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Specialty Food Stores


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I thought it would be helpful to post the names of some specialty food stores (which are quite reasonably priced) in the Washington area for everyone, as I know how valuable it is to have this sort of information. I hope others can offer some tips as well. (I have been looking for a Thai grocery/spice store but have been unsuccessful.)

Lebanese/ Mediterranean

Mediterranean Bakery- South Picket Street , VA., near Landmark Mall

Assadour- Off Rockville Pike, Randolph Street, MD.

Irani and Mediterranean

Yekta- Rockville Pike, MD.

Indian/Pakistani

International House- Rockville Pike, MD. (all the spices and sweets you can think of, and extremely cheap. A friend of mine runs the place, she is a Burmese lady.)

Italian

Via Reggio- Connecticut Avenue

(I still find Sutton Place to be cheaper, eg. buffalo's milk mozarella there vs. at Via Reggio, as well as the Mediterranean stores, where the olives and cheese selection is wider and cheaper).

Korean and other South Asian specialties

Lotte- Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD. (excellent fresh fish)

Chinese and other South Asian Specialties

Maxim's- Rockville Pike, MD.

Oriental Market- Rockville Pike, MD. (good duck, reasonably priced)

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There's a Thai grocery in Silver Spring, MD. I think it's on Sligo Ave, either that or else on Silver Spring Ave, close to the intersection with Georgia Ave. It's okay, plenty of prepared products but not any fresh food to speak of. I know there's one in Alexandria, too, which I hear is better.

I'd be interested in hearing more favorites. Some of mine include Shalom Kosher on University Blvd in Wheaton for Kosher and Eastern European foods, the Polonez deli I've mentioned in another thread for Polish food in Sil Spring, and the Jamaican Market on New Hampshire Ave in Langley Park for all your Ting and long bean needs. Obviously, I'm a Marylander and I mostly make it to Maryland stores, but I'd love to hear about other cool spots around the metro area.

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Oliva--how important is price in your criteria--I mean you mention "quite reasonably priced" as opposed to "high or highest quality?" Do these make your list primarily because of the cost--or is it a quality issue as well, i.e. the same high quality products can be found here as in higher priced markets or sources?

Because, for instance, I shop at the Lebanese Taverna Market store on Lee Highway in Arlington alot--it's close by me, a clean, bright and attractive place--there's a very engaging chef on site supervising and cooking all day. A large prep staff. All the middle eastern foods and prepared items are impeccable--and there's turnover so stuff doesn't sit around. It may be more expensive than some of the markets you listed (I don't know) but the quality is so high I don't care. (The place is amazingly clean. A big plus for a chef, as I am.)

Have you shopped much at the Landmark Mall bakery, for instance, and how does it stack up against this Lebanese Taverna--say for the baked goods and things like halawa and lebne and bulk stuff like pine nuts and mahlab? Is the quality the same? Do they make and stretch their own phyllo like Abdul does at Lebanese Taverna? I ask this not to challenge but to get more specific about your criteria--and to learn more about what it is you appreciate about these locations.

You also didn't mention the Italian Store in the Lyon Village shopping center also off Lee Highway in Arlington. Have you ever been and how does Via Reggio stack up in your opinion? And again, back to your criteria--is the buffalo "cheaper and just as good" at Sutton or just just cheaper than at Via Reggio?

Steve Klc

Pastry chef-Restaurant Consultant

Oyamel : Zaytinya : Cafe Atlantico : Jaleo

chef@pastryarts.com

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SteveKlc, Thank you for raising this issue. Being a food lover, I thought it was assumed that: "the same high quality products can be found here as in higher priced markets or sources." I love and enjoy looking for specialty high quality products at lower prices because I just don't see any need to spend, for example, $2 at Fresh Fields on a packet of fresh mint when I can get the same, for 50c at Yekta Irani market which is, in addition, even fresher and more fragrant. Quality reigns supreme, but do we really have to pay extortionate prices to get the product we want?

The list I provided is for people who want to spend less, buy more specialised goods and not compromise on quality. Another example- I buy my shiitake and oyster mushrooms at Lotte (Korean Market) as well as my lemongrass. Again, cheaper than Fresh Fields and quality is perfect.

In answer to your question on the buffalo milk mozarella from Via Reggio: I bought the same product made by the same producer in Campania from Sutton Place at a lower price. No compromise on quality.

As for the Med Bakery, please make a trip there, I think you will really like it if you like the Lebanese Taverna. They have, in my view, the best olive selection. I keep Greek Kalamatas and the small bitter Lebanese olives in my pantry at all times which I buy from there. All my Arab friends shop there religiously, in fact, even the ones who live in Arlington and have easy access to the Taverna (The Bakery is slightly bigger than the Taverna). They have excellent halva, fatayer and lahmajeen. They have excellent fresh lebneh as well. I do not know about making fresh phyllo dough. Their spice selection too, is excellent. I bought za'atar and sumac from there for a fraction of the cost Dean and Deluca was charging me for a special order. And again, quality is perfect. You will like it.

International House- the Indian/Pakistani store- I would not buy my spices from anywhere else except maybe the Indian Spices store in Arlington. I would never buy a garam masala for example, made by Fresh Fields, it just isn't authentic.

I have not been to the Italian Store in Arlington but have frequented Via Reggio and Vace. Sometimes you can special order some things for example, I ordered a bottle of Mirto, What specific goods do you buy there? A lot of people look for mortadella (apparently quite good at the Med Bakery, too) and prosciutto, but since I don't eat pork, I am not interested in these products. I buy fresh pasta (sometimes) from Via Reggio. I used to buy my favourite San Pelligrino Limonata from there as well but now I have found it for less at Trader Joe's. I buy my olive oil from Dean and Deluca, not from Via Reggio- I use Ravida, which I did not find at Via Reggio. I would like to know what everyone likes to buy from Vace or the Italian Store specifically.

I hope this helps.

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Oh, it helps tremendously Oliva. Thanks so much. I wanted to give you an opportunity to go into more detail and didn't want to assume anything. It's better that way and more helpful to find out the whys behind our choices. Keep posting here and elsewhere because you're appreciated.

Me--specifically--from the Italian store? Love--and make special trips for--the Milano and Capri subs, pizza, balls of frozen pizza dough, Nancy Silverton's baguettes. Also sometimes a bottle of wine with "frizzante" occasionally hard to find elsewhere, like a Moscato d'Asti or Brachetto d'Acqui, marinated artichokes, fresh mozz and other cheeses if convenient, though I'm not making a special trip for these or for the cheese.

Steve Klc

Pastry chef-Restaurant Consultant

Oyamel : Zaytinya : Cafe Atlantico : Jaleo

chef@pastryarts.com

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In the Clarendon/Bailey's Crossroads area:

Indian Spice Store off Wilson near the Ballston Shopping Mall

Duangrats (?) Thai/Oriental Market on Rt 7 near Carlin Springs Road near Duangrats Restaurant

El Chaparal Latin market across Wilson Blvd from Fresh Fields

Amazing Oriental market out Lee Highway after Galaxy restaurant and before the Rt 50 intersection (Bux - this is the source of the Green Machine--the Anytop blender-- they also have the cutest tiny pink Hello Kitty Coffee Maker which I covet merely for its design and ridiculous color :unsure: )

A-1 Indian Market on Lee Highway in Arlington just after the Safeway

Middle Eastern Market off Rt 50 just after N. Courthouse Road in the plaza across from Ft Meyers with the Armands Pizza Place

I think there are lots of interesting markets around tucked away

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Oh, it helps tremendously Oliva.  Thanks so much.  I wanted to give you an opportunity to go into more detail and didn't want to assume anything.  It's better that way and more helpful to find out the whys behind our choices.  Keep posting here and elsewhere because you're appreciated.

Please let me know your thoughts on the Med Bakery if you venture out there!

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I'll be going to the Med. bakery this weekend and will report back!

And it sounds like Lotte might be similar to the huge, wonderful Korean/Asian market Chefette just mentioned out Lee Highway near Gallows Road. An amazing market.

Steve Klc

Pastry chef-Restaurant Consultant

Oyamel : Zaytinya : Cafe Atlantico : Jaleo

chef@pastryarts.com

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I found this on the web. Am trying to put together, the places I want to visit (and purchase whatever to satisfy my needs), whenever I'll be visiting my Brother-in-Law in Burke.

I have a nice Northern VA map and a DC map in bookform, and after I have marked and highlighted the address(es), all dutyfully recorded with map pages and coordinates (grids) shopping is a cinch. It almost becomes a "drive-by".

I am adding all the above listed ones to my records. Thanks. (Helps my relative too)

http://www.eatwashington.com/

Peter
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And it sounds like Lotte might be similar to the huge, wonderful Korean/Asian market Chefette just mentioned out Lee Highway near Gallows Road.  An amazing market.

Lotte has nice fresh fish and crabs and some nice veggies. It is not too big though. (There is a Lotte in Fairfaz too I believe) If you are looking for big, there is a Korean/Oriental Market which I forgot to add to the list: called Korean Corner, and that too is in Maryland, but I forget the area's name.

If you are on Randolph Avenue (off of Rockville Pike), you keep going straight till you hit a strip Mall on your left where Korean Corner is, I believe it is called Veirs Mill Road. They have all sorts of goodies like lotus leaves and garlic flowers, much like Lotte but a larger variety and on a larger scale. They even have a small cafe where you can eat excellent chap chae or spicy squid (it's not too fancy though and some may find it a bit 'messy').

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