and prices fair. Sorry I can't speak (yet) for the fresh meat or fish.

There is also a gift shop, asian video rental and several restaurants around the perimeter of the market...

On weekends the asian crowd makes the parking lot fill ...

In case you can't find it, Elliot's Hardware is in the shopping center across Coit and the Plano 10 $1.00 Movie Theatre is in the shopping center across Park.

[nessa]

I found a great little Vietnamese market right around the corner from me. Its at Barnes Bridge and Shiloh and is called Dong Phuong I believe. Its small but pretty well stocked. They had 20 oz blocks of fresh tofu for $1

Fresh shrimp, sans head for $3.99 Naturally they don't have everything but I also won't have to drive all the way to Richardson next time I want some really good 'fu

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks for posting on these places, fried clams and nessa. There are more Asian markets, large and small, across the metroplex than I had once imagined. Please post more of your impressions as you get familiar with different stores.

[nessa]

Forgive me, for I have sinned. I could not wait until the 24th to go to HKM, I was out of sesame oil and this delicious, firey chili/peanut/oil/fermented bean sauce thing.... and they dont cary either at my new little store, However....

I discovered the tofu shop about 4 doors down from HKM and quite frankly, I'm in love.

They had fresh tofu, I could see them making it in the back. They also had various chinese dried fruits etc. Down the middle of the tiny store, they have a hotlamp buffet looking thing. They had fried tofu with lemon grass. It was not fried like puffy, though they had that as well, but just their regular tofu pan fried.

Three squares for a dollar, and I bought three, of course. Then they had these HUGE meatballs on a stick, three per, and some tofu wrap thing. I had to try it all.

The fried 'fu was just incredible. It was flavorful, no beany taste, and the texture was between scrambled eggs and a nice custard. I had downed all three pieces before I exited the parking lot. My goodness If I could only make mine taste like that! The meatballs were delish! I'm guessing a mix of pork and perhaps shrimp, with green onion and sugar. A tad greasy but finger licking good. The wrap I'll have for breakfast, along with the second deep fried sesame-mungbeen dumpling ball thing from the Hong Kong bakery. I'm going back for more of those too. Hurry up 24th!!!

Edited to add: They do have sesame oil at the place on Shiloh, but its not 100%, all the brands they have are mixed with soybean oil. Feh.

Edited January 5, 2004 by nessa (log)

[friedclams]

there is a small sign on the front of May Hua that there will be dragon dancers on the 24th for Chinese NY's celebration...

in case anyone ain't goin' to the HK Market..lol